PURPOSE: This rule requires that all applicants/recipients for the payment of Temporary Assistance shall complete an assessment and may be required to complete an individual responsibility plan which is termed an Individual Employment Plan (IEP).

1. (1) Initial Assessment.

   1. (A) For the purpose of the administration of the Temporary Assistance Program, the Family Support Division shall make an initial assessment of the skills, prior work experience, and employability of each applicant/recipient of assistance under the program who is the head of household or second parent and—

      1. 1. Has attained eighteen (18) years of

age; or

1. 2. Has not completed high school or

obtained a certificate of high school equivalency, and is not attending secondary school.

1. (B) The assessment described in subsection (1)(A) shall be completed at application.
2. (C) On the basis of the assessment made under subsection (1)(A) with respect to an individual, the Family Support Division shall refer the applicant to the Division of Workforce Development (DWD) or its designee to negotiate an Individual Employment Plan

1. (IEP) with the individual, unless the person meets an exclusion or exemption under 13 CSR 40-2.315(2)(C) and 13 CSR 40- 2.315(2)(D).

   1. (D) The IEP must be developed prior to approval of the application.

2. (2) Individual Employment Plan.

   1. (A) The Division of Workforce Development or its designee shall develop with the individual an IEP which:

      1. 1. Sets forth an employment goal for the

individual and a plan for moving the individual into employment as soon as possible and will include a requirement that the individual participate in an allowable/countable work activity for the minimum required hours outlined in the state policy;

1. 2. To the greatest extent possible is

designed to move the individual into whatever employment the individual is capable of handling as quickly as possible by establishing shortand long-term educational/occupational goals;

1. 3. Assesses the individual’s barriers that

may hinder the individual’s ability to seek and/or obtain employment. Those barriers may include (but are not limited to): substance abuse, legal issues, child care, healthcare, transportation, and education;

1. 4. Identify available support services,

such as subsidized child care, medical services and transportation benefits, to help ensure that the family will become self-sustaining and will be less likely to return to public assistance;

1. 5. Address circumstances creating barri-

ers to self-sufficiency and may be updated and adjusted to identify and address the removal of these barriers; and

1. 6. Ascertain the skills of the individual

that will expand the individual’s opportunity to obtain employment.

1. (3) The Family Support Division shall encourage families who have an IEP to make full use of the federal earned income tax credit.
2. (4) The application for Temporary Assistance benefits will not be approved without verification that the applicant completed the IEP, unless good cause is established.

3. (5) If an individual in a family fails to cooperate in developing the IEP without good cause, the division shall reject the Temporary Assistance application.

   1. (A) Good cause for not complying with the development of an IEP are—

      1. 1. Court-required appearance or incar-

ceration;

1. 2. Emergency family crisis which ren-

ders participation unreasonable;

1. 3. Breakdown in transportation arrange-

ments with no readily accessible alternate means of transportation;

1. 4. Breakdown in the child care arrange-

ment or availability of child care not suited for special needs of the child for whom it is intended;

1. 5. Lack of identified social services nec-

essary for participation and set forth in the IEP referenced in this rule; or

1. 6. DWD is not able to provide services

within thirty (30) days.

1. (6) The Family Support Division shall make efforts to coordinate with the Departments of Health and Senior Services, Mental Health, Elementary and Secondary Education, Labor and Industrial Relations, and Economic Development to develop or make available existing programs to individuals with an IEP. AUTHORITY: sections 207.020, RSMo 2000 and 208.040.5, RSMo Supp. 2006.* Emergency rule filed Feb. 18, 1998, effective March 1, 1998, terminated Aug. 10, 1998. Original rule filed Jan. 16, 1998, effective Aug. 1, 1998. Amended: Filed June 1, 2007, effective Dec. 30, 2007. *Original authority: 207.020, RSMo 1945, amended 1961, 1965, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1993 and 208.040.5, RSMo 1939, amended 1941, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1973, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1994, 1999, 2001.