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North Carolina

63 Macon County will forego the first six-month review as stated in the TANF State Plan and review each case annually. 6. Retention Assistance -The agency will provide assistance to working families for up to 3 months after leaving Work First for work. 7. Caretakers of infants - The agency is committed to the safety and well-being of Macon County’s children. Agency staff will assist caretakers of infants once the child reaches 3 months of age by requiring participation in work, education, or job- readiness activities and assisting with referrals to childcare providers. As with other participants, these caretakers will be referred to job searches and retention services.

WILSON COUNTY

1. All Work First “work eligible” individuals are required to be actively participating in work and work-related activities for a minimum of 35 hours per week, and the first 20 hours of their participation must be in federally countable activities. 2. Offer 200% services to eligible TANF families to ensure that all family members are progressing educationally and economically through intense case management services. The intent is to continue efforts to help parents and their children achieve a high school diploma, prevent pregnancy or repeat pregnancy and continue pathways to self- sufficiency. 3. Continue the Educational Incentive Rewards Program to reward families who achieve their GED, obtain a skills training certificate or a two-year degree. 4. Eliminate the Resource Limit for families applying for Work First.

5. All Work First Employment Services participants whose employment results in termination of their Work First benefits or who are receiving Job Bonus will be referred to our Financial Social Work Services at Career Plus to develop a Financial Education and Savings Plan. Families that follow through with their Financial and Savings Goals and achieve outcomes/goals will be eligible for a financial education incentive bonus. Bonuses will be authorized once the family meets any of their identified goals. A family may receive up to three (3) financial incentive bonuses per year based on achieving behavioral changing goals. 6. If a Work First cash assistance child only case head fails to return a Quarterly Review and requests reopening due to termination from that non-compliance, the participant/family’s Work First cash assistance case will be re-opened with a one- month penalty for failure to comply. 7. All Child Only Kinship Care cases that have a prior involvement with CPS, Prevention, Juvenile Justice, or Foster Care within the last 6 months will be required to comply with the Kinship Care Family Assessment. 8. All Child Only Work First cash assistance cases with children age 6-17 who are not attending school regularly or whose grades are not on grade level will be required to comply with the Kinship Care Family Assessment. Caretakers who do not comply with the school requirements and participate in the Kinship Care Family Assessment and who are determined to not have good cause will be sanctioned and may not be eligible to receive Work First cash assistance payment (Work First Manual Section 103). 9. Work First “work ready” families will be directed to participate in Express Employment Pathways Program. 10. Work First applicants are required to make a Child Support Establishment application prior to making a Work First cash assistance application. 11. All Work First cash assistance applicants will have a 1-month penalty imposed for