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Page 86 of 116 § 10:90-20.1 General provisions and purpose

TANF/GA applicants/recipients with notification of the WFNJ FVO process; screenings which may identify individuals with a past or present history of family violence or who may be at risk of family violence; provides for the safety provision that allows one or more of the WFNJ TANF/GA program requirements to be considered for a WFNJ FVO Waiver, including a good cause exception from the WFNJ/TANF child support requirements and requests for EA for reason of family violence, if and when a waiver is necessary, and for as long as the waiver may be needed. 1. All requests for a WFNJ FVO Waiver of any WFNJ TANF/GA program requirement(s) are coupled with the requirement for participation in the standardized WFNJ FVO Risk Assessment process. This involves the formal referral of WFNJ TANF/GA individuals applying for or in receipt of WFNJ TANF/GA cash assistance benefits to the designated victim service provider agency for completion of the Federally required WFNJ FVO Risk Assessment and for possible referral to intervention services. i. The WFNJ FVO Risk Assessment includes a safety and service plan strategy consistent with the identified needs and safety concerns of the individual, as determined by the WFNJ TANF/GA individual and the victim service provider agency's risk assessor. ii. The EA service plan completed at the CSSA/MWA for WFNJ TANF/GA individuals requesting EA for reason of family violence or the risk of family violence must be coordinated with any services offered through the designated victim service provider agency and included in the family violence safety and service plan. 2. The CSSA/MWA notifies, screens for, and processes any WFNJ FVO Waiver requests made by WFNJ TANF/GA/EA individuals for reason of family violence. 3. Designated WFNJ CSSA/MWA staff shall refer any individual who requests help in accessing victim services, in their community, to the designated victim service provider agency of that county. i. The WFNJ FVO Initiative provides for the informal referral of WFNJ TANF/GA individuals, who are victims/survivors and do not request a WFNJ FVO Waiver, to the designated victim service provider agency for information and/or services. Such informal referrals are also available, upon request, to anyone from the public at large having contact with the WFNJ CSSAs/MWAs and for CSSA/MWA employees. (c) All WFNJ CSSAs/MWAs shall make referrals to the designated victim service provider agency. 1. The MWA shall make a referral for the WFNJ FVO Risk Assessment when the WFNJ/GA individual requests a WFNJ FVO Waiver of one or more WFNJ/GA program requirements, unless the individual is making application for or participating in the WFNJ/GA program in an area of the Statewide program where the WFNJ FVO Initiative process has not yet administratively been implemented or made operational. In these excepted case situations, the WFNJ/GA process for waivers shall follow that