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North Carolina

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Child support should be a primary income source for most Work First families and a way for former Work First families to remain off Work First. To enhance non-custodial parents’ ability to pay child support, North Carolina allows counties to provide work- related services for non-custodial parents of minor children who are Work First recipients. The non-custodial parent’s family income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. The non-custodial parent is not considered a member of the custodial parents or caretaker’s family. In addition to the ability to provide work-related services, Work First staff are encouraged to work with their local Child Support Services Office and judicial system to have child support orders modified to require the non- custodial parent’s participation in employment activities, including registering for work in NCWorks online (http://www.ncworks.gov ).

Serving Low Income Families

All counties are to provide in their county plan a variety of services for families with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level that have a child who meets the same requirements as Work First cash assistance or Work First services.

Counties describe in their county plans how they will provide such services and what types of services they will provide. Services may be varied, including but not limited to, transportation, child care, job retention bonuses, case management, follow-up services, mentoring programs, after-school learning programs, parenting programs, literacy programs, and post-employment skills training. Families who have exhausted their 24 or 60-month time limit are eligible for these services, provided all other eligibility criteria are met.

Child Care Services

Counties may provide subsidized child care services by their Work First Block Grant funds. To qualify, families must be eligible for Work First cash assistance or for Work First Services as described in this plan. The child care services provided must comply with subsidized child care policies administered by the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). All parents receiving child care subsidies have access to provider ratings and referral information to assist them with evaluating their child care arrangement.

All parents who have countable income are required to pay a rate of 10% of their monthly income for the cost of child care in accordance with the fee schedules administered by DCDEE.

Transportation Services

Counties are encouraged to develop local partnerships with other human services agencies, transit systems, businesses, workforce development agencies, faith-based community, civic organizations, etc., to develop and expand alternative transportation resources to meet the community’s transportation needs. Issues such as communication, coordination, mutual trust and respect, policies, marketing, funding resources and cost sharing are all part of the discussion process.

Some counties have developed car ownership programs through partnerships with other