Limitations on use of funds

An entity to which funds are provided under this paragraph shall use the funds to move individuals into and keep individuals in lasting unsubsidized employment by means of any of the following:

(I) The conduct and administration of community service or work experience programs.

(II) Job creation through public or private sector employment wage subsidies.

(III) On-the-job training.

(IV) Contracts with public or private providers of readiness, placement, and post-employment services, or if the entity is not a private industry council or workforce investment board, the direct provision of such services.

(V) Job vouchers for placement, readiness, and postemployment services.

(VI) Job retention or support services if such services are not otherwise available.

(VII) Not more than 6 months of vocational educational or job training.

An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may expend funds provided to the project for the benefit of recipients of assistance under the program funded under this part of the State in which the entity is located who—

(I) has received assistance under the State program funded under this part (whether in effect before or after the amendments made by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 first apply to the State) for at least 30 months (whether or not consecutive); or

(II) within 12 months, will become ineligible for assistance under the State program funded under this part by reason of a durational limit on such assistance, without regard to any exemption provided pursuant to section 608(a)(7)(C) of this title that may apply to the individual.

An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may use the funds to provide services in a form described in clause (i) to noncustodial parents with respect to whom the requirements of the following subclauses are met:

(I) The noncustodial parent is unemployed, underemployed, or having difficulty in paying child support obligations.

(II) At least 1 of the following applies to a minor child of the noncustodial parent (with preference in the determination of the noncustodial parents to be provided services under this paragraph to be provided by the entity to those noncustodial parents with minor children who meet, or who have custodial parents who meet, the requirements of item (aa)): (aa) The minor child or the custodial parent of the minor child meets the requirements of subclause (I) or (II) of clause (ii). (bb) The minor child is eligible for, or is receiving, benefits under the program funded under this part. (cc) The minor child received benefits under the program funded under this part in the 12-month period preceding the date of the determination but no longer receives such benefits. (dd) The minor child is eligible for, or is receiving, assistance under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 [ 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], benefits under the supplemental security income program under subchapter XVI of this chapter, medical assistance under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or child health assistance under subchapter XXI of this chapter.

(III) In the case of a noncustodial parent who becomes enrolled in the project on or after November 29, 1999 , the noncustodial parent is in compliance with the terms of an oral or written personal responsibility contract entered into among the noncustodial parent, the entity, and (unless the entity demonstrates to the Secretary that the entity is not capable of coordinating with such agency) the agency responsible for administering the State plan under part D, which was developed taking into account the employment and child support status of the noncustodial parent, which was entered into not later than 30 (or, at the option of the entity, not later than 90) days after the noncustodial parent was enrolled in the project, and which, at a minimum, includes the following: (aa) A commitment by the noncustodial parent to cooperate, at the earliest opportunity, in the establishment of the paternity of the minor child, through voluntary acknowledgement or other procedures, and in the establishment of a child support order. (bb) A commitment by the noncustodial parent to cooperate in the payment of child support for the minor child, which may include a modification of an existing support order to take into account the ability of the noncustodial parent to pay such support and the participation of such parent in the project. (cc) A commitment by the noncustodial parent to participate in employment or related activities that will enable the noncustodial parent to make regular child support payments, and if the noncustodial parent has not attained 20 years of age, such related activities may include completion of high school, a general equivalency degree, or other education directly related to employment. (dd) A description of the services to be provided under this paragraph, and a commitment by the noncustodial parent to participate in such services, that are designed to assist the noncustodial parent obtain and retain employment, increase earnings, and enhance the financial and emotional contributions to the well-being of the minor child.

In order to protect custodial parents and children who may be at risk of domestic violence, the preceding provisions of this subclause shall not be construed to affect any other provision of law requiring a custodial parent to cooperate in establishing the paternity of a child or establishing or enforcing a support order with respect to a child, or entitling a custodial parent to refuse, for good cause, to provide such cooperation as a condition of assistance or benefit under any program, shall not be construed to require such cooperation by the custodial parent as a condition of participation of either parent in the program authorized under this paragraph, and shall not be construed to require a custodial parent to cooperate with or participate in any activity under this clause. The entity operating a project under this clause with funds provided under this paragraph shall consult with domestic violence prevention and intervention organizations in the development of the project.

An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may expend not more than 30 percent of all funds provided to the project for programs that provide assistance in a form described in clause (i)—

(I) to recipients of assistance under the program funded under this part of the State in which the entity is located who have characteristics associated with long-term welfare dependence (such as school dropout, teen pregnancy, or poor work history), including, at the option of the State, by providing assistance in such form as a condition of receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part;

(II) to children— (aa) who have attained 18 years of age but not 25 years of age; and (bb) who, before attaining 18 years of age, were recipients of foster care maintenance payments (as defined in section 675(4) of this title ) under part E or were in foster care under the responsibility of a State;

(III) to recipients of assistance under the State program funded under this part, determined to have significant barriers to self-sufficiency, pursuant to criteria established by the local private industry council; or

(IV) to custodial parents with incomes below 100 percent of the poverty line (as defined in section 9902(2) of this title , including any revision required by such section, applicable to a family of the size involved).

Within 90 days after August 5, 1997 , the Secretary of Labor, after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement this paragraph.

An entity that operates a project with funds provided under this paragraph may use the funds to provide assistance in a form described in clause (i) of this subparagraph to, or for the benefit of, individuals who (but for section 608(a)(7) of this title ) would be eligible for assistance under the program funded under this part of the State in which the entity is located.

(I) Rules governing use of funds The rules of section 604 of this title , other than subsections (b), (f), and (h) of section 604 of this title , shall not apply to a grant made under this paragraph.

(II) Rules governing payments to States The Secretary of Labor shall carry out the functions otherwise assigned by section 605 of this title to the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to the grants payable under this paragraph.

(III) Administration Section 616 of this title shall not apply to the programs under this paragraph.

An entity to which funds are provided under this paragraph shall not use any part of the funds, nor any part of State expenditures made to match the funds, to fulfill any obligation of any State, political subdivision, or private industry council to contribute funds under subsection (b) or section 618 of this title or any other provision of this chapter or other Federal law.

The Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, States, and organizations that represent State or local governments, shall establish requirements for the collection and maintenance of financial and participant information and the reporting of such information by entities carrying out activities under this paragraph.