1. (a) A Board shall ensure that initial and ongoing assessments are performed to determine the employability and retention needs, including wage advancement and career development needs, of Choices individuals as follows:

   1. (1) An assessment is required for mandatory individuals, and for exempt recipients who voluntarily participate in Choices services, and who are:

      1. (A) at least age 18; or
      2. (B) heads of household, as determined by TDHS, who are not yet age 18, have not completed secondary school or received a certificate of general equivalence, and are not attending secondary school.
   2. (2) An assessment shall be provided to applicants who choose to participate in Choices services.
   3. (3) Ongoing assessments shall be provided to former recipients who choose to participate in Choices services.

2. (b) Assessments shall include evaluations of strengths and potential barriers to obtaining and retaining employment, such as:

   1. (1) skills and abilities, employment, and educational history in relation to employers' workforce needs in the local labor market;
   2. (2) pre- and post-employment skills development needs to determine the necessity for job-specific training;
   3. (3) unmet housing needs and whether those needs are a barrier to full participation in the workforce and progression to self-sufficiency;
   4. (4) support services needs; and
   5. (5) individual and family circumstances that may affect participation, including the existence of family violence, substance abuse, mental health, disability-related issues, or the need for parenting skills training, as one of the factors considered in evaluating employability.
3. (c) A Board shall ensure that the assessment identifies Choices individuals with higher than average barriers to employment, as defined by the Board.
4. (d) A Board shall ensure that if the skills assessment indicates that an individual requires job-specific training for placement in a job paying wages that equal or exceed the Board's identified self-sufficiency wage, the Board shall, to the extent funds are available and to the extent allowed under this chapter, place the individual in vocational educational training activities or job skills training activities that are designed to improve employment and wage outcomes and job retention; and

5. (e) For mandatory individuals who are at least age 18, or who are heads of household but are not yet age 18 and have not completed secondary school or received a certificate of general equivalence and are not attending secondary school:

   1. (1) The assessments shall also include evaluations of the mandatory individual's:

      1. (A) vocational and educational skills, experience, and needs; and
      2. (B) literacy level by using a statewide standard literacy assessment instrument with the following exception: recipients receiving the EID are excluded from the literacy assessment. A Board shall ensure that the grade-level results or other literacy information is provided to TDHS for use in determining the appropriateness of the initial state time-limit designation for temporary cash assistance as described in the Texas Human Resources Code §31.0065, relating to state time-limited benefits.
   2. (2) The grade-level results or other literacy information are provided to TDHS for use in determining the appropriateness of the initial state time-limit designation for temporary cash assistance as described in the Texas Human Resources Code §31.0065, relating to state time-limited benefits.
6. (f) Assessment Outcome. Assessments shall result in the development of a family employment plan, as described in §811.23 of this subchapter.

Source Note:The provisions of this §811.22 adopted to be effective November 18, 2003, 28 TexReg 10261.