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Vermont Department for Children and Families Reach Up Eligibility Rules Economic Services Division 2200 28

unit now occupied by the Reach Up household and its possessions. iii. This property owner or manager remains the current landlord until the Reach Up household has vacated this dwelling unit and removed its possessions from the unit.

2. The health and safety of the child is at risk by the inability of the parent or caretaker to regularly meet basic financial obligations, including:

i. Rent, tax, or mortgage payments;

ii. Utility payments; and

iii. The provision of adequate food and clothing.

c. When a Reach Up household is about to be converted to, or has already been converted to, protective payments due to difficulty with money management, the Department should take no action that would cancel the Reach Up household’s conversion to protective payments or terminate its existing rent vendor payment status. d. If failure to pay bills is threatening the loss of shelter or necessary services, including a pattern of nonpayment of rent, these conditions are sufficient to justify budget assistance through a protective payment plan.

e. Budget assistance through a protective payment plan may be warranted even when the Reach Up benefit does not cover the household’s full rent.

2220.2 Rebuttal of Budget Assistance Determination (08/01/2024, 23-28) a. The parent or caretaker will have at least ten days to rebut the Department’s decision to implement budget assistance through a protective payment plan before the Department may take action. b. The decision to start protective payments may be rebutted when a parent or caretaker can demonstrate one of the following: 1. Payment was not made because the Reach Up household experienced an emergency event that required the use of funds; 2. Payment was withheld because of a legitimate landlord-tenant dispute (see subsections (c) through (h) below); or 3. Payment was not made, however, the Reach Up household is making a good faith effort to pay for essential expenses, which currently exceed their benefits and available gross income. i. Benefits and gross income would include all those benefits available to the Reach Up household to meet needs, including all earned and unearned income. ii. Essential expenses include:

A. Rent; B. Mortgage and mortgage insurance;