Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) operates a voluntary
employment and training program, OK SNAP Works, per Section 273.7(e)(5) of
Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 C.F.R. §
273.7(e)(5)). OK SNAP Works
assists food benefit recipients, especially able-bodied adults without
dependents (ABAWD), become involved in meaningful, work-related activities that
lead to paid employment and enable them to achieve or maintain economic
selfsupport.
(1)
Participant
information. OK SNAP Works is available to ABAWD and non-ABAWD
participants age 16 or older who receive SNAP benefits, do not receive
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and live in an area served by an OKDHS
contracted service provider.
(2)
Worker responsibilities for OK SNAP Works information, screening and
referral. It is the worker's responsibility to:
(A) inform the applicant or recipient that
participation in OK SNAP Works is voluntary;
(B) ask if any household member age 16 or
older wants to voluntarily participate in OK SNAP Works regardless of ABAWD
status;
(C) screen and, if
appropriate, refer:
(i) non-exempt ABAWDs who
are not complying with ABAWD work requirements, per Oklahoma Administrative
Code (OAC)
340:50-5-100; and
(ii) other SNAP recipients who express an
interest in participating in OK SNAP Works.
(3)
Intake and case management
services. The OK SNAP Works coordinator sends a referral to the
contracted service provider to initiate the intake process and case management
services.
(A) Case management services and
activities must be provided to all participants and must directly support their
participation in OK SNAP Works. Case management services may include, but are
not limited to:
(i) comprehensive intake
assessments;
(ii) individualized
service plans;
(iii) progress
monitoring; and
(iv) coordination
with service providers.
(B) After receiving a referral, the
provider's staff schedules referred participants for an orientation and
comprehensive assessment.
(C)
Following orientation and assessment, each participant has an assessment
interview to explore the participant's:
(i)
employment and training needs and barriers;
(ii) communication and employment-related
skills;
(iii) education and
employment history; and
(iv) career
interests.
(D) The
provider enrolls each participant in at least one component, per (4) of this
Section, and continues to provide case management services to address
employment barriers.
(4)
OKSNAP Works component assignments. OK SNAP Works components
include supervised job search, job search training, educational services,
vocational training, Workfare for non-exempt ABAWDs only, work experience, and
job retention services.
(A)
Supervised
jobsearch component. Supervised job search is a component that provides
structured activities to help participants seek and obtain suitable employment.
These activities occur at approved locations where the participant is
supervised and timeliness is tracked, per
7 C.F.R. §
273.7(e)(2)(i).
(B)
Job search training
component. Job search training is a component that enhances the
participant's job readiness and may include employability assessment, training
in techniques to increase employability, job placement services, or other
direct training or support activities, per
7 C.F.R. §
273.7(e)(2)(ii).
(C)
Educational services
component. A participant is placed in an educational services component
when the participant:
(i) does not have a
high school diploma or equivalency certificate;
(ii) has literacy issues; or
(iii) needs to learn or improve English
language skills.
(D)
Vocational training component. Participants may receive vocational
training when assessments indicate training is needed to enhance employability
or when industry-specific training is needed as part of a job placement
program.
(E)
Workfare
component. Workfare is a work component only available to non-exempt
ABAWDs. Participants work in a public service or a private, non-profit agency
to obtain skills necessary to enhance employability or develop skills required
for job placement.
(F)
Work
experience. The work experience component is designed to improve
participant employability through actual work experience and training. The goal
of work experience is to enable participants to move into regular employment.
Work experience is a planned, structured learning experience that takes place
in a workplace for a limited time period. A work experience program may include
a work activity or a work-based learning program.
(i) A work activity gives the participant the
opportunity to acquire the general skills, knowledge, and work habits necessary
to obtain employment.
(ii) A
work-based learning program may include internships, pre-apprenticeships,
apprenticeships, customized training, transitional jobs, incumbent worker
training, and on-the job training as defined by the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act.
(G)
Job retention component. The job retention component helps
participants who secured employment after or while receiving OK SNAP Works
services to achieve satisfactory performance, retain employment, and increase
earnings over time. A participant may receive case management, job coaching,
dependent care assistance, and transportation assistance, per
7 C.F.R. §
273.7(e)(2) (viii). This
component must last for at least 30-calendar days but no more than 90-calendar
days. There is no limit to the number of times a person may receive job
retention services as long as the person re-engages with OK SNAP Works prior to
obtaining new employment.
(5)
Supportive services.
Supportive services are provided to a participant when necessary and directly
related to the participant's ability to participate in the assigned OK SNAP
Works component. OKDHS authorizes payments for supportive services that may
include, but are not limited to, covering the cost of:
(A) child care under special circumstances.
When child care is needed after assessment, the contracted service provider
assists the client in completing a child care application. The application is
sent to the OK SNAP Works coordinator to determine eligibility, per OAC
340:40;
(B) clothing;
(C) uniforms;
(D) tools;
(E) personal safety items;
(F) books or training manuals;
(G) transportation, such as bus tickets,
public transportation passes, taxi cabs, sharing rides, or gas vouchers;
or
(H) other equipment deemed
necessary for participation.
(6)
Contracted service provider
responsibility. The contracted service provider tracks participation and
informs the OK SNAP Works coordinator of all potential participants'
participation status, outcome performance measures, and when the provider
determines that an assigned component is ill-suited for potential participant.
(A) When a potential participant fails to
participate in OK SNAP Works following a referral, or the provider determines
that a potential participant is ill-suited for a component, contracted staff
notifies the OK SNAP Works coordinator within 10-calendar days of the
non-participation or the provider determination. In a provider determination
notification, the contracted provider must include the former participant's
name, case number, and reason for the provider determination and may offer
input on the most appropriate next step for the participant.
(B) When the contracted provider finds a
component is ill-suited for a participant, but determines the participant may
be suitable for another component the provider offers, the provider may switch
the participant to the suitable component. The provider informs the OK SNAP
Works coordinator of the new component without the need for the coordinator to
act further on the provider determination.
(7)
OKSNAP Works coordinator
responsibilities. The OK SNAP Works coordinator:
(A) monitors the contracted service
provider's performance in operating the OK SNAP Works Program;
(B) initiates provider referrals,
(C) determines participants' child care
subsidy eligibility;
(D) at the
household or worker's request, OK SNAP coordinator provides verification of a
participant's monthly hours spent in the program; and
(E) upon receipt of a provider determination,
reviews the reason for, and notifies field staff about, the provider's
determination.
(8)
Worker responsibilities for provider determinations. A provider
determination occurs when a service provider concludes the assigned component
is ill-suited for a participant.
(A) Within
10-calendar days of when the contracted service provider notifies OKDHS, the
worker must inform the former OK SNAP Works participant of (i) through (vii) of
this subparagraph and document the exchange in case notes.
(i) A provider determination concluded the
component is ill-suited for the assigned OK SNAP Works participant.
(ii) The former participant's OK SNAP Works
assignment has ended.
(iii) The
former participant may immediately pursue the options in (B) of this
paragraph.
(iv) OKDHS will pursue
the steps in (B) of this paragraph at the certification renewal when the former
participant declines to pursue these options immediately.
(v) When the former participant is an ABAWD,
per OAC 340:50-5-100, the former
participant starts accruing countable months towards the three-month
participation time limit. The countable months begin with the next full month
following the notification month, unless the participant:
(I) fulfills the work requirement, per OAC
340:50-5-100(a);
(II) has good cause, per OAC
340:50-5-100(c);
or
(III) is otherwise exempt from
the ABAWD requirements, per OAC
340:50-5-100(d).
(vi) The worker provides contact information
the former participant may use to reach OKDHS.
(vii) The provider determination does not
cause an OK SNAP Works sanction.
(B) In response to a provider determination,
the worker takes the most suitable action from options (i) through (iii) of
this subparagraph as soon as possible when the former participant requests, but
no later than the next certification renewal. The worker:
(i) reassesses whether the former participant
is physically and mentally capable of participating, per OAC
340:50-5-86(4);
(ii) refers the former participant back to OK
SNAP Works, per (C) of paragraph (1) as long as the former participant is
physically and mentally capable, per OAC
340:50-5-86(4);
or
(iii) identifies work
opportunities or assistance for the participant by coordinating with other
federal, state, and local workforce or assistance programs
