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Division of Welfare and Supportive Services A-825 Eligibility and Payments Manual EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING MTL 11/03 11 May 01 Supporting Teens Achieving Real-Life Success (STARS) 825 SUPPORTING TEENS ACHIEVING REAL-LIFE SUCCESS (STARS) Pregnant and parenting teens under the age of 18 are mandatory participants in the STARS program and are case managed by social work staff.

Seventeen-year-olds who have obtained a high school diploma or its equivalency and have no barriers (see manual section A-826.2 for a list of barriers) may be transferred to an employment and training case manager. An exception to this would be if the 17-year- old reported issues with a protective payee requiring social worker intervention. Pregnant and parenting teens age 18 and 19 without barriers as listed in manual section A-826.2 have the option of participating in the STARS program and case managed by a social worker if the following conditions are met: ● Regular attendance in high school or its equivalency (GED classes) leading to a diploma or equivalency. This includes Job Corp training, attendance in adult basic education classes or adult high school diploma classes ● Making satisfactory progress in the selected education component as determined by the educational/training institution. 825.1 OASIS NEON Calendar for STARS Participants Actual hours of participation in educational activities must be entered into the individual’s OASIS NEON Calendar for all STARS participants. Participants are still considered to be meeting their education requirements during normal school breaks (i.e., summer/spring/Christmas). During breaks, at least one (1) hour of educational activity must be entered in the NEON Calendar for a month, to ensure the participant is reported as meeting their work requirements for purposes of calculating the TANF Participation Rate. 826 ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER Division social workers assess, develop and amend Personal Responsibility Plans (PRPs), and provide ongoing case management services as assigned by conducting home and/or collateral visits. Division social workers may contact participants on a frequent basis via telephone, home and collateral visits. A social worker may provide services to those participants that have been determined to be in need of special attention which may include: ● STARS participants; ● Participants with significant barriers to employment. The social worker conducts in depth assessments to determine the extent of the barriers to achieving economic independence and makes referrals to appropriate service providers; and ● NEON participants who are currently experiencing physical abuse and/or fleeing from a domestic violence perpetrator. When a participant’s work requirements