Work First Family Services

Eligibility

You may be eligible for Work First benefits if:

• You are a citizen of the US or a qualified immigrant
• You are a resident of Richmond County
• You are the caretaker of a child 18 years old living in your home
• You meet the kinship rule (living with a parent, a relative who meets the kinship rule, or if you have court-ordered legal custody or legal guardianship of a child)
• Your resources do not exceed $3000. (resources include, but are not limited to, money in checking or savings and cash on hand)
• You have not exhausted your State or Federal time limits (applies when parents are included in the case)
• Total countable earned and unearned income must not exceed the Need Standard for your family unit.

For further information, contact the Richmond County Department of Social Services at 910-997-8400 and ask to speak with a Work First worker.

 Work First Employment Services

All families are now limited to 5 years of assistance, lifetime (60 cumulative months). This “time clock” stops only when a family no longer receives services or benefits from Work First Family Assistance (WFFA). The 5-year time clock does not stop even if you are ill or disabled when receiving WFFA. This is a Federal time limit and follows the family from State to State.

In North Carolina, families active in Employment Services are also on a two-year time clock (24 cumulative months) with the goal of having paid employment before the two years are up. Families that have received assistance for 24 months must wait three years to reapply for WFFA.

Requirements

This program has the following requirements:

• During the 2-year time period, Single-Parent Families are required to complete at least 20-30 hours each week of work-related activities based on the age of their youngest child. Families with two parents are required to complete at least 35 hours each week.
• The Mutual Responsibility Agreement (MRA) must be initialed and signed by each participant and will include specific activities to be completed.
• Failure to initial and sign the initial MRA or any subsequent MRAs will result in immediate termination and/or denial of assistance. For two-parent families, parents must initial and sign the initial MRA and any subsequent MRAs.
• Once the MRA is signed, failure to comply with its terms will result in immediate termination. Unless they have a good cause, the family will be ineligible for WFFA assistance for the month they fail to comply.

Related Activities

The required work-related activities may include:

• Job Search
• Work Experience
• Cooperation with the Employment Security Commission
• Vocational Education Training
• Short-term, employment-focused activities
• Community Service
• Job Skills Training
• Vocational Training
• Education

These activities are geared toward the ultimate goal of Paid Employment and self-sufficiency.

Work First Employment Social Workers will help participants meet their requirements through supportive services such as help with transportation, child care, and other services as specified in their MRA Plan of Action. They will also make referrals to other community services and resources to help the participant become self-sufficient.

Work First Family Assistance

In Work First Family Assistance, we work with two types of families.

Child Only Families

We work with child-only families in which the parent is not included in the case. In these cases, the child/children live with parent/parents who receive SSI, an eligible relative, or someone who has court-ordered legal custody or guardianship of the child/children. In these cases, no adult can be included.

With our Child-Only Families, we have a Contracted Worker who works with caretakers. She has a monthly support group meeting to discuss other resources and services that may be available to them. She also makes referrals to other community services and resources to help with problems or needs these children may have if they are available.

Child & Parents Families

We work with Families where the parent/parents are included in the case. These families have a state time limit of 24 months and a federal lifetime limit of 60 months. The Federal time limit follows the parent from state to state. A parent receives a Work First Check every month that counts toward their time clocks.

 After 24 Checks

Once they receive 24 checks, they must go off our program for 3 years. During that time, they can ask for an extension, and if they are approved, they can receive Work First for up to 6 months. They can request an extension more than once.

After 60 Checks

Once they receive 60 checks, they can not receive Work First again unless they request and are approved for a hardship extension.

Work-Related Activities

The parent/parents must complete work-related activities each month to receive a Work First check for that month unless they have a good cause. Once the hours have been completed and verified by the employment worker, the Work First Check for that month will be released the following month. The February check is released in March. If they have a child under the age of six, they must complete 20 hours a week. If their youngest child is six or older, they must complete 30 hours a week. If both parents are in the home, they must complete 35 hours a week. These activities include job search, work experience, short-term training, education, and VR services.

Mutual Responsibility Agreement

Along with completing the required hours, the parent/parents must comply with all the Mutual Responsibility Agreement requirements. They have to keep all scheduled appointments with their workers, comply with child support, and verify their child/children are up to date with their health checks and immunizations. They also must report all changes in their situation within 10 calendar days. Single parents with a child under one can be exempted from work activities for 12 months in their lifetime.

Child Support

If a parent is receiving child support once they are approved for Work First Family Assistance, the child support goes to the state to pay the state back for the Work First Family Assistance check.

Work First Family Services Team

The Work First Family Services Team is the agency’s Crisis Team. Individuals and families in crisis can contact the crisis team for information and community resources to help alleviate their needs.