719-1          SELF SUFFICIENCY PLANNING REQUIREMENT

Every adult who is included in an assistance unit must develop, sign and comply with a Family Self-Sufficiency Plan (FSSP).   An individual who does not develop, sign, and comply with a FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan as required may be subject to benefit reductions (see ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 723.)  Ineligible aliens, ineligible drug felons, and the father in a 3rd trimester pregnant women case as described in ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 770-2C , ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 770-5, and ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 770-7 may voluntarily develop, sign and comply with an FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan.

The FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan requirement is often confused with the requirement to refer an individual to Work Services for case management. Additional information regarding who should be referred to Work Services can be found in ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 711-1.

Complying with the FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan means that the adult participates in activities identified in the plan as steps that move the family toward self-sufficiency.  The FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan can require participation in these activities for up to 40 hours a week.

Unless an individual is exempt from participating in work activities, the FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan must include work activities, as defined in ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 730-1. If an individual is exempt from work activities, they cannot be required to include these activities in their FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan, and they cannot be penalized for not participating in these activities.

However, clients who are exempt from the work activities requirement are still required to engage in other activities documented on the FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan that prepare the individual to participate in work activities when the exemption is no longer in place. If they do not participate satisfactorily in these activities, they can be penalized for not complying with their FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan.

Note:
A minor parent that is the Primary Information (PIPrimary Information Person) person on a TATemporary Assistance case must be referred to the DPADivision of Public Assistance Minor Parent Coordinator and to case management at the time of application. This action is taken to ensure the minor parent fulfills the school attendance requirement outlined in ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 770-3F.

The school attendance requirement must not be mistaken for a requirement to develop and comply with a FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan. Minor parents are not considered adults, and are not required to develop a FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan. A minor parent who is the PI on a Temporary Assistance case may be offered the opportunity to develop a plan voluntarily but they cannot be penalized for failure to develop and comply with a FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan.

A minor parent that is not the PIPrimary Information Person on a TATemporary Assistance case, but is instead a dependent child on their parent's Temporary Assistance is not referred to case management and is not held to the criteria explained in ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MSManual Section 770-3F.

Note:

Parents who are disqualified due to intentional program violation (IPV) are required to develop an FSSPFamily Self-Sufficiency Plan and engage in assigned activities.