75-02-01.2-90. Job opportunities and basic skills program - Supportive services and post temporary assistance for needy families supportive services.

1. Supportive services may be made available to an eligible participant who, but for supportive services, is unable to enter into or remain in an allowable work activity. No supportive service may be provided without approval from the employment contractor, eligibility worker, or state office.

2. Post temporary assistance for needy families supportive services may be provided to assist employed former temporary assistance for needy families recipients to succeed in the workforce and avoid the need to receive further temporary assistance for needy families benefits.

3. Supportive services may include: a. Relocation assistance provided to a job opportunities and basic skills participant if: (1) The individual has a verified bona fide offer of employment, which will increase the individual's potential for increased earnings, job advancement, or permanent employment; or (2) The individual requests and receives approval to move from an area of the state with few employment opportunities to another area of the state with greater employment opportunities, or to an area out of state with greater employment opportunities. b. Monthly transportation assistance provided to participants in an approved work activity, if necessary for continued participation. c. Child care expense reimbursement in amounts consistent with the provisions of the state child care and development fund plan submitted under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 [42 U.S.C. 9858].

1. d. Assistance in the purchase of care for an incapacitated or disabled adult member of the participant's household, to whom the participant owes a legal duty to provide care, provided:
2. (1) There is no other individual in the household who can provide the care; and
3. (2) The incapacitated or disabled adult household member cannot provide self-care.
4. e. Assistance in the purchase of employment-related items determined to be reasonable and necessary for the participant to enter employment.
5. f. Assistance in the purchase of tools or equipment determined by the employment contractor to be required for the participant to accept employment.
6. g. Assistance in the cost of repairs determined to be reasonable and necessary to return a participant's vehicle to operable condition, provided:
7. (1) The vehicle is registered to a member of the household;
8. (2) The vehicle is needed by the participant to get to work or another approved work activity; and
9. (3) The general condition and value of the vehicle justifies repairs.
10. h. Assistance for defraying the cost of books, tuition, and fees associated with an allowable work activity, provided:
11. (1) Other educational fund sources have been explored and are exhausted; and
12. (2) The participant is eligible for assistance at the time funds are paid or obligated.
13. i. Assistance with payment for professional license fees and professional examination fees, if there is no other available source of funding, including fee waivers, and the professional license or examination is necessary to achieve an employment-related goal.
14. j. Assistance with expenses determined to be reasonable and necessary for the individual to engage in employment or participate in employment interviews, including transportation, lodging, grooming, and clothing.
15. k. Assistance with housing or shelter expenses for applicant households and for ongoing households who are homeless or at risk of experiencing homelessness, as follows:
16. (1) Provided the family did not receive temporary assistance for needy families in the month prior to the month of application, assistance with housing or shelter expenses may be used for:
    1. (a) Two months prior to the month of application;
    2. (b) Either of the two months prior to the month of application;
    3. (c) The month of application; or
    4. (d) One month following the month of application.
17. (2) The ongoing household's payment may be made for up to two months consecutively. It may not be made for more than two months in total while the case is active.

(3) The caretaker or caretaker's spouse must be participating in the job opportunities and basic skills program. (4) The applicant or recipient shall show ability to sustain payment of expenses in the future.

4. The maximum expenditures permitted for supportive services and transitional supportive services are limited to amounts and availability as the department may by order determine.

History: Effective December 9, 1996; amended effective July 1, 1997; January 1, 2003; January 1, 2009; January 1, 2011; April 1, 2024; April 1, 2026.