Narrative: b.

To assist Louisiana families in becoming economically self-reliant so that their dependence on government benefits for basic needs is minimized, the department implemented the STEP Program effective October 1, 2003, so that all cash assistance recipients, with certain exceptions, are actively engaged in meaningful activities designed to enable their transition from cash assistance to self-reliance. In June of 2020, the Department of Children and Family Services developed a section specifically to focus on employment and training programs for participants in the STEP program and the Department’s other Employment and Training programs for participants receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and for parents involved in the Child Support Enforcement Program. It is intended that DCFS will assist STEP participants in both addressing the barriers to employment and developing goals that demonstrate active and diligent personal responsibility in achieving self-reliance through employment and increased workplace literacy. All appropriate state agencies responsible for employment, training, and educating Louisiana’s citizens are expected to cooperate in the pursuit of this goal. These state agencies can cooperate in these pursuits by collaborating in developing a career pathways model for STEP participants.

Work-eligible members of cash assistance programs are required to participate in STEP activities when they are certified to receive cash assistance to gain readiness for work or when that member has received 24 months of such assistance, whichever is earlier, consistent with the child care exception at 407(e)(2) (section 402(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Social Security Act).

Work-eligible recipients shall participate in appropriate work activities as agreed upon in the Family Success Agreement. Work-eligible is defined as families containing an adult under 60 years of age, or teen head of household that is not disabled, incapacitated, or caring for a family member who is disabled or incapacitated as documented by a medical expert to which the status of disability is clearly established and explained.

Work-eligible excludes cases in which only the child portion of need that is unrelated to a sanction or penalty, known as a child only case, is considered in determining eligibility.

The work activities may include but are not limited to:

Unsubsidized employment; Subsidized employment; Unpaid work experience; On-the-job training; Job search/job readiness; Vocational education; Satisfactory attendance at a secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalence, in the case of recipients who have not completed secondary schools or received a certificate; Education directly related to employment; Job skills training directly related to employment; Community service; and the provision of child care to an individual who is participating in community service. Participants who are found not to possess basic workplace or basic literacy skills, as determined by an assessment, shall combine employment and job readiness and job search activities with activities designed to increase their basic and workplace literacy skills.

DCFS enters into Memorandum of Understanding with Workforce Commission Partners to ensure that participants receive services through the WIOA funded programs that they are eligible for. Each Memorandum recognizes that TANF participants have unique needs and that services should be tailored to address this vulnerable population that frequently has difficulty accessing employment and training programs.