local operating procedures building a foundation

Local Operating Procedures

Building a Foundation

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Developing Local Procedures

• What are the governing authorities for the Welfare Transition (WT) program ?

– Federal Law

• Code of Federal Register (CFR)

– State Law

• Florida Statutes (F.S.)

• Florida Administrative Code (FAC)

• State Plan

– State guidance

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Federal Law

• Federal Law

– Provides general parameters and guidelines under which states must operate different programs

• For the WT program, it is 45 CFR

– It also provides the minimum requirements for program elements

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State Law

• State Law

– Uses federal requirements to set more specific standards and guidelines

– It lays the foundation for program administration

– It can also be more restrictive than federal law

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State Guidance

• State Guidance

– Uses State Law to provide more detailed direction and instruction relative to the program

– References both federal and state requirements

• Can be more restrictive than federal or State law

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• We often use the analogy that work activities are like a house in the WT program:

– Core activities serve as the base of the house

• They can stand alone

• Don’t need help to hold them up

– Core plus serve as the roof of the house

• Need the base (core) activities to hold them up

• If work activities are the program’s house, the LOP is the foundation on which it is laid

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1. Job Skills Training

2. Education Directly Related to Employment++

3. Satisfactory Attendance HS/GED++

1. Unsubsidized Employment

2. Subsidized Private Emp.

3. Subsidized Public Emp.

4. On-the-Job Training

5. Work Experience

6. Job Search/Job Readiness Assistance

7. Community Service

8. Vocational Education and Training

9. Providing Childcare

++Core for teen parents without a high school diploma/GED


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• Think of your RWB as another layer of the governing process

– Will what works for one region work for all other regions?

– Will processes that work for a large city also work for a rural area?

– Are all participants and their situations the same?

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• What issues might a rural area be dealing with that a big city may not encounter?

– Transportation

• No access to public transportation

• No access to taxis

• No access to shuttles

• No access to close neighbors with a vehicle

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• Transportation

– Do all case managers know what’s allowed?

• Are transportation deferrals allowed in your region?

– If so, under what circumstances?

• Is there a limit on how long a participant can be deferred due to transportation issues?

– If so, what is that duration?

– What steps must the case manager take to try to eliminate the barrier?

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• Why do we need LOPs?

– They provide strict and specific program instruction

– They hold up the integrity of the region’s processes

– They are written instruction on how the region runs its programs

– They eliminate process confusion

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• Why do we need LOPs?

– They are written documentation in the event of

• A request for supervisory review of a case

• A fair hearing with Department of Children and Families

• A grievance

• A law suit

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Supervisory Review

– Participants may request a supervisory review of their case if

• They feel their case is not being handled appropriately

• They feel they were treated unfairly

• They feel that they were unjustly denied a service

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Fair Hearing

• A participant may request a fair hearing

– If they feel action was taken on their case inappropriately

• Sanction

• Termination of services due to a sanction

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• Grievance

– A participant may file a grievance if (s)he feels

• Discriminated against

– Race or Ethnicity

– Age

– gender

• Treated unfairly

• Is not satisfied with the results of a fair hearing

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• Where do we start?

– Look at the program from beginning to end

• From applicant to transitional

• What program processes need to have LOPs?

• For which program elements am I requiring every case manager to follow the same rules?

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• Work Registration

• Initial Assessment

• Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP)

• Work Activities

• Documenting Hours of Participation

• Support Services

• Good Cause

• Domestic Violence

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– Design a customer flow process

• How do you want applicants to flow from the front-desk through work registration?

• Think of every possible scenario and how staff should help applicants

• While it may not be possible to plan for all scenarios, LOPs provide a reference and guidance for program processes

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– Recommended elements for the LOP

• What must the applicant complete for the work registration process to be successfully completed?

– Orientation/Overview

– Workshops

– Applicant job search

– Job matching

– Up-Front Diversion Screening process for appropriate candidates

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– It should also include:

• The process for medically incapacitated individuals who cannot complete work registration

• When to provide support services to individuals who need services to complete work registration

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– Your initial assessment LOP should identify:

• The initial assessment tool program staff use

• How the tool assesses

– Work history

– Skills

– Employability

• This could be a locally developed form or a combination of forms and standardized tests like the TABE

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• Initial Assessment Tool

– How do you know when it was completed?

• Was it dated by the program participant?

– How do you know if it was reviewed?

• Was it dated by the program staff?

• Are any elements missing or left blank?

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– The LOP should also include:

• When supplemental assessments may be needed

• Assessing for hidden disabilities

– Is this contracted out or a preliminary in-house assessment?

• Assessing for possible mental health and substance abuse issues

• Assessing for possible domestic violence and need for services

– Are these general questionnaires?

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• Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP)

– The LOP for IRPs could include:

• The process for developing the IRP

• When it must be completed

• How often the steps-to-sufficiency must be updated and signed

• The tool the RWB uses

• IRP Requirements

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– When must staff initiate the IRP?

– Who is required to sign the IRP?

– What must be included on the IRP

• Employment goals

• Educational goals

• Needs and Barriers

• Steps to Self Sufficiency

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• Individual Responsibility Plan


• How often the plan should be updated?

– Is the full plan updated or only the steps to self-sufficiency?

• Under what circumstances must the full plan be updated?

• Under what circumstances must the steps be updated?

– Provide examples and scenarios

– Provide a template to make it easier for staff to follow

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• Documentation

– Your documentation LOP should include:

• How often documentation must be collected

– Weekly, bi-weekly

• Who must sign documentation for

– On-site job search

– Work sites

– Education time sheets

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• Documentation


• What information is required when a collateral contact is made

– What forms are acceptable for collateral contacts

• Data entry requirements

– Documentation must be received prior to entering data into the system

– Who is responsible for entering data in the system

– Deadline for entering data into the system once information has been received

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– Does your support services LOP include:

• Processes for providing services to

– Applicants

– Mandatory participants

– Transitional customers

• Is transportation provided based on

– Mileage and participation

– Participation only

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• Processes for providing services to those completing alternative activities (non-traditional activities)

– Attending doctor’s appointments

– Physical therapy

– Counseling sessions

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• Good Cause

– Does your good cause LOP include:

• What is good cause for noncompliance

• When documentation must be provided to support good cause

• The appropriate use of excused absences based on good cause

• The appropriate steps to take with the customer if good cause does not exist

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– Does your domestic violence LOP include:

• What staff must do if someone self-discloses

• Where to refer the participant if (s)he is requesting domestic violence services

– Is there a contracted entity in-house?

– Is it out in the community?

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– Your domestic violence plan should also include:

• What should be included in the participant’s safety plan

• What steps must be taken to ensure confidentiality

• What must be included in the system

– To learn more about domestic violence requirements for Florida’s WT program, click here

http://www.floridajobs.org/pdg/guidancepapers/026%20Domestic%20Violence.rtf

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Questions?

Please contact the Welfare Transition Team

at 866-352-2345.

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by

persons using TTY/TDD equipment via Florida Relay Service at 711.persons using TTY/TDD equipment via Florida Relay Service at 711.

local operating procedures building a foundation

Documents

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local procedures

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state requirements