Diversion Supportive Services 400-19-145-25

(Revised 2/1/15 ML #3426)

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Diversion consists of payments to help with expenses associated with a ‘specific crisis or episode of need’ and is paid through supportive services or vendor payment. All Diversion reimbursements must be rounded to the nearest dollar (if 50 cents or over round up and if under 50 cents round down).

 

1. Housing/Shelter Assistance – Assistance with housing/shelter expenses is available for households who are eligible for TANF and are homeless, or at-risk of experiencing homelessness. Housing/shelter assistance may be used to pay:
   
   
   • Rent or mortgage expenses,
   • A deposit on a rental unit,
   • Utility bills to avoid a shut-off or the cost to resume service after a shut-off,
   • A deposit for utility hookups that are necessary for the family to reside in the home,
   • Hotel/motel room rental (for a maximum of three nights).

    

   1. Applicant Households: Payment of housing/shelter expenses may be made for:
      

      • Two months prior to the month of application, and
      • The month of application, and
      • One month following the month of application, provided the family did not receive TANF in the month prior to the month of application.

    

   2. Recipient Households: Effective April 1, 2013, payment of housing/shelter assistance may be made for a maximum of two months per occurrence for a household who is experiencing homelessness or is at risk of becoming homeless. For recipient households, the maximum payment of the rent or mortgage expense only is limited to two months. For recipient households, the maximum payment of the rent or mortgage expense only is limited to two months.

In both situations

• The family must be able to demonstrate that they will be able to sustain payment of these expenses for future months. (The income remaining after subtracting other expenses must be sufficient to pay the housing/shelter expenses without additional assistance.)

• All requests for assistance with housing/shelter expenses must be submitted to the State TANF/JOBS policy staff for approval. The request must include the calculation for sustainability. Hard copy verification is required from the family before a payment may be made.

• Payment of rent or mortgage expenses through supportive services is temporary in nature and not considered subsidized housing.

Payments for Housing/Shelter expenses cannot exceed actual costs and are made to the vendor utilizing the Vendor Payment process. (See Section 400-19-65-35, Vendor Payment Process, for instructions when processing Vendor Payments.)

2. Job Related Expenses (Employment, school or training) – An individual may receive reimbursements for the following job related expenses through supportive services:

1. Employment related clothing necessary for the individual to enter employment.  Assistance is limited to $250 per participant, per state fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).

2. Tools or equipment required for the individual to accept employment. Assistance is limited to $150 per participant, per state fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).

3. Repairs necessary to return an individual's vehicle to operable condition or basic liability insurance for up to 3 months, provided:

1. The vehicle is registered to a Diversion household member;

1. The vehicle is needed by the participant to get to work or another approved work activity; and

1. The general condition and value of the vehicle justifies repairs.

Assistance is limited to $500 per participant, per state fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).

4. Assistance for defraying the cost of books, tuition and fees associated with work activity, provided other educational fund sources have been explored and are exhausted. Assistance is limited to $1000 per participant, per state fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).

5. Payment for professional license fees and professional examination fees where there is no other available source of funding, including fee waivers, and the professional license or examination is necessary to achieve an employment-related goal. Assistance is limited to $150 per participant, per state fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).

6. Moving expenses to accept a job offer or to be closer to work. Assistance is limited to $1000 per participant, per state fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).

7. Other expenses necessary for employment interviews, including transportation, lodging, grooming, and clothing.
8. Assistance for transportation is limited to $150 per participant, per month.

Payment of Job Related Expenses may also be paid using SFN 471, Vendor Payment (TANF) Authorization and Request for Payment of Goods and Services. Hard copy verification is required from the family before a payment may be made. (See Section 400-19-65-35, Vendor Payment Process, for instructions when processing Vendor Payments.)

3. Disaster Related Expenses – In the event of a disaster involving members of the Diversion household, the TANF Eligibility Worker, after exploring the availability of property insurance and community resources, shall authorize the replacement of clothing, furniture, household equipment, and other needed supplies at a level comparable to that maintained by the recipient at the time of the fire, flood, tornado, or other catastrophic event. Community organizations often provide assistance to victims of disasters. The TANF Eligibility Worker should coordinate assistance with local resources.

Hard copy verification is required from the family before a payment may be made. Payment must be made by using SFN 471 Vendor Payment (TANF) Authorization and Request for Payment of Goods and Services. (See Section 400-19-65-35, Vendor Payment Process, for instructions when processing Vendor Payments.)

4. Emergency Household Needs – The Emergency Household Needs supportive service is limited to a monthly amount of $430.00.  

This supportive service may be used for items not covered under any of the other supportive services and is to be used for expenses that are not recurring, including but not limited to costs associated with counseling, case management, peer support (e.g. AA, Al-Anon, Cancer Support groups, etc.), job retention, job advancement and other employment-related services including transportation costs.   

5. Unforeseen Circumstances - The unforeseen circumstances payment is to be used to reimburse a recipient for a payment made in situations that were beyond the individual’s control. State office approval is required before making an unforeseen circumstances payment.

Example:  Reimbursement of late fees paid by the recipient, due to Diversion benefits not received timely.

6. Child Restraint Seat - State law requires that all children younger than seven be secured in a child restraint seat (car seat or booster seat) when riding in any motor vehicle. A seat belt may be substituted for children younger than seven who weigh more than 80 pounds and are more than 57 (4'9") inches tall. A child three (3) through ten (10) years of age must be protected by either a safety seat or seat belt.

Child restraint seats are available in many communities through hospitals, public health agencies, and civic organizations. In collaboration with many public health agencies, reimbursement may be made to public health agencies for child restraints provided to Diversion recipients. The public health agencies must complete SFN 471, Vendor Payment (TANF), Authorization and Request for Payment of Goods and Services and send it to the TANF Eligibility Worker for authorization.

 

When a child restraint seat is not otherwise available, the household may purchase one and the cost may be reimbursed as a special item of need supplemental benefit, once verification of the purchase amount is provided to the TANF Eligibility Worker.

Note: When available, recipients may be required to go through public health agencies where they will be educated on the proper use of child restraints. Recipients should be advised about choosing a model that meets all criteria of the Federal Motor Vehicle safety standards. Because some models do not fit all cars, households should be certain that the model being considered for purchase would be suitable for their vehicle. Additional information is available from the North Dakota Department of Health, 1-800-472-2286.

As a child grows, a larger child restraint seat will be needed.  For this reason, Diversion can pay for multiple child restraint seats for the same child, provided one is not available through the local hospitals, public health agencies, and civic organizations.    

Example: If an infant car seat was initially paid for, a booster seat may be paid for based on the child’s age/size.

7. Essential Services - The cost of a service considered essential to the well being of a Diversion household member, including an ineligible caretaker or SSI recipient who is not the parent of a child in the household, shall be provided for in the Diversion benefit. If the need for the essential service is related to a special need or condition of a household member, the cost can be met through the benefit. The nature of the infirmity or illness must create a condition where the household cannot perform independently, and services will be considered to meet such needs. The necessary service(s) may require a person in the home temporarily or from outside the home to discharge a specific, transitory need. Medical documentation must substantiate the need for essential services.  

Essential services are intended to accommodate such needs as housekeeping duties and/or child/dependent care during a parent's illness or hospitalization, attendant services, and extraordinary costs of accompanying a member of the family to a distant medical or rehabilitation facility.  

Note: Transportation, lodging and meals for individuals who must travel to a distant medical or rehabilitation facility can be paid through Medicaid, with prior approval.  If the household fails to obtain prior approval, or if Medicaid denies the claim as the treatment can be obtained within the state, the cost cannot be paid under Essential Services.  

Essential Services:

• Can only be paid if all other resources have been exhausted;

• Must be approved by State TANF/JOBS policy staff; and

• Should be based on negotiation with the provider;  

Note: The allowable maximum daily rate for child/dependent care cannot exceed the amount allowed for emergency foster care, which currently is $30 per day per child;

A provider need not be licensed, self-certified, registered, or an approved relative in order to provide emergency child care.  Emergency care that necessitates care of a child shall be limited to three (3) calendar months. Resources other than essential services provided to Diversion household members must be explored for placements of longer duration.

8. GED/High School Graduate Incentive Payment  - Each eligible TANF household member will receive a $250 one-time-only incentive payment upon completion of high school or general education development (GED) diploma. The individual must be Diversion eligible in the month the individual completes high school or GED requirements.  

Verification of completion of high school or general education development diploma (GED) diploma is required.

9. Health Insurance Premiums - The cost of a premium for health and hospitalization insurance carried by an individual residing in the home, that covers an eligible member of the Diversion household, can be paid.   

Health, hospitalization, drug, dental, and/or vision insurance is defined as any contract policy covering loss due to sickness or bodily injury. However, it does not include specific health insurance contracts covering loss due to accident, cancer, or disability. In addition, Workers with Disabilities enrollment fees or premium amounts are not allowed as a special item of need payment.

If the policy covers individuals who are not members of the Diversion household (stepparents, ineligible caretakers, etc.), payment is limited to:

• The portion of the premium for each Diversion eligible household member that is allocated by the insurance company; or, if that allocation is unavailable;

• The total premium amount, divided by the number of individuals covered, and then multiplied by the number of Diversion eligible household members who are covered by the insurance.

The applicant or recipient must inform the TANF Eligibility Worker of the insurance. In instances where there is more than one health insurance policy for the same coverage, only one policy of the household's choice shall be paid in the Diversion benefit. Payment shall begin in the month in which the TANF Eligibility Worker is informed of the insurance and receives verification of the cost.

10. Health Tracks Reimbursement - Diversion recipients who complete the Health Tracks screening are eligible for a $25.00 reimbursement per individual. The reimbursement is available after the completion of the initial screening and the annual Health Tracks screening, provided 12 months have passed between screenings. Completion of the screening, for this purpose, does not include the follow-up appointments or referrals to other physicians that are generated from a screening.

Example: An initial screening is completed in August and a $25.00 reimbursement is issued as a supplement for August. In order to be eligible for the $25.00 reimbursement again, the individual would need to be screened in August of the following year or thereafter.

Note: August would count as month one (1) of the 12 month period.