52 Matching Annotations
  1. Oct 2023
    1. public assistance for needy individuals and families who are residents of the state and whose income and property are insufficient to meet the costs of necessary maintenance and services as determined by the state department and to assist such individuals and families to attain or retain their capabilities for independence, self-care, and self-support, as contemplated by article XXIV of the state constitution and the provisions of the social security act and the food stamp act. The state of Colorado and its various departments, agencies, and political subdivisions are authorized to promote and achieve these ends by any appropriate lawful means through cooperation with and utilization of available resources of the federal government and private individuals and organizations.
    1. (12) "Individual responsibility contract" or "IRC" means the contract entered into by the participant and the county department pursuant to section 26-2-708.
    2. (15) "Participant" means an individual who receives any assistance or who participates in a specific component of the Colorado works program.
    1. "Adverse action" means a county action to reduce grant payments or to deny an application. A reduction may be the result of a sanction, a demonstrable evidence closure, or ineligibility based on income or household changes.

      was not given notice continued benefits would end at recert neither initially or terminally. In fact notice said would continue indefinitely until completion of appeal.

  2. Sep 2023
    1. provide phased-in services aimed at reunifying families where a child has been placed out of the home, where appropriate, by tapping into other available federal funds or through moneys realized from cost avoidance in prevention of placement;

      Reunify Other federal programs (SNAP+ CAT EL)

    2. Out-of-home placement is often the most expensive and disruptive method of providing services to troubled families

      You are perpetuating the most disruptive service. And the most expensive.

    3. The general assembly finds and declares that: (a) Maintaining a family structure to the greatest degree possible is one of the fundamental goals that all state agencies must observe
    1. Upon application made to any court of competent jurisdiction by a party to any agency proceeding or by a person adversely affected by agency action and a showing to the court that there has been undue delay in connection with such proceeding or action, the court may direct the agency to decide the matter promptly.
    2. Every agency shall proceed with reasonable dispatch to conclude any matter presented to it with due regard for the convenience of the parties or their representatives, giving precedence to rehearing proceedings after remand by court order
    1. (3) If a participant does not agree with or fails to participate in a program or service identified in the IRC, the participant shall continue to receive the basic cash assistance grant that the participant received at the time the appeal is requested during the pendency of any appeal process.

      This overrules the newer CCR that attempts (maybe, it's confusing wording) to stop continued benefits at the end of the current certification period which would be ridiculous and have no sound logic

    1. RPC who address ancillary civil issues earlier in a case can make a significant impact and reduce thenumber of out-of-home placements. This is because unresolved civil legal issues can drive continualchild welfare involvement in the lives of some indigent families. Indeed
      • TANF
      • Child support
      • DUI and warrant
      • Car title
      • Disability
      • FUP
  3. May 2023
    1. 3.604.2 Household CompositionA. A Colorado Works household consists of clients who are part of the assistance
    1. (III) The parents of a dependent child, including expectant parents, or a specified caretaker
    2. 26-2-706. Target populations.(1) (a) Subject to the provisions of this section and restrictions in the federal law, those persons or families who may receive assistance under the Colorado works program include: (I) Dependent children under the age of eighteen; (II) (A) Dependent children between the ages of eighteen and nineteen who are full-time students in a secondary school,
    1. The Colorado  Combined  State  Plan  is  effective  July 1, 2022. Colorado’s TANF program is known as Colorado Works and is designed to assist families in becoming stable and self-sufficient
    1. The TANF State Plan is a mandatory statement submitted to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services by the state. It consists of an outline specifying how the state's TANF program will be administered and operated and certain required certifications by the state's Chief Executive Officer. It is used to provide the public with information about the program. Authority to require states to submit a state TANF plan is contained in section 402 of the Social Security Act, as amended by Public Law 104-193,
    1. SECTION 8. AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPEND-ENT CHILDREN AND RELATED PROGRAMS(TITLE IV–A)
    2. States define ‘‘need,’’ set their own benefit levels, establish (with-in Federal limitations) income and resource limits, and administerthe program or supervise its administration
    1. can be a portal to other critical safetynet programs, including

      "Improving Grandfamilies’ Access to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families"; Generations United; Ana Beltran, Special Advisor, Generations United’s National Center on Grandfamilies; 2014

      Zedlewski, S. (2012). TANF and the broader safety net. (Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute).

    2. According tothe Urban Institute, TANF programs around the country“usually automatically enroll beneficiaries in SNAP, childcare assistance (if working or in school), and Medicaid.While these programs have different eligibility rules manyare waived for TANF recipients, and the vast majority ofrecipients have income and assets low enough to qualifyunder general program rules.” 11
    3. the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP)/food stamps,
    4. Why TANF is so importantTANF is oen the only source of financial suppor
    1. TEMPORARYASSISTANCE FORNEEDY FAMILIES

      "Report to Congressional Requesters, TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, More Accountability Needed to Reflect Breadth of Block Grant Services", United States Government Accountability Office, December 2012

    2. mong our selected states, federal TANF funds were used to supportchild welfare services, such as child abuse hotlines, investigative andlegal services, child protection, and preventive services as well asemergency aid, such as clothing and shelter. Child welfare services aregenerally provided to children and their families to prevent the occurrenceof child abuse or neglect, to help stabilize the family and prevent the needto remove the child from the home if abuse has occurred, and to improvethe home and enable the child to reunite with his or her family if the childhas been removed from the home.
    3. Child Welfare, Emergency Aid,and Other Services
    1. to reunite children with their families
    2. to use such federal funds for families with children
    3. (2) Nothing in this article shall prevent the state department from complying with federal requirements for a program of emergency assistance in order for the state of Colorado
    4. 26-5.3-104. Emergency assistance for families with children at imminent risk of being placed out of the home.(1) The executive director of the state department is hereby authorized to include in the state temporary assistance for needy families plan the establishment and implementation of an emergency assistance program for families with children at imminent risk of being placed out of the home. The purpose of the program shall be to meet the needs of the family in crisis due to the imminent risk of out-of-home placement by providing emergency assistance in the form of intake, assessment, counseling, treatment, and other family preservation services that meet the needs of the family which are attributable to the emergency or crisis situation.
  4. Mar 2023
    1. 26-5.3-105. Eligibility requirements - period of eligibility - services available.(1) Families with children at imminent risk of out-of-home placement shall be eligible for emergency assistance. Assistance shall be available to or on behalf of a needy child under twenty-one years of age and any other member of the household in which the child lives if:
    2. Emergency assistance provided pursuant to this article shall be used for, but shall not be limited to, the following: (a) Twenty-four-hour emergency shelter facilities or caretakers for children who must be removed from their homes in emergency situations; (b) Counseling, including crisis counseling available by telephone twenty-four hours a day; (c) Information referral; (d) Intensive family preservation services; (e) In-home supportive homemaker services; (f) Services used to develop and implement a discrete case plan, as provided by the federal “Social Security Act”; (g) Day treatment services for children.
    3. 26-5.3-105. Eligibility requirements - period of eligibility - services available.(1) Families with children at imminent risk of out-of-home placement shall be eligible for emergency assistance. Assistance shall be available to or on behalf of a needy child under twenty-one years of age and any other member of the household in which the child lives if:
    1. ARP created a new $1 billion Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund for grant recipients operating a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in order to provide immediate economic relief to families with the lowest incomes who are unable to meet their added expenses or debt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  ARP provides grantees with the flexibility to extend eligibility to a broader group of families in need and not limit eligibility to traditional TANF recipients.
    1. Thus, a state, tribe, or territory may use the standards it has developed for needy families to receive TANF-funded NRST benefits or may opt to set a different standard for PEAF-funded NRST benefits that better suits the pandemic situation in its service area.  Because PEAF is not TANF assistance (as defined in the regulations at 45 CFR 260.31 and 45 CFR § 286.10) the TANF assistance requirements and prohibitions do not automatically apply.  The grantee may decide to align the benefit with TANF, but does not have to align them.  Depending on the eligibility criteria that the grantee establishes for PEAF-funded NRST benefits, it may provide benefits to families not otherwise eligible for TANF assistance, including: Families that have been sanctioned under TANF Families that have reached the federal or other time limit on receiving  TANF Families with more income or assets than the standard for TANF, but who are currently in need Families that have reached a TANF NRST benefit lifetime or annual limit
    2. Thus, a state, tribe, or territory may use the standards it has developed for needy families to receive TANF-funded NRST benefits or may opt to set a different standard for PEAF-funded NRST benefits that better suits the pandemic situation in its service area.  Because PEAF is not TANF assistance (as defined in the regulations at 45 CFR 260.31 and 45 CFR § 286.10) the TANF assistance requirements and prohibitions do not automatically apply.  The grantee may decide to align the benefit with TANF, but does not have to align them.  Depending on the eligibility criteria that the grantee establishes for PEAF-funded NRST benefits, it may provide benefits to families not otherwise eligible for TANF assistance, including: Families that have been sanctioned under TANF Families that have reached the federal or other time limit on receiving  TANF Families with more income or assets than the standard for TANF, but who are currently in need Families that have reached a TANF NRST benefit lifetime or annual limit
    1. Office of Family Assistance An Office of the Administration for Children & Families
    1. 26-5.3-104. Emergency assistance for families with children at imminent risk of being placed out of the home.(1) The executive director of the state department is hereby authorized to include in the state temporary assistance for needy families plan the establishment and implementation of an emergency assistance program for families with children at imminent risk of being placed out of the home. The purpose of the program shall be to meet the needs of the family in crisis due to the imminent risk of out-of-home placement by providing emergency assistance in the form of intake, assessment, counseling, treatment, and other family preservation services that meet the needs of the family which are attributable to the emergency or crisis situation.
    1. counties determine how TANF dollars are spent and can therefore determine whether TANF is going to be used to help the child welfare agency close out if they over-spend
    2. County child welfare agencies can also refer TANF-eligible families to the local TANF agency for supportive services in lieu of using Core Services dollars for supportive services.