Annex A Instructions
SPECIAL INITIATIVE
AND
TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT
SFY 2010
A. Contract Summary Sheet
Provide the information requested. This information should match the Annex A, Program Description and the Annex B, Budget.
B. Special Initiative Program
Recent changes to the WFNJ sanction policy require that counties adhere to a pre sanction and outreach process prior to the imposition of a sanction. The Division of Family Development has provided each county with an Outreach Protocol that describes at a minimum the standards for outreach associated with the new sanction rules counties must have in place.
Each county must describe in the Annex A how they will ensure the outreach standards will be satisfied, being mindful that those individuals with a disability or lacking English proficiency must be accommodated. Please include a description of the types of outreach that will be provided, staffing that will be utilized, and procedures utilized to document agency action and communication with service providers and other agencies involved in the outreach and sanctioning process.
WFNJ Special Initiative funding may be utilized for the provision of Outreach services. Before any additional Special Initiative funded services will be considered, DFD must be satisfied that the outreach requirements will be met, even if it necessitates the entire county allocation of Special Initiative funds be utilized for that purpose.
The Division of Family Development is funding the Special Initiative Program to assist counties in developing programs to meet the social service needs for the hardest to serve Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) participants. Special Initiative funds are to be used to help clients overcome social barriers that impede their ability to become self sufficient. These programs should be developed in consultation with the local Workforce Investment Board and where relevant coordinated with the “to work” activities provided through the One Stop Career Center.
Counties are required to describe the need for any proposed Special Initiative, as well as a complete description of the program, activity or service that will be provided. Special Initiative funds may not be used for Employment Directed Activities. Counties are encouraged to contract with Faith based organizations, Community Based Organizations and Public Housing Authorities.
The total cost and Level of Service must be stated for each program. Please note that all Special Initiative funding must be allocated in the Annex A and Annex B. Unallocated funds cannot be included in the Annex A and Budget Annex B. Unallocated funds may be modified into the Contract when the county has determined how these funds will be spent.
DFD will have final approval of all activities developed
Special Initiative Services will include, but not be limited to the following services. If direct benefits are paid to clients, indicate the maximum to be paid.
Ø Mental Health Services
Ø Individual Counseling
· Matrimonial counseling
· Family Violence
· Crisis Intervention
Ø Parenting Skills
Describe the services to be offered.
· Services for families with children under 1 year old should coordinate with the County TIP Child Abuse Prevention Programs
· Child Abuse Prevention Programs
· Mentoring and Parenting Aide Programs
· Parenting problem solving, assessing family needs-family stabilizing
· Provide psychiatric and psychological bonding evaluations to determine
the level of risk
· Mentoring overwhelmed single parents or families dealing with stress
· Self-esteem
· Motivation
Ø Pregnancy Prevention Program
· Teen pregnancies
· Nutritional training
Ø Homelessness Prevention (Post TANF Services)
· Achieving permanency
· Security deposits—indicate the maximum to be paid
· Moving costs
Ø Financial Assistance, other funds must be exhausted.
· Credit counseling
· Uniforms and/or clothing
Ø Financial Incentives, other funds must be exhausted
· Assistance with car insurance
· Assistance with car repairs
· Reinstate drivers license (other than DWI or criminal charges)
Ø Mentor Youths aging out of foster care until their 21st birthday
Ø Incentive Awards—examples are
· Individual Development Accounts (dollar for dollar match)
· Rent or security deposits
· Assistance with utility bills
· Camp fees for school age children during the summer break
· Special child care needs
· One day conference/training related to employment
· Store certificates following a significant accomplishment
Ø Expanded outreach to active TANF recipients to assist participants in transitioning from cash assistance to self-sufficiency. Outreach efforts should actively pursue individuals not currently engaged in an activity.
Recipients who are deferred due to medical reasons should be contacted to ensure that: 1) if appropriate, they are referred to the Legal Services New Jersey/SSI initiative to assist them in applying for SSI or in appealing SSI denials, 2) their deferral documentation is current or is updated if needed, or 3) they are referred to a health provider or enrolled in an HMO to meet their medical needs. Inform participants whose case is scheduled to close due to a sanction the actions that can be taken to prevent the sanction. Supportive Assistance to Individuals and Families (SAIF) recipients are not eligible for this service.
Ø Activities for SAIF recipients extended past the 60 month limit. Innovative activities may be developed to address the needs of participants who have had their receipt of TANF benefits continued past the 60 month life time limit due to an extension of benefits. Such activities could include education classes on parenting, the provision of disability assessments or other activities designed to transition these participants from cash assistance to self-sufficiency through employment or through receipt of other benefits such as SSI. These services may be provided to current and Post TANF clients.
C. Transportation Program
The Transportation Program consists of funding under the Transportation Block Grant (TANF) Program and the Transportation Plus Grant (Post TANF) Program. Separate funding allocations have been awarded to each Program. The funding must be separated on the Annex A and Annex B with no transfer of allocation between the two programs. These programs should be developed in consultation with the local Workforce Investment Board and where relevant coordinated with the “to work” activities provided through the One Stop Career Center.
Counties must demonstrate participation in a local coordinated human service transportation planning process as mandated under the Federal United We Ride Executive Order.
The following information must be included in the Annex A:
· If operating a shuttle include the operations cost of the route
· Per person cost for one way trip
· Identify type of transportation service i.e. on demand, modified fixed route, feeder, etc.
· If providing driver training state the cost per person per hour, who is providing this service, what is included, length of time toward completion, criteria for offering this service to an individual and the projected number to be offered this training
· If providing outreach state the cost per person how is outreach being performed (phone, mailings, home visits, etc.)
· Identify how special needs (person with physical challenges) will be addressed
· What procedures are in place to evaluate the success of this route
The total cost and Level of Service must be stated for each program. Please note that all Transportation funding must be allocated in the Annex A and Annex B. Unallocated funds cannot be included in the Annex A and Budget Annex B. Unallocated funds may be modified into the Contract when the county has determined how the unallocated funds will be spent.
DFD will have final approval of all activities developed.
1. Transportation Block Grant (TANF) Program
Describe the need identified in the county transportation plan for TANF clients and how this money will be used to address this plan.
County paratransit systems must be identified in their county transportation plans
Please include the following information:
a. If funds are used to transport the client’s children, describe the method of transportation.
b. List each component purchased; the number and cost of units purchased in each component and the total cost of the purchase. For example, purchasing 20 vehicles for TANF clients at a cost not to exceed $2,500 per vehicle for a total cost of $50,000.
c. If funds are used for shuttles or buses, list the amount. Include the number of days per week and the hours of operation. State whether the vehicles will be available on an on-call basis and whether or not the vehicles are handicap accessible.
d. If services are available to both TANF recipients and the public, the method used to allocate the costs to TANF (funded through the contract) must be explained. Provide the method developed by the county to track these services. If this service is available to the public, identify the other funding sources i.e. county, private, etc.
e. Driving Courses
f. Auto Club Memberships
2. Post TANF Transportation Block Grant Program
Describe the need identified in the county transportation plan for Post TANF clients and how this money will be used to address this plan. Please include the following information.
a. If services are available to TANF recipients and the public, the method used to allocate the costs to TANF (funded through the contract) must be explained. Provide the method developed by the county to track these services. If this service is available to the public, identify the other funding sources, i.e. county, private, etc.
b. If funds are used to transport the client’s children, describe the method of transportation.
c. List each component purchased; the number and cost of units purchased in each component and the total cost of the purchase, i.e. paying the costs for reinstating driver’s licenses for 15 Post TANF clients at a cost not to exceed $1,300 per client for a total of $19,500.
d. If funds are used for shuttles or buses, list the amount. Include the days per week and the hours of operation. State whether the vehicles will be available on an on-call basis and whether of not the vehicles are handicap accessible.
e. Driving Courses
f. Auto Club Memberships
Programs developed using Transportation Block Grant and/or Post TANF Transportation Block Grant funding sources must be developed in consultation with the local Workforce Investment Board and, where relevant, coordinated with the “to work” activities provided through the One Stop Career Center in the county.
D. TIP Program
Describe how the TIP program will be implemented through your agency. Include the anticipated LOS.
1. Program Goals
The goal of the Division of Family Development’s (DFD) TANF Initiative for Parents (TIP) Program is to prevent child abuse and neglect through the promotion of: healthy parent-child interactions (e.g. positive parenting skills, healthy nutrition, children’s immunizations, early identification of development delays and linking families to community based medical and social services, and employment and training activities with the opportunity to acquire skills that promote balance between employment and family.
2. Target Population
Pregnant TANF and GA, and TANF cases with a new birth 12 months or younger who are at moderate risk for parenting problems. TIP eligible parents receiving Emergency Assistance for shelter, motel or housing are required to be referred to the TIP In-Home provider for an assessment and, if appropriate, enroll in Home Visitation as a condition of on-going EA eligibility. All other eligible parents are voluntary enrollees.
3. Program Description
a. General Description
1) The TIP program can include separate In-Home and In-Community services or In-Home services only. Counties have the option of re-directing their In-Community funds to expand In-Home services to more clients (e.g. mandatory EA TIP eligible parents) and/or to promote work readiness skills during Home Visitation.
2) TIP participation can count for up to 10 hours of non-core work activity until the infant is one-year-old. If parents enrolled in TIP are not deferred from a work activity, then TIP must be combined with a “countable” 20-25 hour work activity. After the infant is one-year-old, parents can continue to receive In-Home services at their own discretion, however, TIP is no longer entered into OMEGA and non-deferred parents must be in a fulltime “countable” work activity.
3) TIP In-Home parenting services must meet the nationally recognized prevention standards for Home Visitation which are available on the Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey (PCA-NJ) Website and include (but are not limited to):
a) Nutrition, parenting education, support services and referrals to community services.
b) A family service plan that promotes family stabilization through employment and addresses other core issues that might lead to family disruption.
c) Screen all the children for development delays and track immunizations.
4) TIP In-Community services must be developed based on the clients’ needs, work participation goals and the county’s available resources. In-Community services might include:
d) Re-directing the community allocation to the TIP In-Home services to promote work readiness and employment and expand Home Visitation to more clients,
e) Creating special “countable” CWEPS or other flexible “countable” work activities for TIP parents through the One-Stop,
f) Providing additional employment case management for TIP parents enrolled in “countable” activities,
g) Creating community-based support groups, and/or workshops on nutrition, parenting education, family planning, fatherhood, financial literacy, meal planning, interactive parent-child activities, literacy, GED or other training/work supports.
E. Summary of Costs and Services
1. County Summary of Costs and Services
This is a summary of all the services provided directly by the county and by each subcontractor. Provide the total LOS, the program portion of the budget, the administrative portion of the budget and the total cost.
2. Provider Summary of Costs and Services.
Complete this form for each subcontractor including the county if services are directly provided.
F. Administration
1. Fiscal Management
Describe the fiscal management process, i.e. what triggers payment on each subcontract.