section-xv WORK RELEASE FUNDS

A household may be potentially eligible for Work Release funds if a child in the household is deprived of parental support and care due to the absence of a parent who is in prison. A household member may receive these funds from an inmate who is employed under the Department of Public Safety's Work Release Program. Budget Work Release funds received by the household as child support income. If the Department of Public Safety sends a Work Release Action Form, DC-190, to the agency, the county director must designate who is responsible for contacting the inmate’s dependents, whether known to the agency or not, to determine their needs. A. Contact Dependents 1. For this purpose, a dependent is defined as a spouse, child, parents of the inmate, or other relatives for whom the inmate has assumed responsibility in the past. The case manager must also consider any other legal dependents whom the inmate has not acknowledged. 2. Do not consider as dependents a remarried spouse or the parent of the dependent children if the parents were never married. B. Determine Dependent Needs 1. To accomplish this, add the monthly needs for the number of dependents in the household using the table in E. below plus the dependents' monthly payments on health and life insurance, medical expenses not covered by Medicaid, school lunches, and expenses for college and vocational training courses not met by loans, grants, or scholarships. 2. Disregard all the dependents' income. 47 C. Report to the Department of Public Safety 1. Within two weeks of receiving the DC-190, report the dependent information to the Department of Public Safety using the Report on Aid Needed by Inmate's Dependents (DSS-1664). Attach a copy of any court order concerning the inmate's dependents. 2. If there is no court order for support or if the court order indicates support will be paid through the county, return only the DSS-1664 listing all dependents. 3. If there is a valid court order that indicates a specific amount to be paid for some of the dependents, complete and return two copies of the DSS1664. (Complete item 4 on the DSS-1664 and attach a copy of the court order.) The Department of Public Safety will pay the specified amount directly to the Clerk of Court. Any remaining monies will be sent to the county for other dependents. D. Notification to Child Support Enforcement Office Notify the Child Support Enforcement Office that the household unit is receiving Work Release funds. Any court order for support must be amended due to Work Release funds. If there is no order for support, the Child Support Enforcement Office may find it appropriate to pursue court action. E. Needs Chart for Dependents Use this chart to determine the monthly needs based on the number of dependents. NEEDS OF DEPENDENTS Number of Dependents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Monthly Needs $362 $472 $544 $594 $648 $698 $746 Number of Dependents 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Monthly Needs $772 $812 $860 $896 $946 $992 $1,042 For each additional dependent, add $50. 48