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North Carolina

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PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

All services and benefits provided under the Work First program are delivered locally by county departments of social services/agencies in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties. While electing counties have the option to offer alternative delivery options through community services providers, the county department of social services remains ultimately responsible for service delivery.

The state office is responsible for monitoring for program compliance with state and federal laws and policies. The TANF State Plan has been reviewed and informed by stakeholders from a variety of state agencies and community partners to ensure compliance with State and Federal law and the goals of the Work First program. Agencies and state partners include: The Attorney General’s Office, Department of Health and Human Services (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Child Development and Early Education, Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, North Carolina Families Accessing Services Through Technology (NC FAST), Child Support Services, Child Welfare, Fiscal Compliance Monitors, Office of Economic Opportunity, and Performance Management, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funded agencies).

Electing counties developed a county Work First block grant plan, including descriptions of strategies to achieve the measurable statewide outcome goals and performance measures as described in this plan. Electing county plans must involve a broad range of public, private, and nonprofit groups. Triennially, each Electing County must submit to the Department of Health and Human Services a local block grant plan that describes its proposal for the following:

• Work First Employment Services Program, • Eligibility criteria for Work First cash assistance and other Work First Services, • Emergency Assistance Program, • Benefit Diversion Program (Optional), • Provision of Work First Services to low-income families, • Provision of Work First Services to former Work First recipients (Optional), and • Provision of Work First Services to non-custodial parents of Work First children (Optional).

Electing Counties shall give the public an opportunity to review and comment on their local block grant plans before submitting to the department. The county board of commissioners must appoint a committee of individuals to identify the needs of the population to be served and to review and assist in developing the county block grant plan in response to the needs. Membership of the committee must include but is not limited to representatives of the county board of social services, the board of the Local Management Entity/Managed Care Organization (LME-MCO) for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services, the local public health board, the local school systems, the business community, the board of county commissioners and community-based organizations that are representative of the population to be served. In addition, faith-based organizations, service recipients, and other non-profits