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MISSISSIPPI
[DEFINITIONS: TANF TERMINOLOGY]
Revised 01-01-09
ABSENT PARENT (AP) The parent of a child who is not in the home fulfilling the parental role. This is the parent who is referred for child support enforcement. See Chapter 3, Child Support. ACCRUAL RIGHTS The applicant’s right to a money payment. This right accrues on the date on which the money payment is authorized or the 30th day following the date on which a valid application form was received, whichever comes first. See Chapter 7, Disposition of the Application, and Accrual Rights of the Recipient. ADVANCE NOTICE The requirement that the Department give 10 days’ advance notice to a recipient of the decision to decrease assistance, to terminate assistance for one or more, but not all individuals in the TANF budget, or to terminate assistance completely. The 10 days are to be counted beginning with the date of printing/mailing of the notice and must expire prior to the first day of the effective month. This refers to calendar days, not working days. See Chapter 7, Advance Notice. ADVERSE ACTION Action taken to terminate or reduce a participant’s benefits or supportive services. See Chapter 11, Conciliation, Good Cause and Adverse Action. ALIEN An individual who is not a citizen of the United States, whether or not in the country legally. Most aliens are not eligible for assistance after their first five years in the country and must be carefully evaluated for eligibility determination. See Chapter 3, Citizenship and Alienage. ALTERNATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM (AWEP) A work activity in which individuals perform work for private non-profit entities for no cash payment, in order to receive current work skills and/or experience. The target population of this work activity is individuals who have not attained employment and need additional training/work experience to improve their employability skills. Placements are limited to six months in a federal fiscal year and must be reviewed by the CM every 90 days. See Chapter 9, Coordination of Activities.