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| Public Act 099-0746 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning public aid.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by | ||||
changing Section 9A-8 as follows:
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(305 ILCS 5/9A-8) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-8)
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Sec. 9A-8. Operation of Program.
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(a) At the time of application or redetermination of | ||||
eligibility under
Article IV, as determined by rule, the | ||||
Illinois Department shall provide
information in writing and | ||||
orally regarding the education, training and
employment | ||||
program to all applicants and recipients. The information
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required shall be established by rule and shall include, but | ||||
need not be
limited to:
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(1) education (including literacy training), | ||||
employment and training
opportunities available, the | ||||
criteria for approval of those opportunities,
and the right | ||||
to request changes in the personal responsibility and
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services plan to include those opportunities;
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(1.1) a complete list of all activities that are | ||||
approvable activities, and
the circumstances under which | ||||
they are
approvable, including work activities, substance | ||||
abuse or mental health
treatment, activities to escape and | ||||
prevent domestic
violence, caring for a medically impaired | ||
family member, and any other
approvable activities, | ||
together with the right to and
procedures for amending the | ||
responsibility and services plan to include these
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activities;
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(1.2) the rules concerning the lifetime limit on | ||
eligibility, including
the current status of the applicant | ||
or recipient in
terms of the months of remaining | ||
eligibility, the criteria under which a month
will not | ||
count towards the lifetime limit, and the
criteria under | ||
which a recipient may receive benefits beyond the end of | ||
the
lifetime limit;
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(2) supportive services including child care
and the | ||
rules regarding eligibility for and access to the child
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care assistance program, transportation, initial expenses | ||
of employment, job
retention, books and fees, and any other | ||
supportive
services;
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(3) the obligation of the Department to provide | ||
supportive services;
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(4) the rights and responsibilities of participants, | ||
including
exemption, sanction, reconciliation, and good | ||
cause criteria and
procedures, termination for | ||
non-cooperation
and reinstatement rules and procedures, | ||
and appeal and grievance procedures;
and
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(5) the types and locations of child care services.
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(b) The Illinois
Department shall notify the recipient in | ||
writing of the opportunity to
volunteer to participate in the | ||
program.
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(c) (Blank).
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(d) As part of the personal plan for achieving employment | ||
and
self-sufficiency, the Department shall conduct an | ||
individualized assessment
of
the
participant's employability. | ||
No participant may be assigned to any
component of the | ||
education, training and employment activity
prior to such
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assessment. The plan shall
include collection of
information
on | ||
the individual's background, proficiencies, skills | ||
deficiencies,
education level, work history, employment goals, | ||
interests, aptitudes, and
employment preferences, as well as | ||
factors affecting employability or
ability to meet | ||
participation requirements (e.g., health, physical or
mental | ||
limitations, child care, family circumstances, domestic | ||
violence, sexual violence,
substance abuse, and special needs | ||
of any child of the individual). As part
of the plan,
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individuals and Department staff shall work together to | ||
identify any
supportive service needs required to enable the | ||
client to participate and
meet the objectives of his or her | ||
employability plan. The
assessment may be conducted through | ||
various methods such as interviews,
testing, counseling, and | ||
self-assessment instruments. In the
assessment process, the | ||
Department shall offer to include standard
literacy testing
and | ||
a determination of
English language proficiency and shall | ||
provide it for those who accept the
offer.
Based on the | ||
assessment,
the
individual will be assigned to the appropriate | ||
activity. The
decision will be based on a determination of the | ||
individual's level of
preparation for employment as defined by | ||
rule.
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(e) Recipients determined to be exempt may volunteer to | ||
participate
pursuant to Section 9A-4 and must be assessed.
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(f) As part of the personal plan for achieving employment | ||
and
self-sufficiency under Section 4-1, an employability plan | ||
for recipients
shall be
developed in
consultation with the | ||
participant. The Department shall have final
responsibility | ||
for approving the employability plan. The employability
plan | ||
shall:
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(1) contain an employment goal of the participant;
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(2) describe the services to be provided by the | ||
Department, including
child care and other support | ||
services;
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(3) describe the activities, such as component | ||
assignment, that will be
undertaken by the participant to | ||
achieve the employment goal. The Department shall treat | ||
participation in high school and high school equivalency | ||
programs as a core activity and count participation in high | ||
school and high school equivalency programs toward the | ||
first 20 hours per week of participation. The Department | ||
shall approve participation in high school or high school | ||
equivalency programs upon written or oral request of the | ||
participant if he or she has not already earned a high | ||
school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate. | ||
However, participation in high school or high school | ||
equivalency programs may be delayed as part of an | ||
applicant's or recipient's personal plan for achieving | ||
employment and self-sufficiency if it is determined that | ||
the benefit from participating in another activity, such | ||
as, but not limited to, treatment for substance abuse or an | ||
English proficiency program, would be greater to the | ||
applicant or recipient than participation in high school or | ||
a high school equivalency program. The availability of high | ||
school and high school equivalency programs may also delay | ||
enrollment in those programs. The Department shall treat | ||
such activities as a core activity as long as satisfactory | ||
progress is made, as determined by the high school or high | ||
school equivalency program. Proof of satisfactory progress | ||
shall be provided by the participant or the school at the | ||
end of each academic term; and
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(4) describe any other needs of the family that might | ||
be met by
the Department.
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(g) The employability plan shall take into account:
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(1) available program resources;
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(2) the participant's support service needs;
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(3) the participant's skills level and aptitudes;
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(4) local employment opportunities; and
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(5) the preferences of the
participant.
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(h) A reassessment shall be conducted to assess a | ||
participant's
progress and to review the employability plan on | ||
the following occasions:
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(1) upon completion of an activity and before
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assignment to an activity;
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(2) upon the request of the participant;
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(3) if the individual is not cooperating with the | ||
requirements of
the program; and
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(4) if the individual has failed to make satisfactory | ||
progress in an
education or training program.
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Based on the reassessment, the Department may revise the | ||
employability
plan of the participant.
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(Source: P.A. 96-866, eff. 7-1-10.)
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