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Reach Up Annual Report 2020 17 Reach Up Leavers' Participation in Food Stamps-- Fiscal Year 2019

Quarter Ending Sep '18 Quarter Ending Dec '18 Quarter Ending Mar '19 Quarter Ending Jun '19 Average 1. Total number of individuals who left Reach Up 2,270 2,189 2,096 2,081 2,159 2. Those in #1 who were not receiving Reach Up in the 4th month after leaving Reach Up 1,928 1,846 1,722 1,699 1,799 85% 84% 82% 82% 83% 3. Those in #2 who were enrolled in 3SquaresVT at the time of leaving Reach Up 1,717 1,589 1,542 1,466 1,579 89% 86% 90% 86% 88% 4. Those in #3 who were also enrolled in 3SquaresVT in the 4th month after leaving Reach Up 1,047 993 901 893 959 61% 62% 58% 61% 61%

Section 4: Health Care Enrollment of Reach Up Leavers

Vermont is a leader in providing health care assistance to children and families. When a family’s income exceeds the Medicaid eligibility threshold due to earnings or increased child support, the family will continue to be eligible for Medicaid through Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA) regardless of the family’s increased earnings. TMA extends a family’s Medicaid eligibility for up to 12 months.17

Section 5: Summary of Reports by Contractors

Leslie Black-Plumeau, an independent contractor with the DCF, submitted a 2017 Reach Up Leavers: Employment, earnings and use of support programs of families after leaving Reach Up in October 2019. The following excerpt is taken from that report, written by Leslie Black-Plumeau and Rob McIntyre:

Summary: • Families who left Vermont’s Reach Up program in 2017 fared better in terms of employment and earnings than their counterparts in 2013—the last time a study like this was conducted. More of the 2017 leavers were employed and they had higher earnings during the year after leaving Reach Up.

• The 2017 leavers faced an economy that was even better than during the recovery’s early years when the 2013 leavers were looking for work. In 2018, the unemployment rate averaged 2.8%--the lowest point in Vermont since the Great Recession.

• During the year after they left Reach Up, 81% of the 2017 leaver families worked at some point. Their median annual earnings over the course of the year were about $15,000—up from $12,000 among the 2013 leavers. • Most of the families did not return to Reach Up during the year after their initial 2017 exit, but 32% returned at least once—virtually unchanged from the return rate among the 2013 leavers.

The report is available on the DCF website here: https://dcf.vermont.gov/sites/dcf/files/2017%20Reach%20Up%20Leavers%20Report.pdf

A report submitted by Leslie Black-Plumeau Consulting, LLC. on families who left Reach Up due to time limits, is included in Section 8 of this report.

17 Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment rule § 7.03(a)(6)(i).