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State of New Hampshire

TANF State Plan

12 New Hampshire State Plan Effective October 2023 • "Appropriate child care" means the child care provider is: open for the hours and days the parent would need child care in order to comply with work requirements; able and willing to provide child care services including any of those required to address special needs of the children; either licensed or license-exempt for the appropriate age group in accordance with RSA 170E; and providing care that is representative of the quality of child care provided to other children in the community. • "Reasonable distance" means the distance of the available child care provider from the individual's residence and then to their work activity is not substantially greater than the distance that others living in the same town or city would travel for child care services and then to their work activity. • "Unsuitability of informal child care" means that the child care provider is license exempt and was not able to successfully pass the background check required in RSA 170E:7 related to the State central registry and criminal records check, or the child care provider was not able to meet the conditions specified in the employment-related child care program rules He-C 6914 and He-C6920. • "Affordable child care arrangements" refers to equal access to child care that can be maintained without undue financial hardship to the family. Detailed information regarding NHEP compliance requirements, good cause for non-cooperation with NHEP and actions taken during a sanction period are located the Family Assistance Manual under:

Section 808.31-Compliance Requirements Section 808.33-Good Cause for Non-Cooperation with NHEP Section 808.35-Sanctions for Voluntary Quit, Or Failure/Refusal to Cooperate with NHEP Work Program Participation Requirements Section 808.36- Actions Taken During A Sanction Period

Section 402(a)(1)(A)(iv) of the Act: Take such reasonable steps as the State deems necessary to restrict the use and disclosure of information about individuals and families receiving assistance under the program attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government.

Policy regarding confidentiality and disclosure of client information remains the same as the one in effect from September 30, 1996 [reference RSA 167:30] with the exception described in Section 408(a)(9)(B) of the Social Security Act, as amended, relative to providing information to law enforcement officials. Information concerning applicants and recipients is confidential. Use or disclosure of information in DHHS’s files is limited to persons directly involved in administration or enforcement of the DHHS’s programs, or as otherwise permitted by policy, or federal or state laws. At the onset of employment and annually thereafter, DHHS employees are required to review and sign Conflict of Interest, Confidentiality, and Statewide Computer Use policies. Agencies and individuals who contract with DHHS to provide services to TANF clients must meet DHHS’s confidentiality requirements and sign a statement to that effect.

Section 101- Individual Rights & Responsibilities of the Family Assistance Manual outlines individual rights and responsibilities. At every application, redetermination and when requested, individuals and their authorized representatives are advised of their rights and responsibilities. Those are as follows:

Individual Rights: • Application — Individuals have the right to apply for assistance and to have a timely eligibility decision made on the application.