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North Carolina

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Counties may request approval from the Division of Social Services to design and operate demonstrations or pilot programs to investigate various ways of meeting the Work First program purposes and goals. These demonstrations will likely be in areas where the county lacks the authority to make specific program changes. Funding, in addition to the county’s local block grant, may or may not be provided. There may be instances in which the State asks for proposals to address a specific topic. In other situations, counties may apply to the State to operate a pilot without an official request from the State.

TANF ELIGIBLE FAMILIES

To achieve the goals of Work First, North Carolina opts to take advantage of the flexibility allowed in the federal law and regulations. The Division defines several categories of eligible families. Eligible families include the following:

• Families that meet the income and resource requirements will be provided Work First cash assistance or Benefit Diversion; if Benefit Diversion is offered by the county. • Unwed parents, teenage parents or other high-risk populations in need of services to prevent or delay pregnancies without regard to family income. • Pregnant women with Work First eligible children in the household whose income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level may receive support services. • Non-custodial parents of Work First children where the non-custodial parent’s family income does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level may receive work-related services. • Families with incomes that do not exceed 200% of the federal poverty guideline may receive all other services, including, but not limited to: Job retention and advancement services, employment services, support services, and preventive family services including child protective services and related child welfare activities. • Any former Work First recipient without regard to family income may receive limited follow up and referral services.

In addition to serving the families described above, North Carolina provides services covered in North Carolina’s approved State Plan as authorized by Parts A and F of Title IV of the Social Security Act in September 1995. Specifically, the services listed in the plan will be provided to families or children who are experiencing an emergency as defined in the plan and who do not have sufficient resources to alleviate the emergency. Services specifically include all child welfare services (e.g., child) protection, preventive family services, family preservation, and foster care and adoption services including foster care payments. Residential and emergency placement services can also be funded through this provision. Emergency assistance to needy families with children provides the following services under Citation 233.120: A. Emergency Assistance to needy families with children under the age of 21 is provided in accordance with 45 CFR 233.120.

( ) No (Paragraphs B. - D of this Section do not apply.) (x) Yes, as specified below: