[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 155 (Friday, August 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41074-41079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-19833]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted
Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: July 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 July,
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 July 1, 1995. The
Health
[[Page 41075]]
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 July, 1995
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 July, 1995.
Project 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.
Project 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.
Project 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 Person: Eloise Anderson, (916) 657-2598.
Project 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.
Project 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: Pending.
Contact Person: Michael C. Genest (916) 657-3546.
Project 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.
Project Title: Georgia--JOBS First Program.
Description: In ten pilot counties, would replace AFDC payment with
paid employment; extend transitional Medicaid to 24 months; eliminate
100 hour employment rule for eligibility determination in AFDC-UP
cases.
Date Received: 7/5/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: New.
Contact Person: Nancy Meszaros, (404) 657-3608.
Project Title: Hawaii--Families Are Better Together.
Description: Statewide, would eliminate 100-hour, attachment to the
work force, 30 day unemployment and principal wage earner criteria for
AFDC-UP families.
Date Received: 5/22/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Patricia Murakami, (808) 586-5230.
Project Title: Illinois--Six Month Paternity Establishment
Demonstration.
Description: In 20 counties, would require the establishment of
paternity, unless good cause exists, within 6 months of application or
redetermination as a condition of AFDC and Medicaid eligibility for
both mother
[[Page 41076]]
and child; would deny Medicaid to children age 7 and under, exclude
children from filing rules, and exempt Department from making
protective payments to eligible children, when custodial parent has not
cooperated in establishing paternity; delegate the establishment of
paternity in uncontested cases to caseworkers who perform assistance
payment or social service functions under title IV-A or XX.
Date Received: 7/18/95.
Title: AFDC Medicaid.
Current Status: New.
Contact Person: Karan D. Maxson, (217) 785-3300.
Project Title: Illinois--School Attendance Demonstration
Description: Statewide, would require the participation in a plan
for poor elementary school attendance and, upon continuation of poor
attendance, the establishment of a protective payee, progressing to the
removal of the caretaker's portion of the AFDC grant.
Date Received: 7/18/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: New.
Contact Person: Karan D. Maxson, (217) 785-3300.
Project Title: Illinois--Work and Responsibility Demonstration.
Description: The demonstration includes six components, five of
which will be implemented statewide. (1) Targeted Work Initiative--
would limit receipt of AFDC benefits to a total of 24 months without
earnings for households whose youngest child is at least 13 years of
age; any month with budgeted income due to employment will not be
counted toward the 24 month time limit. (2) Get a Job Initiative--new
applicants determined to be job ready and whose children are between 5
and 12 will be required to participate in job search for up to six
months. (3) Family Accountability--assistance payments will not be
increased as a result of the birth of children conceived while the
parent was receiving assistance. (4) Job Track--exempt volunteers for
JOBS will become subject to the same requirements and sanctions as non-
exempt participants; participation in basic education or GED programs
will be limited to two years unless the individual is working or
participating in an approved work activity. (5) Self-Sufficiency Plan--
all applicants and recipients will be required to complete a self-
sufficiency plan as a condition of eligibility. (6) Quarterly
Budgeting--in selected sites, cases with earned income will be required
to report income quarterly; the information will be used to
prospectively budget income for the next quarter. Failure to report
earnings will result in case closure and overpayment recovery.
Date Received: 7/18/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: New.
Contact Person: Karan D. Maxson, (217) 785-3300.
Project 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.
Project 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.
Project Title: Maryland--Welfare Reform Project.
Description: Statewide, require minor parents to reside with a
guardian; eliminate increased AFDC benefit for additional children
conceived while receiving AFDC, with provision for third party payment
or voucher/vendor payment for amount of the difference make rent vendor
payments to local housing authority when delinquency exceeds 30 days;
and issue AFDC benefits 14 days after date of application. In pilot
sites, eliminate JOBS exemptions for having a child under age 3 and for
having a medical disability of more than 12 months, unless the
recipient applies for SSI; require able-bodied recipients who have
received AFDC for 3 months to meet a work requirement (unless there is
good cause) which will consist of full-time unsubsidized employment, 30
hours of subsidized employment, or a total of at least 20 hours of
community service and employment; impose full-family sanction when JOBS
non-exempt parent fails to comply with JOBS for 6 months and require
parent to comply with JOBS for 30 days before reopening case; provide
three more months of aid through a third party payment after full-
family sanction is imposed; eliminate work supplementation program
restriction from filling unfilled positions; eliminate work history and
100-hour rule requirements for AFDC-UP; require minimum of 20 hours of
CWEP after three months of benefit receipt; disregard stepparent income
if below 100% of poverty, reduce grant by 50 percent of need standard
if income is between 100 and 150% of poverty, and make case ineligible
if income is above 150% of poverty; base grant for families with
earnings at 85 percent of difference between need standard and
earnings; increase both auto and resource limits to $5000; disregard
income of dependent children; provide one-time payment in lieu of AFDC
benefits; require teen parents to attend family health and parenting
classes; extend JOBS services to unemployed non-custodial parents; and
cash-out food stamps for work supplementation cases.
Date Received: 3/1/94 and 5/16/95 (Amendments).
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Katherine L. Cook, (410) 767-7338.
Project Title: Massachusetts--Welfare Reform '95.
Description: Statewide, would limit AFDC assistance to 24 months in
a 60-month period, with provisions for extensions, for all non-exempt
recipients; reduce benefits for non-exempt recipients by 2.75 percent,
while increasing earned income
[[Page 41077]]
disregard to $30 and one-half indefinitely; establish the Work Program
designed to end cash assistance to non-exempt families, requiring
recipients who cannot find at least 20 hours per week of paid
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 applicable payment standard; fund subsidized jobs from value
of AFDC grant plus cash value of Food Stamps for limited number of
volunteer recipients; sanction individuals who fail to comply with the
Work Program by a reduction in assistance equal to the parent's portion
of the grant; establish an Employment Development Plan (EDP) for non-
exempt participants not required to participate in the Work Program,
requiring community service for second failure to comply with EDP and
full-family sanction for second failure to comply with community
service; require teen parents to live with guardian or in supportive
living arrangements and attend school; require children under age 14 to
attend school; eliminate grandparent-deeming; strengthen paternity
establishment requirements and allow the IV-D agency to determine if
participants are cooperating; allow courts to order parents unable to
pay child support to community service programs; exclude from the grant
calculation children born to mothers while on AFDC; require child
immunization; pay rent directly to landlords where caretaker has fallen
behind six weeks in payments; increase asset level to $2,500; increase
equity value of a vehicle to $5,000; establish wage assignment in cases
of fraud or other overpayments; increased penalties for individuals who
commit fraud, release AFDC fraud conviction information to Department
of Revenue and the Social Security Administration for cross-check, and
deny benefits to individuals with an outstanding default warrant issued
by a State court; allow State to issue a clothing allowance voucher for
each child; disregard the first $600 of lump sum income; require direct
deposit of benefits for recipients with bank accounts; and disregard
the 100-hour rule for eligibility for two-parent families.
Date Received: 4/4/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Valerie Foretra, (617) 348-5508.
Project Title: Mississippi--A New Direction Demonstration Program--
Amendment.
Description: Statewide, would amend previously approved New
Direction Demonstration Program by adding provision that a family's
benefits would not increase as a result of additional children
conceived while receiving AFDC.
Date Received: 2/17/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Larry Temple, (601) 359-4476.
Project 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.
Project 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.
Project 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.
Project Title: Ohio--Learning, Earning and Parenting (LEAP)
Program.
Description: Statewide, would modify and extend by 6 and \1/2\
years the previously approved Learning, Earning, and Parenting
Demonstration to require enrollment and regular school attendance by
pregnant and parenting teens; provide a $62 bonus or sanction based on
attendance; require continued participation in JOBS by LEAP
participants who turn 20 and have a child over 6 weeks of age; provide
a $62 grade completion bonus for those in high school; provide a
graduation or GED completion bonus of $200; implement a progressive
sanction leading to removal of the needs of the teen parent and her
child/children in determining amount of AFDC; and continue the LEAP
progressive sanction when the participant turns 20, if she remains JOBS
mandatory.
Date Received: 6/19/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Jackie Martin, (614) 466-8530.
Project Title: Oregon--Oregon Option.
Description: As a statewide project, would incorporate waivers
already approved in 1992 for JOBS Welfare Program and in 1994 for the
JOBS Plus Demonstration with previously pending waiver requests to
increase vehicle asset limit and extend transitional child care.
Requests guaranteed level of federal funding, with funds not used for
benefits to be used for other community support or prevention programs.
Also would, with some exceptions, limit receipt of AFDC benefits to no
more than 24 out of 84 months for families with employable parents;
allow case manager to determine JOBS exemptions on an individual basis;
eliminate the time restrictions on job search; impose progressive
sanctions, leading to full-family ineligibility, for non-compliance
with JOBS; require ineligible alien parents of AFDC children to
participate in JOBS; require counseling for recipients with substance
abuse problems; require teen parents to live in an adult-supervised
setting; discontinue the AFDC-UP program from June through September
each year and eliminate the 100-hour rule and work history
requirements; increase asset limit to $2,500 for non-JOBS participants
and $10,000 for JOBS participants, and treat lump-sum payments as an
asset; require annual AFDC eligibility redetermination; modify the
rules for potential liability under EBT.
Date Received: 7/10/95.
Type: AFDC Medicaid.
Current Status: New.
Contact Person: Jim Neely, (503) 945-5607.
Project Title: Oregon--Expansion of the Transitional Child Care
Program.
[[Page 41078]]
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.
Project 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.
Project 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.
Project 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.
Project Title: South Carolina--Family Independence Program.
Description: Statewide, would, with exceptions, time limit AFDC
benefits to families with able bodied adults to 24 months out of 120
months, not to exceed 60 months in a lifetime; eliminate increase in
AFDC benefit resulting from birth of children 10 or more months after
the family begins AFDC receipt, but provide benefits to such children
in the form of vouchers for goods and services permitting child's
mother to participate in education, training, and employment-related
activities; eliminate deprivation requirements, principal earner
provisions, work history requirements, and 100-hour rule for AFDC-UP;
increase AFDC resource limit to $2,500 and disregard as resources one
vehicle with a market value up to $10,000, the balance in an Individual
Development Account (IDA) up to $10,000, and the cash value of life
insurance; disregard from income up to $10,000 in lump sum payments
deposited in an IDA within 30 days of receipt, earned income of
children attending school, and interest and dividend income up to $400;
require participation in a family skills training program; require
certain AFDC recipients to submit to random drug tests and/or
participate in alcohol or drug treatment; require children to attend
school; increase amount of child support passed through to AFDC
recipients; require more extensive information for child support
enforcement purposes; modify JOBS exemptions and good cause criteria,
and increase sanctions for non-compliance; make job search a condition
of eligibility; allow non-custodial parents of AFDC children to
participate in JOBS; pay transitional grant equaling 3 percent of the
maximum family grant following employment; and provide transitional
grant Medicaid and child care for 12 months from the date of employment
for cases previously closed due to time limit.
Date Received: 6/12/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Linda Martin, (804) 737-6010.
Project Title: Texas--Service Management and Resources for Teens
(SMART).
Description: Would, in pilot site, require non-parenting AFDC
youth, age 10 and over to participate in selected communities in
schools programs.
Date Received:
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Kent Gummerman, (512) 450-3743.
Project Title: Washington--Success Through Employment Program.
Description: Statewide, would eliminate the 100-hour rule for AFDC-
UP families; impose a 10 percent grant reduction for AFDC recipients
who have received assistance for 48 out of 60 months, and impose an
additional 10 percent grant reduction for every additional 12 months
thereafter, and budget earnings against the original payment standard;
and hold the food stamp benefit level constant for cases whose AFDC
benefits are reduced due to length of stay on assistance.
Date Received: 2/1/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Liz Begert Dunbar, (206) 438-8350.
Project Title: Wisconsin--Self Sufficiency First (SSF).
Description: Statewide, would require applicant adults, as a
condition of eligibility, to meet with a financial planning resource
specialist prior to completing an application to examine alternatives
to welfare; with some exceptions. If the applicant still wants to apply
for assistance, as a condition of eligibility, individual must engage
in at least 60 hours of JOB search activities during the 30 day
application period. Would also limit JOBS exemptions.
Date Received: 4/18/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Jean Sheil, (608) 266-0613.
Project Title: Wisconsin--Pay for Performance (PFP).
Description: Statewide, adult recipients will be required to
participate in JOBS up to 40 hours per week; for each hour of non-
participation the AFDC grant will be reduced by the federal minimum
wage rate; if the AFDC grant is fully exhausted then the remaining
sanction will be taken against the Food Stamp (FS) allotment; FS
allotments will not be adjusted to account for AFDC reductions
resulting from not participating in JOBS activities; if hours of
participation fall below 25% of assigned hours without good cause then
no AFDC grant will be awarded and the FS amount will be $10. Would also
limit JOBS exemptions.
Date Received: 4/18/95.
Type: AFDC.
Current Status: Pending.
Contact Person: Jean Sheil, (608) 266-0613.
III. Listing of Approved Proposals since July 1, 1995
Project Title: Texas--Promoting Child Health in Texas.
Contact Person: Kent Gummerman, (512) 450-3743.
Project Title: Utah--Single Parent Employment Demonstration Program
(Amendments).
Contact Person: Bill Biggs, (801) 538-4337.
Project Title: West Virginia--Joint opportunities for independence
(JOIN).
Contact Person: Sharon Paterno, (304) 558-3186.
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.)
[[Page 41079]]
Dated: August 7, 1995.
Howard Rolston,
Director, Office of Policy and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 95-19833 Filed 8-10-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P