[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7568-7572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3158]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted
Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: January 1995
AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 for the month of January
1995. 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 January 1, 1995.
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.
Comments on a proposal or requests for copies of a proposal 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 January,
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 January, 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). [[Page 7569]]
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--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: 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 the 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 Rerson: Eloise Anderson, (916) 657-2598.
Waive Title: California--School Attendance Demonstration Project.
Description: In San Diego County, require AFDC recipients ages 16-
18 to attend school or participate in JOBS.
Date Received: 12/5/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Michael C. Genest (916) 657-3546.
Waiver Title: California--Incentive to Self-Sufficiency
Demonstration.
Description: Statewide, would require 100 hours CWEP participation
per month for JOBS mandatory individuals who have received AFDC for 22
of the last 24 months and are working fewer than 15 hours per week
after two years from JOBS assessment and: have failed to comply with
JOBS without good cause, have completed CWEP or are in CWEP less than
100 hours per month, or have completed or had an opportunity to
complete post-assessment education and training; provide Transitional
Child Care and Transitional Medicaid to families who become ineligible
for AFDC due to increased assets or income resulting from marriage or
the reuniting of spouses; increase the duration of sanctions for
certain acts of fraud.
Date Received: 12/28/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: New.
Contact Person: Michael C. Genest (916) 657-3546.
Waiver Title: Delaware: A Better Chance.
Description: Statewide, would implement a two-part demonstration.
The Welfare Reform Project (WRP), operating from 10/95-6/99, would
include: a 2-year limit on cash benefits for cases with able-bodied
adults; educational and employment services based on adult's age; in
limited cases benefits up to two additional years provided under pay-
for-performance workfare program; non-time-limited benefits for
unemployable cases; self-sufficiency contract requirements; education
and employment-related sanctions to be \1/3\ reduction in AFDC and Food
Stamp benefits for first offense, \2/3\ reduction for second, and loss
of Food Stamp benefits until compliance and permanent AFDC loss for
third; penalty for failure to comply with other contract requirements
of $50 the first month, increasing by $50 per month until compliance;
full-family sanction for noncooperation with Child Support; no AFDC
increase for additional children; no 100-hour and work history rules
for AFDC-UP; exempting special education and business accounts up to
$5,000; fill-the-gap budgeting using child support and earnings; auto
resource limit of $4,500; $50 bonus to teens who graduate from high
school; additional 12 months of transitional child care and Medicaid
benefits; no time limit on job search; forward funding of EITC payment;
requiring teen parents to live in adult supervised setting, attend
school, participate in parenting and family planning education, and
immunize children; and providing JOBS services to non-custodial
parents. The Family Assistance Plan (FAP), beginning 7/99, would
replace the AFDC program and include: services, but no monetary grant,
to children of teen parents; benefits for up to two years under pay-
for-performance workfare program; welfare diversion payments and
services; forward funding of EITC payment; child care assistance;
access to Medicaid Managed Care System; no resource test; direct child
support to family; small residual cash benefit program for unemployable
cases.
Date Received: 1/30/95.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: New.
Contact Person: Elaine Archangelo, (302) 577-4400.
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: 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 [[Page 7570]] 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 teen
parents 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: Missouri--Families Mutual Responsibility Plan.
Description: Statewide, Missouri would require JOBS mandatory
applicants and recipients to sign a self-sufficiency agreement with a
24-month AFDC time limit to be extended an additional 24 months when
necessary. The agreement would allow a resource limit of $5000, an
earned income disregard of 50 percent of a family's gross earned income
for 12 consecutive months, and standard earned income disregards for
remaining earned income. The agreement would require job search and
CWEP after the 24 or 48 month limit; and would sanction individuals who
do not comply without good cause as well as individuals who re-apply
for AFDC if they have completed an agreement entered after July 1,
1997, if they received AFDC benefits for at least 36 months. Further,
Missouri would require all minor parent applicants and recipients to
live at home or in another adult-supervised setting; disregard parental
income of minor parents up to 100 percent of Federal Poverty
Guidelines; disregard earnings of minor parents if they are students;
provide a alternative 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; and allow non-custodial parents of AFDC children credit
against state child support debt for satisfactorily participating in
JOBS.
Date Received: 1/30/95.
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 [[Page 7571]] 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 first
$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 noncooperation in JOBS or
with child support; require a minimum of 32 hours of paid employment
and nonpaid 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: 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 nonexempt 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 Recieved: 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.
Date 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.
Date 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.
Date Received: 9/12/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Patricia H. O'Neal, (717) 787-4081.
Waiver Title: Pennsylvania--Savings for Education Program.
Description: Statewide, would exempt as resources college savings
bonds and funds in savings accounts earmarked for vocational or
secondary education and disregard interest income earned from such
accounts.
Date Received: 12/29/94.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Patricia H. O'Neal, (717) 787-4081.
Waiver Title: Virginia--Welfare to Work Program.
Description: Statewide, would provide one-time diversion payments
to qualified applicants in lieu of AFDC; change first time JOBS non-
compliance sanction to a fixed period of one month or until compliance
and remove the conciliation requirement; require paternity
establishment as condition of eligibility; remove good cause for non-
cooperation with child support and exclude from AFDC grant caretakers
who cannot identify, misidentify, or fail to provide information on the
father; require minor parents to live with an adult guardian; require
AFDC caretakers without a high school diploma, aged 24 and under, and
children, aged 13-18, to attend school; require immunization of
children; allow $5000 resource exemption for savings for starting
business; and increase eligibility for Transitional and At-Risk Child
Care. Also: require non-exempt participants to sign an Agreement of
Personal Responsibility as a condition of [[Page 7572]] eligibility and
assign to a work site under CWEP for a number of hours determined by
dividing AFDC grant plus the value of the family's Food Stamp benefits
by the minimum wage; eliminate increased AFDC benefit for additional
children born while a family received AFDC; time-limit AFDC benefits to
24 consecutive months; increase earned income disregards to allow
continued eligibility up to the federal poverty level; provide 12
months transitional transportation assistance; modify current JOBS
exemption criteria for participants; eliminate the job search
limitation; and eliminate the deeming requirement for sponsored aliens
when the sponsor receives food stamps. In 12 sites, would operate sub-
component paying wages in lieu of AFDC benefits and Food Stamps for
CWEP and subsidized employment, increase eligibility for transitional
Medicaid; plus other provisions.
Date Received: 12/2/94.
Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Larry B. Mason, (804) 692-1900.
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.
Date Received: 11/16/93.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Laurel Evans, (206) 438-8268.
III. Listing of Approved Proposals since January 1, 1995
Waiver Title: South Carolina Self-Sufficiency and Parental
Responsibility Program.
Contact Person: Linda Martin, (803) 737-6010.
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: February 3, 1995.
Karl Koerper,
Acting Director, Division of Research and Evaluation, Office of Policy
and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 95-3158 Filed 2-7-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P