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5 educational or training program. Failure of the teen parent to complete an assessment, enroll in school, attend school or an alternative educational or training program or withdraw from school results in the teen parent’s ineligibility for OWF. A teen parent who is 18 years of age and not attending school is required to participate in work activities. A teen parent is exempt from participation in the LEAP program due to, but not limited to, the following reasons: caring for a child less than twelve weeks old, attending home school or Internet school, has barriers such as lack of child care or transportation, the child of the teen has a physical or mental illness expected to last at least one month or longer, or other exceptional circumstances that prevent the teen from attending school. Ensuring Participants Engage in Work The State has adopted several policies and procedures to ensure required participants engage in work. These policies and procedures include: • County Corrective Compliance Plans: Counties that failed to meet the work participation rates are required to develop corrective compliance plans to explain how their agency will meet the rates. These plans will require sign off from the boards of county commissioners ensuring their county is committed to correcting its noncompliance. • Additional Monitoring: The State has made enhanced monitoring reports available so that county agencies are able to more quickly respond to failures and ensure non-compliances are dealt with immediately. Assessment/Appraisal The goal of OWF is that every family becomes self-sufficient. Prior to the approval of benefits for OWF applicants, the CDJFS must conduct an appraisal of each adult or minor head of household member of the assistance group. The appraisal includes screening for domestic violence, and an evaluation of employment history, education, skills, abilities, interests, and work barriers in order to formulate an employment goal and a plan to achieve self-sufficiency for the individual and the family. The CDJFS also assesses the skills, prior work experience and employability of each participant who is at least 18 years of age, or who is not attending secondary school and who has not completed high school or obtained a high school equivalency certificate. Self-Sufficiency Contracts Each work-eligible individual, minor head of household and adult member of the OWF assistance group under 42 U.S.C. 607(i)(1)(A) must enter into a written agreement with the CDJFS. The agreement is called a self-sufficiency contract (SSC) or individual opportunity plan (IOP). The SSC or IOP must be entered into within thirty days of applying and prior to the authorization of OWF benefits or when undergoing a redetermination of eligibility for OWF. The conditions in the SSC or IOP should be based on the mandatory appraisal each CDJFS is required to perform when an assistance group applies for assistance. The SSC or IOP sets forth the rights and responsibilities of both the assistance group and the CDJFS. Each SSC or IOP includes (but is not limited to) the following: • The assistance group's plan to achieve self-sufficiency and personal responsibility through unsubsidized employment within the time limits specified for participation.