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North Carolina

6 Strategy 2: Provide Employment Services for Non-Custodial Parents and other supportive services, if applicable.

Strategy 3: Align resources and referral processes for unexpected emergencies (i.e. food, housing and other needs) with NCCARE360, the first statewide network that unites health care and human services organizations with a shared technology that enables a coordinated, community-oriented, person-centered approach for delivering care in North Carolina. Goal 2: Achieving Sustainable Employment Families receiving cash assistance and Work First Family Services will obtain sustaining employment. Strategy 1 Make work a mandatory program requirement with certain exceptions.

Strategy 2 Limit how long a family can receive Work First cash assistance. Once the participants move into the work components of the program, they can continue to receive benefits for up to 24 months. In most cases, families who have reached the 24-month limit cannot receive Work First Cash Assistance for three years. Federal law sets a 60- month cumulative lifetime limit for receiving these benefits.

Strategy 3 Require all adults who are included in the assistance payment to sign a Mutual Responsibility Agreement (MRA-B)/Outcome Plan. Goal 3: Retaining Stable Employment Families who exit Work First will remain self-sufficient. Strategy 1 Provide families with tools to save money and help to make sure they really are better off working than on Work First.

Strategy 2 Increase resource limits to ease the burden on low-income families pursuant to the change from Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) to Work First.

Strategy 3 Raise income eligibility limits for families who receive subsidized child care to help families stay employed.

Strategy 4 Counties to continue providing services, such as transportation, child care, financial counseling, short-term training, and child and family enrichment services to families whose income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Strategy 5 Families leaving Work First cash assistance for work may receive a Job Bonus payment for up to three months.