Section 2665.50  Plan Development and Approval

a)         In order to receive an allocation as described in Section 2665.30 of this Part, each Welfare-to-Work Administrative Agency shall submit a Welfare-to-Work plan to the Department that includes the following content:

1)         The plan shall include a description of the program design, including the following information:

A)        The plan shall include a description of the local targeting strategies to reach hard-to-employ TANF recipients eligible under the Welfare-to-Work Block Grant program and to assure that appropriate activities and services are provided to help these participants achieve self-sufficiency.

B)        The plan shall include a description of local strategies regarding:

i)          planned employment activities;

ii)         planned use of contracts with public and private providers of job readiness, placement and post-employment services;

iii)        planned use of job vouchers for placement, readiness, and post-employment services; and

iv)        planned provision of job retention, and/or support services, if not otherwise available to the individual participants receiving Welfare-to-Work services.

C)        The plan shall include a description of local policies and procedures that will govern implementation of allowable activities, including the procedures used to procure the contracts described in subsection 2665.50(a)(1)(B)(ii) of this Section, and how Welfare-to-Work funds will be used to provide necessary support services described in subsection 2665.50(a)(1)(B)(iv).

D)        The plan shall include a listing of performance goals and outcomes, expressed in measurable, quantifiable terms, that the local program intends to achieve.

E)        The plan shall include a description of how the local program will be implemented by the PIC, including the roles and responsibilities of the local entities responsible for program administration and the program's implementation target dates.

F)         The plan shall include a description of the approach, including process and timing, used to obtain and take into account consultation and coordination with substate entities such as public, private and nonprofit organizations in the development of the SDA Welfare-to-Work plan.  The plan shall include either a summary description of the comments received, along with the names of the individuals or entities who commented, or copies of the actual comments received as an attachment to the plan.

G)        The plan shall include a description of the coordination efforts that the local DHS office and the Welfare-to-Work Administrative Agency will undertake and the role these local agencies will play in providing assessment and case management to qualified participants, regarding:

i)          identification and referral of participants; and

ii)         assessment and case management.

H)        The plan  shall  include  coordination  arrangements  with  DPA to identify and refer non-custodial parents meeting the WtW criteria.

I)         The plan shall include a description of strategies to prevent duplication of services and promote coordination among the Welfare-to-Work program, the local TANF program, JTPA, the local Illinois Employment & Training Centers and other employment and training programs throughout the Service Delivery Area.

J)         The plan shall include a description of strategies to promote and encourage coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation, transit operators and other transportation providers to help ensure that the transportation needs of those moving from welfare to work are met.

K)        The plan shall include a description of strategies to promote and encourage coordination with the Illinois Housing Development Authority; public and assisted housing providers and agencies; other community based organizations; public and private health, mental health and service agencies; and vocational rehabilitation and related agencies.

2)         The plan shall include budget information regarding the expenditure of program funds, quarterly planned expenditures and planned carry-forward, including the following information:

A)        The plan shall include a list of funds available by cost category as defined in 20 CFR 645.220, 645.225, 645.230, 645.235, including the original allocation, carry-in funds (if any), cost category transfers and planned carry-forward of funds not expected to be spent during the current federal fiscal year.

B)        Pursuant to 20 CFR 645.240 and 645.245, the plan shall include a listing of quarterly planned expenditures by cost category, including:

i)          administrative costs as defined in 20 CFR 645.235(b);

ii)         support services as defined in 20 CFR 645.220(e);

iii)        data processing expenditures as defined in 20 CFR 645.235(c)(3); and

iv)        programmatic activities.

b)         Pursuant to the requirements of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, as amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the following assurances must be provided for local plan approval:

1)         The plan must conform to the requirements of the TANF Act.

2)         The plan must conform to the U.S. Department of Labor Interim Rules on Welfare-to-Work (Federal Register, 11/18/97, 20 CFR 645).

3)         The plan must demonstrate local coordination with activities provided through TANF (section 403(a)(5)(A)(vii)(II) of the Act).

c)         Each Welfare-to-Work Administrative Agency shall submit a co-enrollment plan showing planned enrollments (if any) into programs designed to serve different subsets of the welfare population, or used concurrently or sequentially in order to provide a series of services to individuals with specific needs.  It shall further define the appropriate reasons for dual enrollment of individuals in more than one of the following programs: Illinois Job Advantage, Work First, TANF Welfare-to-Work  ("85%" funds formula allocated to the Administrative Agency), TANF Welfare-to-Work ("15%" State set-aside funds), Job Training Partnership Act, and DHS Job Placement Contracts.

1)         Where a WtW Administrative Agency has one or more subcontractors that enroll WtW clients to provide services, the WtW Administrative Agency shall collect co-enrollment schedules prepared by each subcontractor if these clients are also enrolled in another of  these programs.

2)         Where a WtW Administrative Agency enrolls and  provides WtW services itself, the WtW Administrative Agency shall develop a co-enrollment plan of services for welfare recipients enrolled under WtW who are also enrolled in another of the programs listed in this Section.

3)         If neither a WtW Administrative Agency nor its subcontractors enroll their WtW clients in another of the programs listed in this Section, only a Welfare-to-Work Client Service Declaration form is required.