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Vermont Department for Children and Families Economic Services Division Reach Up Services Rules 2300 34

3. An unrelated change affecting the benefits occurs while the fair hearing decision is pending, the change is processed, and the participant does not request a fair hearing after notice of that change; or 4. The request for a fair hearing is made within the 90‐day appeal period but not within the time period that allows benefits to continue pending appeal.

i. See rule 2262.4 related to continuation of benefits during a pending fair hearing related to protective payments.

2332 Reach Up Funding Sources (08/01/2024, 23-30)

a. Reach Up is funded by: 1. Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds; and 2. State maintenance‐of‐effort (MOE) funds.

i. Separate state programs (SSP) and segregated funds components are funded with state MOE.

b. Reach Up households whose benefits are funded, in part or in full, with TANF or MOE funds, are included in the calculation of the federal TANF work participation rate (WPR) for Vermont.

1. A specified percentage of these households must be meeting the federal TANF WPR through work activities.

i. The following households are excluded from the federal TANF WPR calculation: A. Households with no eligible adults;

B. Households in which at least one adult is sanctioned for non‐engagement with Reach Up requirements and has been sanctioned fewer than four of the past twelve months; or

C. Households in which a single custodial parent is caring for a child younger than 12 months.

2. Benefits received during these months count toward the 60‐month limit on federal TANF benefits.

c. Reach Up also includes solely state‐funded (SSF) programs that are funded with State funds and are not counted toward the State’s MOE requirement.

1. Reach Up households whose benefits are from SSF programs are not included in the calculation of the federal TANF WPR for Vermont.

d. Reach Up households are categorized by funding status one day before the 60% benefit issuance runs, issuing benefits for the future month.

1. The households who are meeting the federal TANF WPR are categorized as TANF funded or SSP