A Message from the Director

1. A Message from the Director

2. Welcome toTANF Orientation Updated May 1, 2013

3. Department of Health & Human Services Office for Family Independence (OFI) • Program Eligibility • ASPIRE – Training & Employment • Child Support Enforcement

4. OFI Programs • TANF • Parents as Scholars (PaS) • Food Supplement • Medical Assistance • Emergency Assistance • Alternative Aid

5. TANF TANF is: • Temporary • Assistance (for) • Needy • Families

6. TANF Time Limits Federal and state law has placed a 60-monthlifetimelimiton receipt of TANF cash assistance

7. Approaching Your 60th month • You will be reminded of the 60 month time limit throughout your time on TANF as we help you work toward independence • You will receive a notice 120 days before your 60th month • You will have the opportunity to further discuss your options with your ASPIRE worker.

8. You have the RIGHT: • To be treated with respect ; • To apply at any time without discrimination; • To confidentiality; • To our decision in writing; • To claim “Good Cause”; • To appeal if you disagree with our decision.

9. You have RESPONSIBILITIES: • Participate in all activities & appointments required by OFI; • Provide all requested verifications by the day they are due; • Read all mail, including e-mail from OFI and respond to them if asked; • Report all changes within 10-days; • Start looking now for a job or volunteer opportunities.

10. Report Changes within 10 days… • Household Expense Changes • Rent • Utilities • Other • Household Composition- Someone moves in or out • Changes in Income • Job starts or ends • Unemployment income starts or ends • Social Security, VA, etc. starts or ends • Money received from other sources

11. Failure to Report Changes, Income or Assets Reporting changes is your responsibility. Failure to report changes timely may result in: • Referral to the Fraud, Investigation & Recovery Unit • Possible overpayment • Possible Disqualification for an Intentional Program Violation

12. ASPIRE ASPIRE provides support leading to employment

13. ASPIRE Will Help You: Develop YOUR plan for becoming self-sufficient: • Explore the local job market • Develop skills to help you: • Get ready for work • Find a job • Succeed on the job • Finish high school • Get your GED

14. Parents as Scholars (PaS)2-4 Year College Program • Same benefits and rules as TANF including the 60-month life-time limit on assistance. • Tuition comes from other sources • ASPIRE provides support services

15. What are Your Goals? What will YOU need to get started on your road to becoming employed?

16. ASPIRE Activities • Work Goals • Volunteer Work • Employment • On the job training • Job Search • Field training • Training & Educational Needs • High school diploma / GED programs • Short term certificate / vocational programs • PaS Program

17. ASPIRE Support Services • Child Care • Transportation • Car Repairs and Insurance • Uniforms • Tools Needed for Work • Other job related services

18. Family Contract • Your Family Contract lists the steps you agree to take to become employed. • It is your responsibility to look for a job while you are receiving TANF. If there is a special circumstance that stops you from looking for a job or completing an activity, you have the right to have us review your situation.

19. Good Cause • Good Cause is our decision that you had a good reason for not doing something that you agreed to do in your Family Contract. • Be prepared to have acceptable written proof of the reason for your failure to seek employment or complete an assigned activity.

20. Sanctions While we want everyone to be successful, some choose not to follow the rules of the program. If you chose not to follow the rules there are consequences : • If you are an applicant your benefits will not be approved. • If, after you begin receiving TANF you don’t follow the rules you can lose your cash assistance and support services, including child care. You can also lose part of your Food Supplement benefits.

21. How Will You Support Your Family on TANF? Parent and two children with no income: TANF $485 Child Support* +$185 (maximum*) Total $670 Plus a 30+ hrs/week participation requirement *Child Support depends on the amount collected from the other parent

22. Same Family w/ Parent Working 30 hours/week x $7.50/hr Earnings =$967/mo Disregard -$108 -$429 Countable income $429 TANF = $191/month Total Income to Family- Earnings $967 TANF $191 Child $ 50 (maximum) Support* EITC $436($5,236/yr) Total $1,644/month *Child Support depends on the amount collected from the other parent

23. Earned Income Tax Credit(EITC) • EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working families. • Congress approved the tax credit in 1975 to provide an incentive to work. • A family with qualifying children can receive a refund of: • $5,891 for 3 or more children • $5,236 for 2 or more children ($436/month) • $3,169 for 1 child

24. Division of Support Enforcement & Recovery (DSER) Every child has the right to be supported by both parents...

25. Role of DSER • Locate non-TANF parent • Establish paternity • Establish support orders which can include medical support, child support and child care • Enforce support orders

26. Locating the Non-TANF Parent • DSER must first know where the parent responsible for paying child support is living or working • DSER gets addresses and/or employment information from many sources YOU are often the best source of information…

27. How Paternity Is Established? Once the parent is located paternity must be established • The named father must be given notice • A simple DNA test is done • Paternity can be legally established by a court order or by both parents signing a voluntary acknowledgement form

28. Benefits of Establishing Paternity • The child knows who his or her father is • The child has inheritance rights if the father dies • The child can get medical information about the father’s family history • The child gets Social Security benefits if the father becomes disabled

29. Support Orders After the parent is located and paternity has been determined… • A support order will be established • Enforcement can begin and the family can get child support • If the parent who is supposed to pay child support does not pay DSER has many ways to enforce a child support order

30. Your Role Cooperation with DSER is required to receive TANF and Child Support.You must: • Sign over rights to child support while on TANF • Provide information about the other parent • Forward child support payments made directly to you from the other parent • Inform DSER of changes Remember: You may be excused from cooperation if Good Causeis granted.

31. How much child support will I get? If you currently receive child support, you may not continue to receive all of that support If child support is paid on time, your family may get “Pass Through and Gap payments” • “Pass Through”is the first $50 collected. This money is “passed through” to you • “Gap payments” are made when more support is collected. You may get additional payments depending on how much other income you have.

32. What DSER Cannot Do DSER cannot: • Give legal advice • Help w/ divorce or alimony • Help w/ custody or property disputes • Enforce visitation rights For help with these matters we urge you to seek advice from a lawyer

33. To Contact DSER 1-800-371-7179 24 hour a day, 7 days a week voice response service allows you to: • Report address changes • Update medical insurance information • Report a lost child support check • Request a new PIN number • Request a payment history • Find out if a child support check has been sent Address: Case Review Unit, SHS #11, Augusta, ME 04333 Fax: (207) 287-2334 E-mail: Case.Review@maine.gov

34. Post-TANF Programs You’re Working! TANF Closes What next?

35. Transitional Services • Child Care • Transportation • Worker Supplement Benefit (WSB) • Transitional Food Assistance (TFA) • Medical Assistance • Non-Welfare Child Support

36. Remember! • Open, read & respond to all mail from DHHS • Promptly call us if you can’t keep an appointment or complete an activity • Tell us of any changes in your household as they happen • Keep and review the information provided today • Start looking for work now

37. Benefits are paid by: • Placed on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card • Balances are printed on store receipt • Call 1-800-477-7428 • Swipe card in machine • Visit www.PineTreeCard.com • Report a lost card immediately • Direct Deposit to your bank account • Sent directly to a vendor like a landlord

38. Use of TANF Benefit State law prohibits the use of your EBT card for any cash transaction in: • Retail store where 50% or more of the gross revenue comes from the sale of liquor • Gambling facilities • Adult entertainment establishments

39. It is a Crime • To intentionally give incorrect information to receive cash benefits or ASPIRE support services. • To sell or trade your EBT card. Public Assistance fraud affects all of us. Do not become a statistic.

40. Summary • TANF provides temporary assistance while you prepare for work • ASPIRE helps with employment, training, education and support services • DSER helps your child receive support from his/her other parent • Transitional Services may help when your TANF benefits end because you are working.

41. Next Steps In a few moments you will meet with your ASPIRE Worker Be thinking about your Goals What steps will you take now to become self-supporting?