[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 235 (Thursday, December 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30123]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 8, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted
Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: November, 1994
AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice lists new proposals for welfare reform and
combined welfare reform/Medicaid demonstration projects submitted to
the Department of Health and Human Services during the month of
November, 1994. Federal approval for the proposals has been requested
pursuant to section 1115 of the Social Security Act. This notice also
lists proposals that were previously submitted and are still pending a
decision and projects that have been approved since September 27, 1994.
The Health Care Financing Administration is publishing a separate
notice for Medicaid only demonstration projects.
COMMENTS: We will accept written comments on these proposals. We will,
if feasible, acknowledge receipt of all comments, but we will not
provide written responses to comments. We will, however, neither
approve nor disapprove any new proposal for at least 30 days after the
date of this notice to allow time to receive and consider comments.
Direct comments as indicated below.
ADDRESSES: For specific information or questions on the content of a
project contact the State contact listed for that project.
Requests for copies of a project or comments on the project should
be addressed to: Howard Rolston, Administration for Children and
Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Aerospace Building, 7th Floor
West, Washington DC 20447, Fax: (202) 205-3598 Phone: (202) 401-9220.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act (the Act), the
Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) may approve research and
demonstration project proposals with a broad range of policy
objectives.
In exercising her discretionary authority, the Secretary has
developed a number of policies and procedures for reviewing proposals.
On September 27, 1994, we published a notice in the Federal Register
(59 FR 49249) that specified (1) the principles that we ordinarily will
consider when approving or disapproving demonstration projects under
the authority in section 1115(a) of the Act; (2) the procedures we
expect States to use in involving the public in the development of
proposed demonstration projects under section 1115; and (3) the
procedures we ordinarily will follow in reviewing demonstration
proposals. We are committed to a thorough and expeditious review of
State requests to conduct such demonstrations.
II. Listing of New and Pending Proposals for the Month of November,
1994
As part of our procedures, we are publishing a monthly notice in
the Federal Register of all new and pending proposals. This notice
contains proposals for the month of November 1994.
Waiver Title: Arizona--Employing and Moving People Off Welfare and
Encouraging Responsibility Program
Description: Would not increase benefits for additional children
conceived while receiving AFDC; limit benefits to adults to 24 months
in any 60 month period; allow recipients to deposit up to $200/month
(with 50% disregarded) in Individual Development Accounts; require
minor mothers to live with parents; extend Transitional Child Care and
Medicaid to 24 months and eliminate the 100-hour rule for AFDC-U cases.
Also, in a pilot site, would provide individuals with short-term
subsidized public or private OJT subsidized by grant diversion which
includes cashing-out Food Stamps.
Date Received: 8/3/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Gail A. Parin, (602) 542-4702.
Waiver Title: California--Work Pays Demonstration Project
(Amendment).
Description: Would amend Work Pays Demonstration Project by adding
provisions to: reduce benefit levels by 10% (but retaining the need
level); reduce benefits an additional 15% after 6 months on assistance
for cases with an able-bodied adult; time-limit assistance to able-
bodied adults to 24 months, and not increase benefits for children
conceived while receiving AFDC.
Date Received: 3/14/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Glen Brooks, (916) 657-3291.
Waiver Title: California--Assistance Payments Demonstration Project
(Amendment).
Description: Would amend the Assistance Payments Demonstration
Project by: exempting certain categories of AFDC families from the
State's benefit cuts; paying the exempt cases based on grant levels in
effect in California on November 1, 1992; and renewing the waiver of
the Medicaid maintenance of effort provision at section 1902(c)(1) of
the Social Security Act, which was vacated by the Ninth Circuit Court
of Appeals in its decision in Beno v. Shalala.
Date Received: 8/26/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Michael C. Genest, (916) 657-3546.
Waiver Title: California--Work Pays Demonstration Project
(Amendment).
Description: Would amend Work Pays Demonstration Project by adding
provisions to not increasing AFDC benefits to families for additional
children conceived while receiving AFDC.
Date Received: 11/9/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Eloise Anderson, (916) 657-2598.
Waiver Title: California--AFDC and Food Stamp Compatibility
Demonstration Project.
Description: Would make AFDC and Food Stamp policy more compatible
by making AFDC households categorically eligible for Food Stamps;
allowing recipients to deduct 40 percent of self-employment income in
reporting monthly income; disregarding $100 per quarter in non-
recurring gifts and irregular/infrequent income; disregarding
undergraduate student assistance and work study income if payments are
based on need; reinstating food stamp benefits discontinued for failure
to file a monthly report when good cause is found for the failure; and
simplifying vehicle valuation methodology.
Date Received: 5/23/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Michael C. Genest, (916) 657-3546.
Waiver Title: Georgia--Work for Welfare Project.
Description: Work for Welfare Project. In 10 pilot counties would
require every non-exempt recipient and non-supporting parent to work up
to 20 hours per month in a state, local government, federal agency or
nonprofit organization; extends job search; and increases sanctions for
JOBS noncompliance. On a statewide basis, would increase the automobile
exemption to $4,500 and disregard earned income of children who are
full-time students.
Date Received: 6/30/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Nancy Meszaros, (404) 657-3608.
Waiver Title: Indiana--Manpower, Placement and Comprehensive
Training Program.
Description: Would limit AFDC benefits to 24 months for ``jobs-
ready'' individuals assigned to a placement track; provide preferential
treatment in other Federal assistance programs during the time limit;
freeze AFDC benefits at initial payment level for the 24 months and
Food Stamp benefits for 6 months after initial employment; not increase
AFDC benefits for birth of additional children; make development of
personal responsibility agreement and cooperation with self-sufficiency
plan a condition of eligibility; deny eligibility to: applicants who
quit employment without cause within the prior 6 months, individuals
convicted of welfare fraud, and parents who obtain physical custody of
children for sole purpose of obtaining AFDC eligibility; extend grant
diversion to up to 24 months and allow its use for child care and
training and development projects; eliminate 100-hours of work rule for
AFDC-UP; require children to attend school and be immunized; increase
resource limit to $1500; extend transitional child care to 18 months;
provide only one-time JOBS exemption for care of child under 3 years of
age; eliminate JOBS participation rate and target group expenditure
requirements; impose minimum JOBS/E&T sanction of two month AFDC/Food
Stamp ineligibility; eliminate JOBS exemption for VISTA volunteers,
recipients living in rural/hard to access areas, and those employed 30
or more hours per week; extend post-employment support services,
including case management; require minors to live with responsible
adult; require that Food Stamp program fair hearing requests be in
writing; enact other changes making AFDC and Food Stamp eligibility and
JOBS/E&T compliance rules compatible and allowing eligibility and
program services to be administered differently in accordance to
community needs.
Date Received: 6/21/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: James M. Hmurovich, (317) 232-4704.
Waiver Title: Kansas--Actively Creating Tomorrow for Families
Demonstration.
Description: Would, after 30 months of participation in JOBS, make
adults ineligible for AFDC for 3 years; replace $30 and 1/3 income
disregard with continuous 40% disregard; disregard lump sum income and
income and resources of children in school; count income and resources
of family members who receive SSI; exempt one vehicle without regard
for equity value if used to produce income; allow only half AFDC
benefit increase for births of a second child to families where the
parent is not working and eliminate increase for the birth of any child
if families already have at least two children; eliminate 100-hour rule
and work history requirements for UP cases; expand AFDC eligibility to
pregnant women in 1st and 2nd trimesters; extend Medicaid transitional
benefits to 24 months; eliminate various JOBS requirements, including
those related to target groups, participation rate of UP cases and the
20-hour work requirement limit for parents with children under 6;
require school attendance; require minors in AFDC and NPA Food Stamps
cases to live with a guardian; make work requirements and penalties in
the AFDC and Food Stamp programs more uniform; and increase sanctions
for not cooperating with child support enforcement activities.
Date Received: 7/26/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Faith Spencer (913) 296-0775.
Waiver Title: Maine--Project Opportunity.
Description: Increase participation in Work Supplementation to 18
months; use Work Supplementation for any opening; use diverted grant
funds for vouchers for education, training or support services; and
extend transitional Medicaid and child care to 24 months.
Date Received: 8/5/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Susan L. Dustin (207) 287-3106.
Welfare Title: Maryland--Welfare Reform Project.
Description: Statewide, eliminate increased AFDC benefit for
additional children conceived while receiving AFDC and require minor
parents to reside with a guardian. In pilot site, require able-bodied
recipients to do community service work after 18 months of AFDC
receipt; impose full-family sanction on cases where JOBS non-exempt
parent fails to comply with JOBS for 9 months; eliminate 100-hour rule
and work history requirements for AFDC-UP cases; increase both auto and
resource limits to $5000; disregard income of dependent children;
provide one-time payment in lieu of ongoing assistance; require teens
parent to continue education and attend family health and parenting
classes; extend JOBS services to unemployed non-custodial parents; and
for work supplementation cases cash-out food stamps.
Date Received: 3/1/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Katherine L. Cook (410) 333-0700.
Waiver Title: Massachusetts--Employment Support Program.
Description: Would end cash assistance to most AFDC families,
requiring recipients who could not find full-time unsubsidized
employment after 60 days of AFDC receipt to do community service and
job search to earn a cash ``subsidy'' that would make family income
equal to the applicable payment standard; provide direct distribution
of child support collections to, and cash-out food stamps for, those
who obtain jobs; continue child care for working families as long as
they are income-eligible (but requiring sliding scale co-payment);
restrict JOBS education and training services to those working at least
25 hours per week; extend transitional Medicaid for a total of 24
months; and require teen parents to live with guardian or in a
supportive living arrangement and attend school.
Date Received: 3/22/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Joseph Gallant (617) 727-9173.
Waiver Title: Mississippi--A New Direction Demonstration Program.
Description: Two work programs would be implemented in different
locales, one of which would expand earned income disregards, and the
other would emphasize work supplementation. Statewide, would eliminate
increased AFDC benefit for additional children conceived while
receiving AFDC, require school attendance and immunizations, and
implement other provisions.
Date Received: 12/10/93.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Larry Temple (703) 538-2440.
Waiver Title: Missouri--Families Mutual Responsibility Plan.
Description: Require minor parents in live at home or in other
adult-supervised setting; disregard parental income of minor parents if
less than 100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines; disregard earnings of
minor parents if they are students; provide option to standard filing
unit requirements for households with minor parents; eliminate work
history and 100-hour rule for two-parent families under 21 yrs old;
exclude the value of one automobile.
Date Received: 8/15/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Greg Vadner (314) 751-3124.
Waiver Title: Montana--Achieving Independence for Montanans.
Description: Would establish: (1) Job Supplement Program consisting
of a set of AFDC-related benefits to assist individuals at risk of
becoming dependent upon welfare; (2) AFDC Pathways Program in which all
applicants must enter into a Family Investment Contract and adults'
benefits would be limited to a maximum of 24 months for single parents
and 18 months for AFDC-UP families; and (3) Community Services Program
requiring 20 hours per week for individuals who reach the AFDC time
limit but have not achieved self-sufficiency. The office culture would
also be altered in conjunction with a program offering a variety of
components and services; and simplify/unify AFDC and Food Stamp intake/
eligibility process by: (1) Eliminating AFDC deprivation requirement
and monthly reporting and Food Stamp retrospective budgeting; (2)
unifying program requirements; (3) simplifying current income disregard
policies. Specific provisions provide for cashing out food stamps,
expanding eligibility for two-parent cases, increasing earned income
and child care disregards and resource limits, and extending
transitional child care.
Date Received: 4/19/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Penny Robbe (406) 444-1917.
Waiver Title: Nebraska--Welfare Reform Waiver Demonstration.'
Description: Would assign recipients with mental, emotional or
physical barriers to self-sufficiency or who do not have parental
responsibility for the children to a Non-Time-Limited Program and
require all other recipients to choose either a Time-Limited, High
Disregards Program or a Time-Limited, Alternative Benefit Program.
Under all three programs would eliminate increase in benefits for birth
of children conceived while receiving AFDC; raise resource limits to
$5,000 and exclude the value of one vehicle; require school attendance;
deem, to the family, income of parents living with a minor parent in
excess of 300% of the poverty level, but where minor parent lives
independently, secure support from the minor's parents. Under the Time-
Limited, High Disregards Program, would provide cash assistance for a
total of 24 months during a 48 month period (with provisions for
certain exemptions and extensions); cash-out Food Stamps; reduce AFDC
payments, but replace earned income disregards with a disregard of 60%
of earned income; require all adult wage earners to participate in
educational job skills training, work experience, intensive job search,
or employment; make employment a JOBS component, but only for a job
deemed to lead to self-sufficiency; extend job search requirements;
require both parents in two-parent families to participate in JOBS;
impose first JOBS sanction for a least one month, the second for at
least 90 days and the third permanently; extend transitional Medicaid
and child care to 24 months; eliminate 100 hour rule and work place
attachment requirements for AFDC-UP cases. Under the Time Limited,
Alternative Benefit Program the same provisions would apply except that
recipients of this program would have somewhat higher benefits, but
with the current earned income disregards.
Date Received: 10/4/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Dan Cillessen, (402) 471-9270.
Waiver Title: New Hampshire--Earned Income Disregard Demonstration
Project.
Description: AFDC applicants and recipients would have the $200
plus \1/2\ the remaining earned income disregarded.
Date Received: 9/20/93.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Avis L. Crane, (603) 271-4255.
Waiver Title: New Mexico--Untitled Project.
Description: Would increase vehicle asset limit to $4500; disregard
earned income of students; develop an AFDC Intentional Program
Violation procedure identical to Food Stamps; and allow one individual
to sign declaration of citizenship for entire case.
Date Received: 7/7/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Scott Chamberlin, (505) 827-7254.
Waiver Title: North Dakota--Training, Education, Employment and
Management Project.
Description: Would require families to develop a social contract
specifying time-limit for becoming self-sufficient; combine AFDC, Food
Stamps and LIHEAP into single cash payment with simplified uniform
income, expense and resource exclusions; increase income disregards and
exempt stepparent's income for six months; increase resource limit to
$5000 for one recipient and $8000 for families with two or more
recipients; exempt value of one vehicle; eliminate 100-hour rule for
AFDC-UP; impose a progressive sanction for non-cooperation in JOBS or
with child support; require a minimum of 32 hours of paid employment
and non-paid work; require participation in EPSDT; and eliminate child
support pass-through.
Date Received: 9/9/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Kevin Iverson, (701) 224-2729.
Waiver Title: Ohio--A State of Opportunity Project.
Description: Three demonstration components proposed would test
provisions which: divert AFDC and Food Stamp benefits to a wage pool to
supplement wages of at least $8/hour; eliminate 100-hour rule for UP
cases; provide fill-the-gap budgeting for 12 months from month of
employment; increase child support pass-through to $75; provide a one-
time bonus of $150 for paternity establishment; provide an additional 6
months of transitional child care; increase automobile asset limit to
$4500 equity value; require regular school attendance by 6 to 19 year
olds; continue current LEAP demo waivers (i.e., eliminate many JOBS
exemptions and provide incentive payments and sanctions); and disregard
JTPA earnings without time limit.
Date Received: 5/28/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Joel Rabb, (614) 466-3196.
Waiver Title: Oklahoma--Mutual Agreement, A Plan for Success.
Description: Oklahoma Five pilot demonstrations would test
provisions which: (1) Eliminate 100-hour rule for UP cases; (2)
increase auto asset level to $5000; (3) time-limit AFDC receipt to
cases with non-exempt JOBS participants to 36 cumulative months in a 60
month period followed by mandatory workfare program; (4) provide
intensive case management; and (5) apply fill-the-gap budgeting.
Date Received: 2/24/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Raymond Haddock, (405) 521-3076.
Waiver Title: Oregon--Expansion of the Transitional Child Care
Program.
Description: Provide transitional child care benefits without
regard to months of prior receipt of AFDC and provide benefits for 24
months.
Dated Received: 8/8/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Jim Neely, (503) 945-5607.
Waiver Title: Oregon--Increased AFDC Motor Vehicle Limit.
Description: Would increase automobile asset limit to $9000.
Dated Received: 11/12/93.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Jim Neely, (503) 945-5607.
Waiver Title: Pennsylvania--School Attendance Improvement Program.
Description: In 7 sites, would require school attendance as
condition of eligibility.
Dated Received: 9/12/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Patricia H. O'Neal, (717) 787-4081.
Waiver Title: South Carolina--Self-Sufficiency and Parental
Responsibility Program.
Description: In pilot sites, would increase earned income
disregards; disregard earned income of children, interest, dividends,
and payments by the Employment Security Commission or DOD, and allow
stepparents same earnings disregard as recipients; relax parental
deprivation requirements for AFDC-U cases; disregard the cash value of
one vehicle and life insurance and increase resource limit to $3000;
and require participants to comply with individualized, time-limited,
self-sufficiency plan as a condition of welfare receipt, placing
recipients in public or private work experience if an unsubsidized job
is not found.
Dated Received: 6/13/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Linda Martin, (803) 737-6010.
Waiver Title: Washington--Success Through Employment Program.
Description: Eliminate 100-hour rule and work history requirements
for AFDC-UP cases and subtract client earnings from 55 percent of the
State need standard rather than the payment standard.
Dated Received: 11/16/93.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Laurel Evans, (206) 438-8268.
III. Listing of Approved Proposals Since September 27, 1994
Waiver Title: Michigan--To Strengthen Michigan Families.
Contact Person: Daniel Cleary, (517) 335-0015.
Waiver Title: New York--New York's Welfare Reform Agenda: A Jobs
First Strategy.
Contact Person: Diane Bailargeon, (518) 474-9475.
Waiver Title: Pennsylvania--Pathways to Independence.
Contact Person: Patricia H. O'Neal, (717) 787-4081.
IV. Requests for Copies of a Proposal
Requests for copies of an AFDC or combined AFDC/Medicaid proposal
should be directed to the Administration for Children and Families
(ACF) at the address listed above. Questions concerning the content of
a proposal should be directed to the State contact listed for the
proposal.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program, No. 93562;
Assistance Payments--Research.)
Dated: December 1, 1994.
Howard Rolston,
Director, Office of Policy and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 94-30123 Filed 12-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P