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<section article="ghu" article_name="Human Services" number="5-309" title_number="5" title_name="Public Assistance" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Family Investment Program">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Except for an applicant or recipient who is a single child, the FIP shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an assessment of each applicant or recipient that considers:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the reasons for applying for or continuing to rely on assistance;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an evaluation of appropriate work activities based on educational level, literacy, health, mental or physical impairments, housing stability, child care needs, transportation needs, history of domestic or family violence, job skills and readiness, and interests;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>personal and family resources available to facilitate independence; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>whether the applicant or recipient qualifies for an exemption or has good cause not to participate in a work activity; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>welfare avoidance grants that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>meet immediate needs so that an applicant or recipient can avoid temporary cash assistance;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>may be granted as the Department considers appropriate;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>may not cover the same type of immediate need met by a previous welfare avoidance grant unless the Department determines that the current immediate need is a new and verified emergency;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>do not exceed an amount of 3 months of temporary cash assistance, unless the Department determines there is a compelling need for an amount not exceeding 12 months; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>may not duplicate periods of temporary cash assistance.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Except for a recipient who is a single child, the FIP for a recipient shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an agreement between the Department and the recipient that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>requires the recipient to cooperate with the child support enforcement agency to obtain support from a noncustodial parent;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>requires the recipient to comply with reasonable requests for cooperation by case management workers in seeking and using programs and community and family resources that may be available to the recipient;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>specifies the work activities in which the recipient will participate;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>specifies the supportive services that the local department will assist in providing and that are necessary for the recipient to meet the recipient’s obligations under the FIP; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>specifies the reasonable accommodations that a local department will provide to a recipient with a disability that are necessary for the recipient to meet the recipient’s obligations under the FIP;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>supportive services activities, including child care, to the extent resources allow;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>referral, as appropriate, to family planning counseling and services that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>are not offered or conducted in a manner that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>is coercive;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>violates the recipient’s confidentiality; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>violates the recipient’s bona fide religious beliefs and practices; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>give preference to eligible teen parents; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>temporary cash assistance, as a last resort.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Except for an applicant who is a single child, the FIP for an applicant shall include a child care voucher:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>to the extent resources allow, if the applicant is required to participate in a work activity as a condition of eligibility; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>if providing child care eliminates the applicant’s need for cash assistance under the FIP.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>For an applicant or recipient who is a single child, the FIP shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>referral to appropriate services; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>temporary cash assistance for the recipient, as a last resort.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>To the extent resources allow, the FIP shall serve noncustodial parents who need employment services to pay child support obligations.</text>
  </level>
</section>
