Policy Effective: May 1, 2019

FEP Diversion Financial assistance serves FEP applicants only when Department of Workforce Services (DWS) determines that a one-time Financial assistance payment will result in the household becoming self-supporting.

As part of the assessment by the Employment Counselor, the family's circumstances will be reviewed to determine if a FEP diversion is appropriate. Households that receive diversions will receive an amount equal to 3 months of the full FEP allotment for the household size at the time of application. Future household changes cannot be included when determining a diversion, and supplemental diversion payments cannot be issued if the household size increases after the diversion is approved.

Diversion assistance is not available to:

Family Employment Program - Two Parent (FEP-TP) eligible households

Example: If a household consists of two parents who are not incapacitated and who are eligible for FEP-TP, the household is not eligible for a Diversion.

or

Family Employment Program (FEP) eligible households where the primary household member’s relationship to the only eligible child(ren) is anything other than parent (natural, adoptive, or step).

Example: If the primary household member is an aunt to the only eligible child in the household, the household is not eligible for a Diversion.

The family must be eligible for a Financial payment of at least one dollar from FEP; they MUST pass ALL eligibility and income tests. This includes completing a Trial Participation and clearing up all previous non-participation issues.

Customers who are determined appropriate for diversion must meet with an employment counselor to receive a FEP Orientation, complete the initial assessment for FEP, and sign a Diversion Agreement. Diversion customers are not subject to the Substance Abuse Determination Process.

The family must agree to have the Financial portion of the application for assistance denied. Once the diversion is received, the customer will not be eligible for FEP again for the diversion month and for 2 full months following the diversion month, regardless of any changes in the household’s situation. The customer must reapply after the ineligibility period if they wish to receive ongoing FEP payments.

A household is only eligible to receive a diversion payment one time in any 12-month period.

The diversion household is not eligible for FEP Child Care or Transitional Child Care. The household may request Employment Support Child Care (ESCC) at the time they are approved for Diversion. If the customer didn’t request ESCC on the eligibility application or at the time the diversion is approved, the start date will be the date of request until all programs applied for have been approved or denied. A customer is required to reapply for child care is the request was not made prior to all programs being approved or denied. See policy 210-2 .

The household may receive Family Medicaid. See the Medicaid Eligibility manual.

The diversion household will remain categorically eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for 24 months. See policy 261 .

Months in which a diversion is received do not count toward the time limit. See policy 281-1 .

If a customer has exhausted their 36 month time limit, they must first meet a criteria for extension in order to be considered for a Diversion.