1008-3           FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLANNING – WORK FIRST TRACK

A Family Self-Sufficiency Plan (FSSP) details how a client will reach their employment goal and exit the Temporary Assistance program.  The Work Services Principles and Work First Philosophy help focus Family Self-Sufficiency planning.

An FSSP:

• Centers on the client’s goals and strengths;

• Emphasizes employment;

• Recognizes the urgency of the time limit on benefits; and,

• Results in an exit from Temporary Assistance as quickly as possible.

The client’s FSSP Family Self Sufficiency Plan, documented on-line in the Case Management System, is a “living document.”  Each time the client completes a step, achieves a goal, changes their activities, or encounters a new situation the plan is updated to reflect new goals and activities.

The FSSP outlines the specific steps a client will take in order to achieve self-sufficiency. FSSP’s must be written collaboratively with the client. Each individual client must have their own plan; in a two client family each parent must have their own individual plan.

In the Work First track the FSSP is geared toward “work ready” clients who need a lower level of assistance returning to the workforce.

The FSSP Family Self Sufficiency Plan is required to be current, and signed by the client; and a signed copy must be in the hard file and documented in CMS Case Management System.

Example:  

Jared is a single father with viable work skills in the construction industry. He has been approved for ATAP Alaska Temporary Assistance Program assistance and referred to the “work services” track. Jared has never been on assistance before and has no idea what services might be available to him and his family. Jared has been looking for work and has reported that he is not working with any other outside agency other than job service. He has been in contact with the Carpenters Union  and has obtained a letter stating they have work for him provided he has the appropriate employment related transportation and gear needed for the job. Jared states he only needs rain gear and boots, minimal tools, vehicle insurance and his union dues paid in order to get back to work. The case manager provides Jared with the necessary support services and he enters the workforce within one month of receiving ATAP benefits. He is placed in post TA and the case manager continues to maintain contact with the client to ensure he has what he needs to successfully maintain his employment.

To ensure due diligence an FSSP Family Self Sufficiency Plan will include the following elements and considerations:

• The client’s employment goal(s) – a job that the client wants that will lead to self-sufficiency. An employment goal is always  a job, an employment goal can never be  “obtain wellness” or “stabilize housing”, these are not employment goals ;

• When the client expects to achieve self sufficiency once the FSSP is implemented;

• Intermediate goals which will lead to the client reaching their employment goal. Intermediate goals are objectives the client must achieve in order to reach their employment goal. Intermediate goals will  help the client to get, keep or advance at work, or reduce their family’s need for Temporary Assistance Benefits;

• All steps necessary that will lead to client’s achieving intermediate goals. For example: An intermediate goal could be “obtain wellness”, the step would include “attend all doctor appointments, follow recommendations”;

• All services necessary for client to engage in their FSSP activities (i.e. transportation needs met, child care, training, work clothing or tools, etc.)

• Projected completion or review dates which are a means to show incremental progress or benchmarks toward the client reaching their self sufficiency goal.

• Assessment of and action taken on needed client referrals;

• All FSSP employment goals, intermediate goals, and steps will be updated as needed; as client circumstances change the FSSP will be updated (i.e. change in household members, changes regarding transportation,   etc)

• Addendums will be used when activities are added to an already existing FSSP, if they start after the review date is established and will end before the review date occurs, and

• All FSSPs will be signed by the client with the signed copy being placed in the hard file.