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If a recipient requests a fair hearing (see Chapter 7: Grievances and Fair Hearings in this Part) prior to the effective date of conversion from POWER to TANF, the individual must be reinstated in the POWER program beginning with the first unissued benefit month. If the recipient requests a fair hearing decision on or after the effective date of conversion, TANF eligibility continues pending a hearing decision. Following receipt of the fair hearing decision, TANF or POWER eligibility is reinstated based on the hearing determination.

Failure to Comply 3.11.5

Failure to comply with POWER requirements, including design and adherence to treatment and training plans, disqualifies the recipient from the program. The sanction is not applied, however, under POWER. The benefit must be converted to TANF and the needs of the head of the household will be removed until compliance with POWER requirements or until active in a TANF work activity. Adequate and timely notice of the decision to end POWER eligibility and impose the sanction must be given to the recipient. The decision may be appealed by following the fair hearing process (see Chapter 7: Grievances and Fair Hearings in this Part). If the decision is appealed prior to the effective date of the conversion to TANF, eligibility under POWER must be continued until the appeal is resolved.

Sanctions and Good Cause 3.11.6

Good cause for failure to comply with POWER program requirements includes one or more of the following:

 a properly verified illness or medical condition of the applicant/recipient or a member of his/her household that prevents the applicant/recipient from meeting requirements;  participation in self-sufficiency activities for a minimum average of 20 hours per week and the recipient has a child under six for whom s/he personally provides child care;  an extraordinary and unforeseen circumstance beyond the control of the recipient verified to the satisfaction of the Department;  applicant/recipient caring for a child who has special health needs (verified by competent medical evidence) that prevents the parent's participation in activities; or  appropriate and affordable child care for a child under age six is not available within a reasonable distance from the applicant/recipient's home or work site.

REHABILITATION SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (RSA) 3.12

The mission of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) is to assist persons with mental and/or physical disabilities in becoming employed and/or to live independently in the home or community. RSA provides an array of services toward vocational preparation for entrance into the labor market. The services provided include but are not limited to counseling and guidance, assessment services, physical restoration, vocational training, job search and placement, and job retention services.

RSA also provides services to POWER recipients (see Section 3.11: Program on Work, Employment, and Responsibility (POWER) in this Chapter).

Intake for RSA can be reached at (202) 442-8400.