Scope Statements
Children and Families
Subject
Creates Chapter
DCF 110, relating to transitional jobs for low-income adults.
Policy Analysis
Section
49.162, Stats., provides that the department shall conduct a demonstration project that offers transitional jobs to low-income adults. To be eligible to participate in the demonstration project, an individual must satisfy all of the following criteria:
•
Be at least 21 but not more than 64 years of age.
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Be ineligible for Wisconsin Works.
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Have an annual household income that is below 150 percent of the poverty line.
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Be unemployed for at least 4 weeks.
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Be ineligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits.
The department shall provide up to 2,500 transitional jobs under the demonstration project. The jobs shall be allocated among Milwaukee County, Dane County, Racine County, Kenosha County, Rock County, Brown County, and other regions of the state, as determined by the department, in the same proportion as the total number of Wisconsin Works participants are allocated among those counties and other regions as of June 30, 2009.
The department shall seek federal funds to pay for the cost of operating the demonstration project and may conduct the project only to the extent that the department obtains federal funds.
The proposed rules will specify policy for the operation of the demonstration project.
Statutory Authority
Comparison with Federal Regulations
It is anticipated that initial funding for the program will be from the Emergency Contingency Fund of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) created the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund under which states can receive 80% federal funding for spending increases in FFYs 2009 and 2010 over FFY 2007 or 2008 in certain categories of TANF-related expenditures. The three categories are basic assistance, non-recurrent short-term benefits, and subsidized employment.
TANF is a federal block grant that provides states with funds that can be used for a wide range of activities that are aimed at any of the four purposes of TANF:
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Assisting needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes.
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Reducing the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage.
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Preventing out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
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Encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
Guidance issued by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) on the TANF Emergency Fund states that under limited circumstances an adult without a dependent child can receive a TANF service, as long as it is reasonably calculated to accomplish a purpose of the TANF program and does not constitute “assistance" as defined in the TANF regulations. ACF has indicated that services to noncustodial parents and older youth could satisfy one or more of the statutory purposes of the TANF program. Examples of services that could be provided include subsidized employment, job skills training, employment counseling, and employment placement services. (
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/ programs/ofa/recovery/tanf-faq.htm)
Entities Affected by the Rule
Low-income adults who are unemployed and not receiving Wisconsin Works or unemployment insurance and entities that become program contractors or worksites.
Estimate of Time Needed to Develop the Rule
150 hours
Contact Information
Jude Morse, Policy Advisor
Division of Family and Economic Security
Phone: (608) 266-2784
Children and Families
Subject
Revises Chapter
DCF 201, relating to child care subsidy program integrity.
Policy Analysis
Section
49.155 (7m), Stats., as created by
2009 Wisconsin Act 28, provides that the department shall by rule establish policies and procedures permitting the department to do all of the following if a child care provider submits false, misleading, or irregular information to the department or if a child care provider fails to comply with the terms of the program and fails to provide to the satisfaction of the department an explanation for the noncompliance:
1. Recoup payments made to the child care provider.
2. Withhold payments to be made to the child care provider.
3. Impose a forfeiture on the child care provider.
The proposed rules will amend existing overpayment recovery and sanction provisions in DCF 201 to specify how these requirements will be implemented.
Statutory Authority
Comparison with Federal Regulations
None.
Entities Affected by the Rule
Child care providers.
Estimate of Time Needed to Develop the Rule
80 hours.
Contact Information
Jim Bates
Division of Early Care and Education
Phone: (608) 266-6946
