MAINE Works! TANF and ASPIRE Programs

1. DHHS Office for Family Independence MAINE Works!TANF and ASPIRE Programs

2. Welcome to the MAINE Works! TANF and ASPIRE Programs Orientation Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

3. MAINE Works! Programs That Can Help You Support Your Family TANF: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Cash assistance while the family works toward self-sufficiency • 60-month (5 year) Lifetimelimit • Time on TANF while living in any other state counts toward your TANF Lifetime limit ASPIRE: Additional Support for People In Retraining and Employment Maine’s Welfare-to-Work program • Works with parents who receive TANF to help the adults become employed and self-sufficient • Employment, education, training • If you receive TANF benefits, you are required to participate in ASPIRE/work activities Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

4. MAINE Works! The goal of ASPIRE is to help you find a and increase your income so that you can support your family without TANFbenefits. Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

5. ASPIRE Partners Partner Agencies provide specialized services to help ASPIRE participants get job-ready, find a job, and become self-sufficient. • Child Care • Education • Assessment • Job Search & Worksite Development Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

6. ASPIRE Partners Child Care Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

7. ASPIRE Partners Education Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

8. ASPIRE Partners Vocational Assessment AVAP: ASPIRE Vocational Assessment Program • Explore your work history, interests, and skills • Learn which jobs are a good match for you! Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

9. “What they said…” …about the ASPIRE Vocational Assessment Program Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

10. ASPIRE Partners Job Search & Worksite Development Online Job Bank Job Exploration Work Experience Job Interviews • Job Search • Preparing for Work • Community Service • Resume Writing Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

11. ASPIRE Partners Child Support (DHHS DSER) DSER: Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery The role of DSER is to: locate non-custodial parents, establish paternity, establish child support orders, and collect child support. Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

12. ASPIRE Partners Child Support (DHHS DSER) While on TANF, DSER must collect child support to offset the cost of public assistance. Helping DSER collect child support may result in more income for your household. Contact DSER at 1-800-371-7179 (24/7) E-mail: case.review@maine.gov Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

13. Benefits of Employment • Become self-sufficient • Provide for your family • Be a good role model for your children Work is better than public assistance! Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

14. Employment See How Work Pays! 3-person TANF benefit: $ 485/month If you earned $8.00 per hour: 20 hours per week: 688/month 40 hours per week: 1,376/month Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

15. Family Development Account What is a Family Development Account? SAVINGS $$$$$$$ for your own home, to start your own business, for education expenses To sign up contact: The Maine Family Development Account Coalition 1-800-442-2092 Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

16. What is a Family Development Account? A Family Development Account (FDA) is a matched savings account. Every dollar deposited can be matched by four additional dollars.  = Your Savings FDA Match Total Savings

17. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working families EITC is an incentive to work! A family with qualifying children may receive a refund of: • Over $3000 (1 child) • Almost $6000 (3 or more children) Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

18. Your Responsibilities on TANF/ASPIRE • Prepare for work • Attend all meetings • Build job skills – write a resume – practice interviewing • Look for work • CareerCenter – Help Wanted – Job Banks • Work! Until you find a full-time job, preparing for work and looking for work IS YOUR JOB! Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

19. Report changes within ten (10) days MyMaineConnection, Kiosk, Phone Household Changes (people in or out) Expense Changes (rent, utilities, other) Income Changes Job start or end Unemployment Income, Social Security, VA, etc. Money received from other sources Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

20. Next Steps • TANF Eligibility- may be determined TODAY • Initial ASPIRE Assessment- will be completed TODAY • Get your Vocational Assessment (AVAP) scheduled TODAY. • Develop your Family Contract Amendment (employment plan) with ASPIRE • Follow the plan and complete the requirements agreed upon in your Family Contract Amendment Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence 20

21. Good Cause • You must keep all ASPIRE-related appointments. • If you do not, you must have ‘Good Cause’ to miss them. You will need to provide proof of your reason for Good Cause. • ASPIRE determines whether Good Cause exists. Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence 21

22. Sanction No “Good Cause” = Sanction issued by ASPIRE Not showing up for ASPIRE could cost you: • TANF benefits will be reduced or ended • Food Supplement benefits will be reduced or ended • ASPIRE Support Services will end Not showing up for work, without a good reason, could cost you your job. Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence 22

23. Is something keeping you from working right now? Talk with your ASPIRE Specialist & AVAP worker. Physical or mental health, substance abuse, legal or family issues? Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence 23

24. Preparing for Work Childcare ASPIRE can help you pay for child care while you are working, or in job training • Reliable provider + back-up plan • You choose your provider, but unlicensed providers need a background check Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

25. Preparing for Work Other Financial Supports Transportation, car repairs, car insurance Tuition and fees, books and supplies Clothing and uniforms, work tools, licenses ASPIRE can help with some of the expenses you need to become independent. Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

26. Life After TANF • Transitional Food Assistance • Child Care Assistance • Medical coverage • Transportation • Child Support Collection Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

27. Distribution of TANF benefits • Payment directly to a vendor • (such as a landlord) • Direct deposit to your • bank account Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

28. Distribution of TANF benefits • Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card • Approved uses of TANF benefits: • Costs such as rent, utilities, diapers • State law prohibits EBT cash transactions in: • Retail stores where more than half of the gross revenue comes from the sale of liquor • Gambling facilities • Adult entertainment establishments Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

29. What is Welfare Fraud? Welfare Fraud is the intentional misuse of the State’s welfare systems by withholding information or giving false, inaccurate and misleading information; using public assistance benefits in an impermissible way, such as selling or trading benefits for cash or drugs. Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

30. Fraud vs Intentional Program Violation The primary difference between Fraud and an Intentional Program Violation (IPV), is that Fraud is commonly considered a crime and an IPV is a violation of program rules. An IPV is considered to be a lesser included offense of Fraud – so, any Fraud offenses would be an IPV, however, not all IPV offenses are Fraud. Criminal charges are filed by the Office of the Attorney General and IPV’s are Administratively charged by DHHS. Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

31. Frequently Found Violations • Household Composition • Marital Status • Involvement of Non-Custodial Parent • Deprivation • Unreported Income • Unreported Assets • Falsify Residence • Unreported Other Benefits • Theft by Deception • Falsify Information • Forgery • Misuse or Trafficking of Public Benefits Instrument • Dual Participation Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

32. If TANF/ASPIRE Aren’t Right For You • ‘2-1-1Maine’ • Phone: 2-1-1, toll free • Email:info@211info.org • Web: http://211maine.org/ Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

33. Responsibilities You have to do your part. • Attend all ASPIRE appointments • Participate in ASPIRE activities • Participate in work or work-related activities • Look for work or prepare for work Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

34. What’s Next? • Meet with ASPIRE for initial assessment • Schedule your Vocational Assessment (AVAP) • Sign up for online job bank • Find child care • Begin a TANF required work activity Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

35. Your Questions Department of Health and Human Services – Office for Family Independence

36. DHHS Office for Family Independence MAINE Works!