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North Carolina

19 Standard Counties do not have to return a Block Grant plan to the Division. All Standard Counties are required to follow policy as written in the Work First Program Manual.

Statewide Work First Goals

The Department, in consultation with the county departments of social services and county boards of commissioners, has established acceptable levels of county performance in meeting Work First expectations.

The goals and performance measures established below will reinforce North Carolina’s successful caseload reduction efforts. With the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and the subsequent Federal Final Rule, there is an increased emphasis on meeting the federal requirements for Work Participation Rates. One factor that has helped North Carolina meet the Work Participation Rates in the past has been the Caseload Reduction Credit. By comparing the current caseload to the caseload in 1995, North Carolina could show a significant reduction in the caseload. With that reduction applied by the federal government to the actual participation rates, North Carolina has met its Work Participation Rates each year since the beginning of TANF and Work First. However, with the new law and rule, the base year for the Caseload Reduction Credit changed from 1995 to 2005. The change in the base year makes the Caseload Reduction Credit significantly smaller than in previous years and thus, makes meeting the Work Participation Rates harder to accomplish. Failure to meet the Work Participation Rates can lead to financial penalties.

Therefore, there are two goals for North Carolina’s Work First program, and two goals by which county departments of social services will be measured.

1. Meeting Federal Work Participation Rates for All Families. Active participation in employment services and activities will lead to full time employment. Counties must ensure that at least 50% of all Work Eligible Individuals, as defined by Federal Rule, complete the required number of hours of federally countable work activities. 2. Meeting Federal Work Participation Rates for Two-Parent Families. Active participation in employment services and activities will lead to full time employment. Counties must ensure that at least 90% of all two-parent families with Work Eligible Individuals, as defined by Federal Rule, complete the required number of hours of federally countable work activities.

By promoting employment, job retention, diversion, and intensive work activities, these outcomes not only assure a continuing downward trend in the caseload, they also will contribute to the state’s ability to meet the federal Work Participation Rates.

Tracking county performance measures will assist the Department and counties in focusing on the factors that contribute to caseload reduction, meeting Work Participation Rates, and moving families toward employment and self-sufficiency.

The following have been identified as the Work First Performance Measures:

1. Diversion Assistance Approvals

This measure represents the number of Diversion Assistance approvals for the county during