107.811 CAO Guidelines and Procedures

At application and renewal , the CAO must determine whether the family is involved with the CCYA. The CAO worker should phrase the question carefully when asking the person about this delicate subject.

Example:

“Are you working with any other agency, such as Children and Youth, whose requirements may conflict with or help this AMR plan for your family and movement toward financial self-sufficiency ? We want to work with any other agency that is trying to help you.”

The person may say that they are involved with the CCYA because of their own children, or the person may be providing formal or informal kinship care for a grandchild, niece, etc. The person may choose to resolve conflicts without help.

Whether or not the person asks for help, the CAO should enter the following appropriate living arrangement codes in the electronic Client Information System (eCIS) to indicate a TANF /CCYA mutual person or child living in a kinship care arrangement:

Code 11 Mutual Cash Assistance/CCYA recipient

Code 12 Kinship care child

If the person asks for CAO interventions, the CAO must take the following steps to ensure communication and sharing of information between the CAO and CCYA:

Establish a contact person and backup liaison between the CAO and the CCYA.

Provide the CCYA the name and phone number of the designated liaison staff person ( s ) . Request the name and phone number of the CCYA liaison staff person ( s ) .

When completing the AMR with a person who is working with the CCYA, explain the purpose of the Consent for Release of Information Form ( PA 1691 ). The PA 1691 is available on Docushare . This signed form is needed before any information may be shared between agencies. Emphasize that signing the form is voluntary and that the person may choose what information may be released by either agency.

Send a copy of the signed release to the CCYA liaison and provide the name and phone number of the CAO caseworker. Follow up with a phone call to verify the TANF recipient’s CCYA status.

Make sure the CCYA liaison verifies receipt of the signed release in writing on agency letterhead and provides the name and phone number of the CCYA caseworker.

Facilitate the connection between the CAO worker and the CCYA worker so that they may communicate directly about the family and discuss possible conflicts between the AMR and the FSP.

NOTE: Supplemental Handbook Chapter 930, Section 930.3 states that the CAO executive directors have authority to disclose public assistance information. They may delegate this responsibility only to top-level supervisors. If the CAO caseworker needs to release information to the CCYA, even with the recipient’s signed permission, the executive director or the designated top-level supervisor must release the information on behalf of the caseworker.

The CAO caseworker may discuss the AMR in general terms about employment and other requirements applying to all TANF recipients. The executive director or the top-level supervisor must release any specific information to the CCYA, including the person’s time left on TANF.

The CAO should not request or inquire why the family is working with the CCYA. The CAO should concentrate on the FSP requirements, such as whether the person is required to go to substance abuse treatment or counseling.

The CAO must report any first-hand knowledge of suspected abuse or neglect. The CAO liaison must contact the CCYA liaison with general questions when a family appears to be at risk.