2.1 Reducing Barriers to Family Enrollment and Redetermination

Lead Agency enrollment and redetermination policies may not unduly disrupt parents’ employment, education, or job training activities to comply with the Lead Agency’s or designated local entity’s requirements. Lead Agencies have broad flexibility to design and implement the eligibility practices that reduce barriers to enrollment and redetermination. Examples include developing strategies to inform families and their providers of an upcoming redetermination and the information that will be required of the family, pre-populating subsidy renewal forms, having parents confirm that the information is accurate, and/or asking only for the information necessary to make an eligibility redetermination. In addition, Lead Agencies can offer a variety of family-friendly methods for submitting documentation for eligibility redetermination that considers the range of needs for families in accessing support (e.g., use of languages other than English, access to transportation, accommodation of parents working non-traditional hours). 2.1.1 Eligibility practices to reduce barriers to enrollment a. Does the Lead Agency implement any of the following eligibility practices to reduce barriers at the time of initial eligibility determination? Check all that apply and describe those elements checked. i. [x] Establishing presumptive eligibility while eligibility is being determined. Describe the policy, including the populations benefiting from the policy, and identify how long the period of presumptive eligibility is: Oregon has implemented presumptive eligibility through ￿priority processing.’ This means families with a child in foster care can receive up to three months of benefits based upon their statement while waiting for formal verification. These families are not required to complete an interview with an eligibility worker, speeding up the eligibility process. If eventual verification does not meet subsidy requirements, these months are not collected as overpayments, but benefits do not extend for a full twelve months, per federal presumptive eligibility guidelines. ii. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe: Oregon’s Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program has income eligibility limits set to align with the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) to allow families to access services more easily. The ERDC program has leveraged families receiving SNAP to recruit families who appear to be eligible for the child care subsidy based on income, age of child, and participation in employment or education. Families receiving services through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program can become eligible for ERDC through a simplified application process. Additionally, families who have applied for other programs through Oregon’s integrated eligibility system, called ONE, can utilize existing applications and verification sources within two months when applying for ERDC. iii. [x] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: Oregon utilizes an integrated eligibility system called ONE, which houses multiple self-sufficiency and safety net programs. This allows families to apply through a singular portal and application for multiple services. This also allows families to submit requests and changes for multiple programs at one time. Currently the ONE system does not yet have the capabilities built to coordinate eligibility and ensure each child receives 12 months of eligibility. Changes to the ONE system will be required to implement this eligibility requirement as an element of the 2024 final rule, and Oregon is working to establish a plan for implementation. Any changes to the ONE system require working with other state agency partners that have programs in the integrated system. iv. [ ] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: v. [x] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vi. [x] Consultation available via phone. vii. [ ] Other. Describe the Lead Agency policies to process applications efficiently and make timely eligibility determinations: viii. [ ] None. b. Does the Lead Agency use an online subsidy application? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe why an online application is impracticable. c. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: TANF families have a simplified eligibility process. They are eligible for ERDC benefits, but still must meet income eligibility, immunization, citizenship/qualified non-citizen requirements of the child, and asset limit requirements. More information can be found in 2.2.2 below. [ ] No. 2.1.2 Preventing disruption of eligibility activities a. Identify, where applicable, the Lead Agency’s procedures and policies to ensure that parents do not have their employment, education, or job training unduly disrupted to comply with the State’s/Territory’s or designated local entity’s requirements for the redetermination of eligibility. Check all that apply. i. [x] Advance notice to parents of pending redetermination. ii. [x] Advance notice to providers of pending redetermination. iii. [x] Pre-populated subsidy renewal form. iv. [x] Online documentation submission. v. [x] Cross-program redeterminations. vi. [x] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vii. [x] Consultation available via phone. viii. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. ix. [x] Other. Describe: Oregon’s ONE eligibility system was designed to send advance notice to providers of families’ pending redeterminations, however there are some improvements needed for this practice to function properly and consistently. Providers receive advance notice of any applicable mid-certification benefit closures as well as their own two-year re-evaluations for subsidy payment, which are mailed by the Direct Pay Unit. b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: [x] No.