§ 1107. Case management; family development plans; coordinated services
(a)(1) The Commissioner shall provide all Reach Up services to participating families through
a case management model informed by knowledge of the family’s goals and aspirations,
circumstances, home, community, employment, and available resources. Services may
be delivered in the district office, the family’s home, or the community in a way
that facilitates progress toward accomplishment of the family development plan consistent
with research on best practices. Case management may be provided to other eligible
families. The case manager and family together shall create a family development plan
for each participating family, with a right of appeal as provided by section 1132 of this title. A case manager shall be assigned to each participating family as soon as the family
begins to receive financial assistance. If administratively feasible and appropriate,
the case manager shall be the same case manager the family was assigned in the Reach
First program.
(2) Each case manager shall utilize a universal engagement model that aims to engage each
participating family, to the best of their ability, in improving the family’s social,
emotional, and economic well-being. The universal engagement model approaches work
and workforce development as a continuum in which each participating adult who is
able participates in work or the process of preparing for work, participates in training
and education, and increases the participating family’s income. A participating adult
who is unable to participate due to extenuating personal or family challenges shall
be excused from the program participation requirements until able to participate,
in accordance with criteria established by rule pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25.
(3) The case manager shall meet with each participating family following any statutory
or rule changes affecting the amount of the earned income disregard, asset limitations,
or other eligibility or benefit criteria in the Reach Up program to inform the family
of the changes and advise the family about ways to maximize the opportunities to achieve
earned income without a corresponding loss of benefits.
(b) The case manager shall establish a schedule for periodic review of the family development
plan. In addition, the case manager shall review, and modify if necessary, the plan
in the following circumstances:
(1) there is a lack of satisfactory progress in achieving the goals of the plan;
(2) the parent or caretaker has lost unsubsidized or subsidized employment;
(3) a family member has failed to comply with a family development plan requirement or
a work requirement;
(4) services required by the plan are unavailable;
(5) at least 30 days prior to when the parent or caretaker would become work-ready or
would otherwise be deemed work-ready on the basis of 12-cumulative-month receipt of
financial assistance;
(6) a deferment or modification of the work requirements imposed by section 1113 of this title has been requested or is due for review;
(7) within 30 days of when the parent or caretaker has started an unsubsidized or subsidized
job; or
(8) changes to the plan are needed to protect the well-being of the children.
(c) The Commissioner shall adopt rules, consistent with research on best practices, establishing
maximum caseloads for case managers.
(d) The Secretary of Education, with the assistance and support of the Commissioner for
Children and Families, the Commissioner of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living,
and the Commissioner of Labor, shall develop and implement comparable and reciprocally
recognized literacy assessment protocols that will be used for all clients seeking
adult education and literacy services; related services of the Agency of Education;
or the services of the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living,
the Department of Labor, or the Department for Children and Families, when such services
are being sought for the purpose of developing or strengthening competencies or skills
related to the clients’ current or future employment. Such protocols shall, to the
extent practicable, utilize the same terminology and apply comparable criteria, consistent
with individual program purposes and authorization, in determining when testing, other
standardized measurement tools, or referrals to relevant professionals for evaluation
or diagnosis are appropriate.
(e) The Secretary shall work cooperatively with public and private, local, and regional
entities:
(1) to develop subsidized jobs with employers, using the same health and safety standards
in effect for unsubsidized jobs;
(2) to develop work placements that incorporate an adult education and literacy component
into the hours of work for participants who need to continue to work on their secondary
education while fulfilling their work requirement;
(3) to adopt rules that set priorities for services of benefit to the people of Vermont
and that prevent displacement of previous unsubsidized workers by subsidized Reach
Up program participants; and
(4) to ensure that necessary support services are available, appropriate, and within a
reasonable distance, including child care, health care, and transportation.
(f) The Secretary shall:
(1) work with community providers to develop and maintain an adequate number and variety
of supervised living alternatives designed to meet the individual needs of parents
who are under 18;
(2) work with community providers to develop and maintain parenting, training, and education
options for parents who are under 18;
(3) establish and maintain an information program to enable parents to learn about and
take advantage of benefits and services that are available to parents who work outside
the home;
(4) increase public awareness of the federal and State earned income tax credits, and
encourage families who may be eligible to apply for such tax credits; and
(5) in partnership with the Human Resources Investment Council, develop and maintain one
or more job training and employment programs for noncustodial parents to encourage
long-term economic self-sufficiency and, by extension, their ability to pay child
support. (Added 1999, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2001; amended 1999, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2005, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 5, 2006; 2005, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 83; 2007, No. 30, § 7, eff. May 17, 2007; 2013, No. 50, § E.323; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 292, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2013, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 26, eff. May 20, 2014; 2013, No. 198 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2017, No. 109 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2021, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. January 1, 2024.)