Legal References:
Note: The DSHS Annual and Returner Updates will not be available until August 22, 2014.
The Comprehensive Evaluation section is divided into three separate sub-sections:
Our goal is to do a thorough initial comprehensive evaluation (CE) up-front when we approve TANF and then build on it as we hear back from partners and providers who have been working with the family. Once we have created the initial CE, we use CE updates, instead of a new CE, to track the family’s progress.
The initial CE stays active, open and updateable until the parent has been off TANF for 12 months. See the WorkFirst Comprehensive Evaluation Client Flow Chart for additional details about how we create the initial CE and keep it updated.
The active CE is a living document that shows, in one place, what has been going on with the parent and his or her children through their TANF stay. Key features of the initial CE include:
You do the initial CE at application for parents who are approved or likely to be approved for TANF. This CE will stay active until the parent has been off TANF for 12 months.
You can also create an active CE under two other circumstances:
The CE Redesign breaks the CE into three parts, so that staff can stop during the initial CE to address a crisis or significant barrier when needed and then finish the rest of the questions after the situation is stabilized.
Whether the parent does one part, or all three parts of the CE, the CE interview ends with an IRP and referral. You will need to save/finish Part 1 before you can save/finish Part 2, and save/finish Part 2 before you can save/finish Part 3.
When a parent wants to cure sanction, instead of doing a new CE, the parent will complete the sanction re-engagement questions in Part 4 of the CE. These questions focus on why they got into sanction and how they will participate successfully in the future.
You will also complete these Part 4 sanction reengagement questions during the initial CE for NCS re-applications. These re-applicants will need to do Parts 1-3 of the CE because they are an applicant and Part 4 to start their sanction cure. Please note that it is NOT necessary to ask NCS re-applicants the screening question at the end of Part 4.
You can save/finish Part 4 at any time.
You will create the initial CE for an approved, or likely to be approved, TANF family, including both parents in a two-parent family. Whenever possible, a WorkFirst Program Specialist (WFPS) does the TANF financial intake.
If the parent is in the office, a same day, in-person CE can be done by the WFPS who did the financial intake, by another WFPS or by a WorkFirst Social Services Specialist, as appropriate. After completing Part 1, the parent also has the option to schedule an in-person CE within 10 days of their financial intake to complete the rest of his or her CE with the WorkFirst worker of record.
When the parent does their financial intake by phone, staff will normally arrange for an in-person CE with the parent’s WorkFirst worker of record. This makes it easier to conduct the interview in a private setting where staff will get visual cues as to what is going on with the client. An in-person exchange also promotes relationship-building that may produce a more effective IRP. Depending on who did the telephone red intake, the process will vary:
Whether a WFPS or FSS does the telephone red intake, the WorkFirst worker of record will then do an in-person CE to review Part 1 and complete Part 2 (and possibly Part 3).
An in-person CE is required for an approved or likely to be approved, adult. The intention is to do the CE in-person, when possible, because it promotes engagement and you will get a better understanding of what is going on with the parent and how they are reacting to the questions.
A WFPS or WFSSS may decide to waive the in-person CE under some circumstances. When this occurs, they must document why the in-person CE (which may include parts 1, 2, and/or 3 depending on the adult’s circumstances) when they determine it is not possible for the adult to come into the office. When this occurs, they must document why the in-person CE was waived in the eJAS CE note type and then may complete the CE by phone.
The in-person CE can be waived when the adult:
It is also acceptable to complete a pended Part 3 by phone if the adult has completed Part 2 of the CE in-person. The goal is to have face-to-face contact, when possible, as you complete the three parts of the initial CE for an approved or likely to be approved applicant, to enhance relationship building, case management, engagement and communication.
If you cannot complete an in-person, same day CE for an approved, or likely to be approved, TANF parent, you will need to schedule an in-person appointment. Mail an ACES Online 50-05, General Appointment Letter, or the eJAS appointment letter to the parent stating an in-person CE/IRP is required within 10 days using the following text:
Your household is receiving, or is likely to receive, cash from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. You are required to participate in the WorkFirst program when you receive TANF benefits. The WorkFirst program is designed to assist you in obtaining employment in order for you and your family to become self-sufficient.
I have scheduled the above appointment to meet with you in-person to complete a WorkFirst Comprehensive Evaluation and an Individual Responsibility Plan (otherwise known as an IRP).
It is very important that you attend this in-person meeting to complete your WorkFirst Comprehensive Evaluation and develop your Individual Responsibility Plan. If you are unable to keep this appointment, you will need to contact me prior to the appointment to reschedule your appointment to avoid possible sanction penalties.
There are many participation options with WorkFirst. I look forward to working with you and helping you develop a plan to become self-sufficient!
For telephone intakes, you can find out what time and date works best for the parent. Otherwise, make sure to take into account how long it will take for the parent to receive the appointment letter in the mail. That way, they will have sufficient time to make arrangements to attend the appointment.
Part 1 of the CE is designed to screen for emergencies that require our immediate attention. The parent may need to resolve his or her crisis situation before they can focus on some of the other issues raised in the rest of the CE.
We allow parents with an emergency to come in later to complete the rest of the CE so we are asking the right questions at the right time. It is important to ask all of the questions in Part 1 before you pend Part 2 to make sure we make a plan to address all of the parent’s emergent/urgent issues up front. The goal is to get a good understanding of the parent’s situation to make a solid plan to address their crisis situation.
When the parent answers ‘yes’ to a Part 1 question, we get more information (by asking some of the Part 2 questions) and then document the issue and action plan in Part 1 . The parent may answer ‘yes’ to more than one question in Part 1. If the parent wants to pend Part 2, develop an IRP to address all of the identified urgent/emergent issues within 30 days, save/finish Part 1 and use the P2 eJAS component code to pend Part 2 of the CE for up to 30 days. Once you save/finish part 1, you will be able to go to the DSHS final decision and record the 30-day issue resolution IRP.
When the parent answers ‘no’ to all Part 1 questions, or there are no urgent/emergent issues, or the parent wants to continue, save/finish Part 1 and go on to Part 2.
As discussed above, staff may pend the comprehensive evaluation after completing Part 1 when the parent:
You may want to set up the follow up CE appointment at the same time you pend the CE. In addition, the P2 eJAS component code will pop up on the CLMR when Part 2 of the CE is due.
Part 2 is designed to learn more about the family and longer-term issues that may need to be addressed (such as an exemption or long-term deferral) before the parent can move into employment. Part 3 covers the parent’s employment and education history and plans.
You can pend completion of Part 3 of the CE until the DSHS Annual Update (for up to 12 months) to address serious health or family issues. Save/finish Part 2, complete and save/finish the appropriate DSHS final decision, use an IRP to address the issue and the P3 eJAS component code to track when the parent is expected to come back into the office to complete the rest of the CE. When you pend after Part 2 of the CE, reminders will pop up on the CLMR when Part 3 of the CE is due.
If there are no serious issues, or if the parent wants to continue, save/finish Part 2 and go on to Part 3. Complete and save/finish Part 3, complete and save/finish the DSHS final decision and end with an IRP and referrals to activities or needed services.
Once you have completed all three parts of the CE, you will not need to complete these sections again while the CE remains active. You will keep the CE up to date by using WorkFirst partner and annual CE updates described in section WFHB 3.2.3, Comprehensive Evaluation Updates. You can also go into the CE at any time to update it and complete a new DSHS final decision as appropriate.
The CE will remain active until the parent has been off TANF for 12 months unless you decide to close the active CE by doing another full CE before then. If a parent exits TANF and returns within 12 months, you will do a returner CE, as described in section WFHB 3.2.3, to review and update the active CE.
Staff should follow the policy for mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse, neglect or child rape in the EAZ Manual, Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting when a parent reports a minor, pregnant dependent child in the Child Education and Health Section (Part 2 of the CE). Under the mandatory reporting policy:
The chemical dependency/mental health screening in Part 2 is the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screener (GAIN-SS tool). GAIN-SS is used by other state agencies to screen for chemical dependency/mental health issues and the tool was specifically designed for use by staff who are not experts in these areas. The GAIN-SS isn’t intended to be an in-depth assessment that explores the history or severity of these conditions. Rather, it helps staff determine when a follow-up assessment would be helpful or needed.
When you administer the GAIN-SS tool, please read the introductory script and questions verbatim and make sure the parent understands the questions. We should also be sensitive to the parents’ need for privacy and conduct interviews behind closed doors whenever possible. Ask the questions as neutrally as possible in order to get the most honest responses. When the parent indicates they have been thinking about ending their life, an immediate intervention, such as a referral to a crisis line, is required.
You can refer the parent for a social services assessment if there are indications of possible chemical dependency or mental health issues, even when the parent answers no to all of the questions or declines to answer the questions. You can make referrals based on a parent’s behavioral responses to the questions or behavior overall. The parent’s yes or no responses to the questions are not intended to override your judgment or experience on when a social services referral would be helpful.
Also, it isn’t necessary to refer for a chemical dependency or mental health assessment if the parent is already in treatment, but you should consider making a social services specialist referral so they can explore the situation with the parent and get additional information that may help us develop a more effective IRP.
The housing stability section in Part 2 of the CE includes three questions to guide staff in making referrals to housing resources. Staff answer yes or no to all three questions. A yes response to either of the first two questions indicates that the parent is homeless or about to become homeless and meets the criteria for a referral. A yes response to the third question will ensure that a housing referral appears on the CE follow up list.