Section 441.93.4. The family investment agreement (FIA).

The family investment agreement (FIA) is the condition of and basis for PROMISE JOBS services and is an eligibility requirement for the family investment program as specified in rule 441—41.24(239B).

         93.4(1) Development. An initial FIA shall be developed during the orientation and assessment process through discussion between the FIA-responsible person and the PROMISE JOBS worker. For the FIA to be considered completed, Form 470-3095, Family Investment Agreement, and Form 470-3096, FIA Steps to Achieve Self-Sufficiency, shall be signed by all of the following:

            a.               The FIA-responsible person or persons.

            b.               Other family members who are referred to PROMISE JOBS.

            c.               The PROMISE JOBS worker.

            d.               The PROMISE JOBS supervisor.

         93.4(2) FIA-responsible persons. All members of the FIP applicant family shall develop and sign an FIA, unless exempt as described at 441—subrule 41.24(2). When an FIA-responsible person is incompetent or incapacitated, someone acting responsibly on that person’s behalf may participate in the interview. Responsibility for carrying out the steps of the FIA ends at the point that FIP assistance is not provided to the participant or when a participant becomes exempt.

            a.                Parents. All parents who are not exempt from PROMISE JOBS shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA. Parents of any age are exempt only if they are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or they do not meet citizenship requirements. When the FIP eligible group includes a minor parent living with one or both parents or a needy specified relative who receives FIP, as described at 441—subparagraph 41.28(2)“b”(2), and none is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation, each parent or needy specified relative is responsible for a separate FIA.

            b.                Teens. Persons aged 16 to 19 shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA unless they are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or they attend school full-time.

             (1)             When the FIP-eligible group includes one or both parents or a needy specified relative and a child or children and none is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation, all shall be asked to sign one FIA with the family and to carry out the activities of that FIA rather than signing separate FIAs. Copies of the FIA shall be placed in each individual case file.

             (2)             When the FIP-eligible group includes one or both parents or a needy specified relative who is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation and a child or children who are not exempt, each child is responsible for completing a separate FIA.

             (3)             A minor nonparental specified relative who is not exempt and whose needs are included in the FIP grant shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA.

            c.                Other adults. All other adults who are not exempt and whose needs are included in the FIP grant shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA.

         93.4(3) FIA content. The FIA shall include the goals of the family for achieving self-sufficiency and shall establish a time frame with a specific ending date, during which the family expects to become self-sufficient and after which FIP benefits will be terminated. For individuals and families with acknowledged barriers, one or more incremental FIAs may be written.

            a.               All FIAs shall:

             (1)             Outline the expectations of the PROMISE JOBS program and of the family;

             (2)             Clearly establish interim goals and FIA activities necessary to reach long-term goals and self-sufficiency;

             (3)             Identify barriers to participation so that the FIA may include a plan, appropriate referrals, and supportive services necessary to eliminate or manage the barriers;

             (4)             Stipulate specific services to be provided by the PROMISE JOBS program, including child care assistance, transportation assistance, family development services, and other supportive services;

             (5)             Include the participant’s responsibility to provide verification of hours of participation, and how and when the verification shall be submitted;

             (6)             Record a participant’s response to the option of referral for family planning counseling as described at subrule 93.9(3).

            b.               Plans from other agencies. The FIA may incorporate a self-sufficiency plan that the family has developed with another agency or person, such as, but not limited to, Head Start, public housing authorities, child welfare workers, vocational rehabilitation, and FaDSS grantees, subject to the following requirements:

             (1)             The participant shall authorize PROMISE JOBS to obtain the self-sufficiency plan and to arrange coordination with the manager of the self-sufficiency plan by signing Form 470-0429, Consent to Obtain and Release Information.

             (2)             The self-sufficiency plan may be included in the participant’s FIA if the self-sufficiency plan meets the requirements of this chapter and is deemed by the PROMISE JOBS worker to be appropriate to the family circumstances.

         93.4(4) Participation requirements. The FIA shall require the FIA-responsible persons and family members who are referred to PROMISE JOBS to choose participation in one or more activities as described in this subrule.

            a.                Goals. It is expected that employment leading to economic self-sufficiency is the eventual goal of the FIA.

             (1)             To the maximum extent possible, the FIA shall reflect the goals of the family, subject to program rules; funding; the capability, experience, and aptitudes of family members; and the potential market for the job skills currently possessed or to be developed.

             (2)             The program goal for all participants is to be involved in PROMISE JOBS activities on a full-time basis unless barriers prohibit this level of involvement. “Full-time” is considered as an average of at least 30 hours per week. Exceptions to full-time involvement are identified in rule 441—93.14(239B) and subrule 93.4(5).

            b.                Activities. Except as specified in paragraph 93.4(4)“c,” PROMISE JOBS activities may include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following activities:

             (1)             Orientation as described in subrule 93.3(4).

             (2)             Assessment as described in rule 441—93.5(239B).

             (3)             Job readiness activities, including job club, individual job search, workplace essentials training, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, or other rehabilitative activities, as described in rule 441—93.6(239B).

             (4)            Work activities, including part-time or full-time employment, self-employment, on-the-job training, work experience, or unpaid community service as described in rule 441—93.7(239B).

             (5)             Educational activities, including high school completion, high school equivalency diploma (HSED) certification, adult basic education (ABE), English as a second language (ESL) training, vocational training, or postsecondary training up to and including a baccalaureate degree, as described in rule 441—93.8(239B).

             (6)             Parenting skills training as described in subrule 93.9(1).

             (7)             Participation in the family development and self-sufficiency program (FaDSS) or other family development programs as described in subrule 93.9(2).

             (8)             Referral for family planning counseling as described in subrule 93.9(3).

             (9)             Services provided by other agencies.

            c.                FIA activities for participants aged 16 to 19. Development of FIA activities shall follow these guidelines for participants aged 16 to 19.

             (1)             Participants aged 16 to 19 who are not parents and who have not completed high school shall be strongly encouraged to participate in educational activities to obtain a high school diploma or the equivalent. A high school education is recognized as important to achieving self-sufficiency. Participants shall be given information on the earning power of people with a high school education compared to those who do not so that participants are able to make an informed choice. If high school or high school equivalency completion is not included in a teenager’s FIA, other FIA activities shall be required. High school or high school equivalency completion shall be proposed and reconsidered at the next FIA review.

             (2)             Parents under the age of 18 who are not married and who have not completed high school shall be expected to use enrollment or continued attendance in high school or involvement in a high school equivalency program as a first step in the FIA, except when the parent is deemed incapable of participating in these activities by the local education agency.

             (3)             Parents aged 19 and younger shall include parenting skills training as described at subrule 93.9(1) in their FIA or the case file shall include documentation that this requirement has been fulfilled.

             (4)             Unmarried parents aged 17 and younger who do not live with a parent or legal guardian shall include FaDSS, as described at 441—Chapter 165, or other family development services, as described in subrule 93.9(2), in the FIA. The FaDSS or other family development services shall continue after the parent reaches the age of 18 only when the participant and the family development worker believe that the services are needed for the family to reach self-sufficiency.

            d.                Waiting lists. The department of human services reserves the authority to prioritize services to FIP applicants and participants in the order that best fits the needs of FIP applicants and recipients and of the PROMISE JOBS program. Participants who are placed on a waiting list for a PROMISE JOBS component shall include other appropriate activities in the FIA while waiting unless family circumstances indicate otherwise.

             (1)             Persons shall be removed from these waiting lists and placed in components at the discretion of state-level PROMISE JOBS administrators in order to help participants achieve self-sufficiency in the shortest possible time, meet budgetary limitations, enable participants to make maximum use of other programs, fulfill the federal minimum participation rate requirements, and meet other TANF requirements.

             (2)             Persons who were enrolled in approved postsecondary training at the time of FIP cancellation shall not be placed on a postsecondary training waiting list if the participant is still satisfactorily participating in approvable training at the time that FIP eligibility is regained.

            e.                Unavailability of funding. If funding for the PROMISE JOBS activities included in a participant’s FIA or required supportive payments are not available, the participant’s FIA shall be renegotiated to include different activities.

         93.4(5) Barriers to participation. Problems with participation of a permanent or long-term nature shall be considered barriers to participation and shall be identified in the FIA as issues to be resolved or managed so that maximum participation can result.

            a.                Barriers defined. Barriers to participation shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

             (1)             Child or adult care needed before a person can participate or take a job is not available. Participants are not required to do any activity unless suitable child or adult care has been arranged.

             (2)             Lack of transportation.

             (3)             Substance addiction.

             (4)             Sexual or domestic abuse history.

             (5)             Overwhelming family stress.

             (6)             Physical or cognitive disability or mental illness.

            b.                Inclusion in FIA.

             (1)             When barriers are identified during assessment, removal or management of the barrier shall be part of the FIA from the beginning.

             (2)             When barriers are revealed by the applicant or participant during the FIA development or are identified by problems that develop after the FIA is signed, the FIA shall be renegotiated and amended to provide for removal or management of the barriers.

             (3)             In limited instances where special-needs care for a child or adult is not available, it may be most practical for the participant to develop the FIA to identify providing the care as part of the FIA.

            c.                Cooperation with removing or managing barriers.

             (1)             Applicants. An FIA-responsible applicant who chooses not to cooperate in removing or managing barriers to participation identified during FIA development shall be denied FIP.

             (2)             Participants. A participant who chooses not to cooperate in removing or managing identified barriers to participation shall be considered to have chosen the limited benefit plan. If the participant claims a cognitive or physical disability or mental illness that is expected to last for more than 12 consecutive months, the participant is required to apply for Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits. When the participant refuses to apply for those benefits, the FIP household is ineligible for FIP as described at 441—subrule 41.27(1), and the limited benefit plan does not apply.

         93.4(6) Failure to complete an FIA.

            a.                FIP applicants. An applicant’s failure to develop or sign an FIA shall result in denial of the family’s application for FIP assistance, as described at 441—paragraphs 41.24(4)“a,” “b” and “c.”

            b.                FIP participants. FIP participants who choose not to enter into an FIA or who choose not to continue its activities after signing an FIA shall enter into the limited benefit plan (LBP) as described at 441—subrule 41.24(8).

         93.4(7) Progress reviews. The PROMISE JOBS worker shall review all FIAs at least once every six months. Progress reviews do not have to be face-to-face interviews but must include verbal contact with and input from at least one family member. FIA goals, Form 470-3096, FIA Steps for Achieving Self-Sufficiency, and, if appropriate, the needs for child care, transportation, and other supports shall be reviewed for continued appropriateness.

         93.4(8) Renegotiation.

            a.               The FIA shall be renegotiated to reflect a new plan for self-sufficiency if:

             (1)             The participant has participated satisfactorily in the current FIA activities but is not self-sufficient by the end date specified in the FIA; or

             (2)             The participant demonstrates effort in carrying out the steps of the FIA but is unable to participate satisfactorily in the current FIA activities due to a barrier as described at subrule 93.4(5); or

             (3)             The participant’s circumstances change to such an extent that the current FIA activities are no longer appropriate.

            b.               Participants who choose not to cooperate in the renegotiation process when requested by PROMISE JOBS shall be considered to have chosen the limited benefit plan.

         93.4(9) Reinstatement. When a participant who has signed an FIA loses FIP eligibility and has not become exempt from PROMISE JOBS at the time of FIP reapplication, the contents of the original FIA and the participant’s responsibility for carrying out the steps of that FIA may be reinstated when the steps of the FIA fit the family’s current circumstances. The FIA shall be renegotiated and amended if needed to accommodate changed family circumstances.

[ARC 1146C, IAB 10/30/13, effective 1/1/14; ARC 1694C, IAB 10/29/14, effective 1/1/15]