Childcare
Individuals who are Choices-eligible must be participating in the Choices program to be eligible for Choices child care. Other qualified individuals include the following: • Mandatory individuals and exempt recipients who voluntarily participate in Choices service • Sanctioned families and conditional applicants who demonstrate cooperation prior to resuming TANF assistance
B-702.b: Choices Child Care
• EPS attendance; • rescheduling; and • failure to respond.
: Outreach Results
An adult or teen head of household who left TANF in a sanctioned status but who is reapplying for TANF assistance and must demonstrate cooperation with Choices program requirements for four consecutive week
Conditional Applicant
• clear and easily understood; • concise and includes only the facts, keeping the information short and to the point; • complete and includes only pertinent information about actions, activities, and interactions with the customer; and • accurate.
B-602: Documentation – Case Notes
Boards must ensure that Workforce Solutions Office staff terminates childcare services immediately after determining that a Choices participant has done one of the following: • Moved out of state • Voluntarily withdrawn from childcare.
B-702.d: Termination of Child Care
Organized educational programs directly related to preparing Choices participants for employment in current or emerging occupation
Vocational Educational Training
An adult or teen head of household who must demonstrate cooperation for one month to have TANF cash assistance reinstated
Sanctioned Family
Boards must ensure that Workforce Solutions Office staff enters daily hours of participation in all activities into WorkInTexas.com.
B-603: Documentation – Participation Activities
E-2510, Notification of Child Care Eligibility,
• Action eligibility start date • Eligibility redetermination date or discontinue date
• Child’s information • Care type
B-702.e: Child Care Communication
Full-time or part-time employment in the private or public sector, where all or a portion of the participant’s wages are subsidized (federal or state funds may subsidize the wages) • Internship with a portion of the Choices participant’s wages subsidized
B-504: Subsidized Employment
Activities directly related to work, including unsubsidized employment, subsidized employment, on-the-job training (OJT), and educational services for Choices-eligible individuals who have not completed secondary school or received a HSE credential
Employment Activities
Each participation activity has specific documentation and verification requirements. Boards must ensure that Workforce Solutions Office staff members document and verify all participation activities in accordance with this guide and enter the documentation and verification into WorkInTexas.com Daily Time Tracking.
B-600: Documentation and Verification
Individuals who apply for TANF and obtain employment prior to TANF certification are eligible to receive child care. To receive TANF Applicant child care, individuals must receive a referral from HHSC to attend a WOA, locate employment, or have increased earnings prior to TANF certification need child care to accept or retain employment
B-702.a: TANF Applicant Child Care
Quarterly tax filings Invoices signed by the payer that contain name and contact information, including the dates and locations services provided Receipts of payments received Copies of checks for payment Expense receipts that substantiate the expenses to be deducted from the gross income
Self-Employment Verification and Documentation
The Choices program serves single-parent and two-parent families under a work first service model. Choices participants receive the following message upon application to HHSC for TANF assistance and throughout delivery of benefits and services: • Government assistance is temporary. • Texans are responsible for the support of themselves and their families. • Employment is the goal
A-103: Choices Program
• A conversation with designated staff from the institution, documented in the Case Notes • A copy of the grades or evaluation • Written documentation from the course instructor verifying homework hours required for a course • A letter or email from staff designated by the institution.
B-506.a: Required Documentation for Educational Services
a separate entry is entered into Case Notes indicating the Date childcare services are authorized • Date childcare staff was notified that the Choices case has been reopened he is following:
Childcare- separate entry is entered into Case Notes
Unpaid training in the public or private sector designed to improve the employability of Choices participants who have been unable to find employment
Work Experience
The goal of Choices is to end dependence on public assistance by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage.
A-104: Goal of Choices
• Educational activities leading to a high school diploma or completion of an HSE credential (only for those who have not completed secondary school or earned an HSE credential) • Adult Basic Education (ABE) • ESL • Workforce adult literacy and language instruction • Vocational educational training (for not more than 12 months). • Boards must be aware that Choices participants must be making good or satisfactory progress, as reported by the educational institution.
B-506: Educational and Training Services for Choices Participants