State TANF and MOE Annual Reports

Administration for Children and Families

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Annual Report on TANF and State MOE Programs - 2004
Maryland

The following information is being provided in accordance with 45 CFR 265.9 based on instructions provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Program Instruction number TANF-ACF-PI-01-06. This report incorporates information gathered from Maryland’s Client Automated Resource and Eligibility System, Work Opportunities Management Information System, TANF State Plan and previously submitted fiscal reports. For Federal Fiscal Year 20043, the following information applied to the State of Maryland’s TANF program:

1. THE STATE’S DEFINITION OF EACH WORK ACTIVITY:

Unsubsidized Employment

This category includes full-time or part-time employment where the person's wages are not being subsidized with any government funds. Employment as a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, self-employment, and entry into a registered apprenticeship program are considered to be work activities falling into this category. The term "subsidized" does not include tax credits to which the employer may be entitled for employing the person.

Note:
- Local programs may count all hours of unsubsidized employment during each month in which the person is receiving assistance authorized under the section of the federal welfare reform legislation entitled Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families. This includes recipients of Temporary Cash Assistance, Welfare Avoidance Grants, and Emergency Assistance for Families with Children (federal requirement).

Subsidized Private Sector Employment

This category includes full-time or part-time employment in any private-for-profit or private-non-profit sector job where the person's wages are being subsidized with government funds, including work-study. An example of this type of activity is Grant Diversion, where part or all of the person's grant is diverted to reimburse the employer for some or all of the wages paid to the person. The term “subsidized” does not include tax credits to which the employer may be entitled for employing the person.

Subsidized Public Sector Employment

This category includes full-time or part-time employment in any public sector job where the person's wages are being subsidized with government funds, including work-study. An example of this type of activity is Grant Diversion, in which part or all of the person's grant is diverted to reimburse the employer for some or all of the wages paid to the person.

Work Experience

This category includes public or private sector work situations where the person has the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to perform a specific job broad array of jobs, including learning about appropriate work habits and behaviors. Typically, the person is not paid for participating in a work experience activity, although he or she may receive a needs-based payment to cover the incidental costs of participating.

On-the Job Training

This category involves training that is given to a person by an employer in the public or private sector. The training is provided while the person is engaged in productive work with the employer, and provides knowledge or skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the position into which he/she was hired. The person receives a wage from the employer, which is considered to be a training wage.

Notes:
- The program operator must enter into a contractual relationship with the OJT employer to specify the terms under which program funds will be used to reimburse the employer for providing training and supervision to the person (State requirement).

- Payments to an employer must not exceed an average of 50% of the training wages paid by the employer to the person during the period of training (State requirement).

Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance

This category includes a variety of activities aimed at assisting the person to locate unsubsidized employment as quickly as possible.

Job Search activities include instruction on the effective strategies that can be used by persons in seeking/obtaining their own jobs. Services include, but are not limited to, resume writing, interviewing skills, labor market information, telephone techniques, information on job openings, and job acquisition strategies, as well as the provision of office space and supplies for the job search.

Job Readiness Assistance includes instruction in career exploration, instruction on basic work place expectations and behaviors. Also, substance abuse treatment or other barrier removal activities can be considered to be a form of Job Readiness Assistance.
Note:
- Activities in the Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance category are limited by time. A person may participate in these types of activities for 6 weeks per year, of which only 4 weeks can be consecutive (federal requirement).

Community Service

This category includes any work that provides a benefit to the public and is not otherwise described in this list of activity categories. Generally, the person is not paid for his or her work; the person may be asked to locate his or her own community service position, or be placed in an existing position by the program operator.

Vocational Education

This category includes instruction in an institutional or work-site setting, designed to upgrade a person's technical skills and information required to perform a broad array of related jobs.

Note:
- A person may participate in Vocational Education activities for a maximum of 12 months (federal requirement).

- For any given month, persons engaged in this activity, plus teen parents (only) engaged in Education or Secondary Education (see below), may not constitute more than 20% 30% of the State's total number of countable participants reported for that month (federal requirement).

Child Care Services

This category involves child care provided by a person, for the child (or children) of another person who is participating in a Community Service activity, as defined above.

Note:
- Generally, the person is not paid for providing child care; if payment to the child care provider is made, the child care arrangements must meet the State's child care licensing regulations (State requirement).

Secondary Education/GED

This category includes educational instruction provided by a secondary school or an alternative educational program leading to achievement of a high school diploma or high school equivalency (e.g., GED).

Notes:
- Persons placed in this type of activity must not have received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency (federal requirement).

- Teen parents who participate in this activity may be determined by states to be Countable Participants, regardless of how many hours per week they participated and without first participating in a Core work activity, as long as the state considered their level of participation to be "satisfactory" (federal requirement). 80% attendance is considered satisfactory attendance.

- For any given month, teen parents engaged in this activity and in Education, plus all persons engaged in Vocational Education, may not constitute more than 20% 30% of the State's total number of countable participants reported for that month (federal requirement).

Education

This category includes education that is directly related to employment.

Notes:
- Persons placed in this type of activity must not have received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency (federal requirement).

- Education must be directly related to employment (federal requirement).

- Teen parents who participate in this activity may be determined by states to be Countable Participants, without first having had participated in a Core work activity (federal requirement).

- For any given month, teen parents (only) engaged in this activity and in Secondary Education, plus all persons engaged in Vocational Education, may not constitute more than 20% 30% of the State's total number of countable participants reported for that month (federal requirement).

- A person may participate in Education activities for a maximum of 12 months (State requirement).

- Hours spent by a person in this type of activity are only countable toward the State's participation rate after the person has participated in one of the "Core" work activities, activity categories numbered 1 - 9 above (federal requirement).

- State and/or federal funds provided to the program may not be used to pay for the education, unless the person is a teen parent. Persons are expected to obtain loans or grants if they need financial assistance. However, the State will offer the person child care assistance and other appropriate support services (State requirement).
Job Skills Training

This category includes training which is provided in an institutional or work-site setting and is designed to upgrade a person's technical skills and information required to perform a specific job.

Note:
- Job Skills Training must be directly related to employment (federal requirement).

- Hours spent by a person in this type of activity are only countable toward the State's participation rate after the person has participated in one of the "Core" work activities, those numbered 1 - 9 above (federal requirement).

Other Activities

This category includes any other activity that can not be reasonably identified as fitting into one of the federally recognized (previous) 12 categories. Please remember that if you use any Activity Code beginning with the letters OT, the hours spent by the person in that activity will not be counted in the calculation of the state’s two Participation Rates (All Families and Two-Parent Families rates). However, activities that are documented with OT* Activity Codes will be considered as State-defined activities when a local program’s compliance with the 24 Month Work Requirement is monitored.

The reserved OT codes listed below should be used to represent activities that fit the category definition. If an activity can not be reasonably identified as fitting into any of these reserved categories, the code OTH may be used (Other, Other), or the local program operator may create and use additional OT* codes in order to separately track that type of activity.

Reserved codes:

OTA – Caring for a family member
This subcategory of Other Activities has been reserved to document that the person is caring for a family member who is ill, incapacitated or for other reasons needs the in-home supervision and care. provided by the person.

OTC – Involved in the local conciliation process
This subcategory of Other Activities has been reserved to document that the person has failed to cooperate with the work or other TCA requirements and is involved in the local conciliation process.

OTF – Receiving help with a family problem
This subcategory of Other Activities has been reserved to document that the person is in the process of resolving a family problem that interferes with his/her participation in another activity. Examples of activities include receiving family counseling, legal help or financial counseling.

OTM – Receiving treatment for a medical/mental health problem
This subcategory of Other Activities has been reserved to document that the person is receiving medical or other appropriate treatment for an illness (physical or mental) or disabling condition that prevents him or her from participating in other activities.

OTZ – Single parent with a child under six (6) who is searching for appropriate child care
This subcategory of Other Activities has been reserved for use with a single parent who is caring for a child under 6 years of age and who has been unable to obtain needed child care for one or more of the following reasons:

- unavailability of appropriate child care within a reasonable distance from the individual’s home or work site;
- unavailability or unsuitability of informal child care by a relative or under other arrangements; or,
- unavailability of appropriate and affordable formal child care arrangements.

By federal law, the person described above is exempt from the Twenty-four Month Work Requirement during the period that appropriate child care is not available. However, DHR expects local departments to continue working with the person to obtain appropriate child-care. Such efforts should be documented using Activity Code OTZ.

Note:
If the activity of the person does not fit into any of the previously listed subcategories, the local departments may create additional variations of the OTH code by changing the third letter (e.g., OTS). Use of these additional Activity Codes will enable program operators to better identify the type of Other Activities in which persons participate. We recommend that the number of these other varied OT codes be limited and carefully defined so the subcategories created do not overlap with the subcategories already identified above.

2. A DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSITIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED TO FAMILIES NO LONGER RECEIVING ASSISTANCE DUE TO EMPLOYMENT:

As described in Maryland’s State TANF Plan on page 8– Families determined eligible for Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) benefits are eligible for Medical Assistance coverage. Working families who received TCA in at least 3 of the 6 months prior to case closing and become ineligible for a TCA benefit because of increased earned income are eligible to receive Medical Assistance for an additional 12 months. After 12 months of extended Medical Assistance, families may continue to be eligible for medical benefits through the Medical Assistance Program if they meet the eligibility requirements for that program. They may also receive coverage through the Maryland Child Health Insurance Program which has an extensive outreach campaign intended to inform former TCA customers, among others, of their potential eligibility.

Families are also eligible for child care assistance based on the caretaker relative's income, as long as the family has a child under age thirteen.

Many low-income working families are eligible for food stamps. Maryland issues 5 months of transitional food stamp benefits to most TANF recipients when their TCA case closes. Most families receive more food stamps than they received while on TCA. Transitional food stamps ease the recipient’s transition from welfare and bring federal dollars into the economy. After the transitional food stamp period, many families retain their food stamps but at a reduced level of benefits. Other low-income families are encouraged to apply for food stamp benefits. The Department of Human Resources’ Communication Office and Family Investment Administration take advantage of opportunities in the communities to build awareness of the support that medical assistance and food stamps can be to low-income families.

Many low-income working families are eligible for food stamps. Many families who leave TCA because of employment retain their food stamps but at a reduced level of benefits. Other low-income families are encouraged to apply for food stamp benefits. The Department of Human Resources’ Communication Office has embarked on an outreach campaign to build awareness of the support that medical assistance and food stamps can be to low-income families. As of January 1, 2003, Maryland began issuing 5 months of transitional food stamp benefits to most TANF recipients when their TCA case closes. Most families receive more food stamps than they received while on TCA. The State expects the transitional food stamps to ease the recipient’s transition from welfare and bring federal dollars into the economy.

Maryland also provides a State Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), part of which is refundable. Many former TCA customers are eligible to receive both the state and federal EITC which, when combined with moderate earnings, food stamps, child care assistance, medical assistance and child support, can help the family rise above the federal poverty level.

Local Departments of Social Services in Maryland also provide transitional assistance to families on an individual basis. This assistance can be in the form of transportation, clothing, funds for licensing fees or accreditation, tools, and other work supports. Certain local departments also provide job skills enhancement training, mentoring, job shadowing, intensive case management, employer/employee mediation, 24-hour job retention hotlines and counseling to employed low income families.

3. A DESCRIPTION OF HOW MARYLAND WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE PAYABLE TO A FAMILY WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL REFUSES TO ENGAGE IN WORK WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE PURSUANT TO SECTION 261.14:

As stipulated in Maryland’s TANF State Plan on page 8 – When an adult does not comply with program requirements, the entire assistance unit is ineligible. In the first instance of noncompliance, the FIP case manager investigates the reasons and helps the individual comply by sending a letter to schedule a conciliation conference, and following up through telephone or personal contact to the extent appropriate and feasible. In addition, the case manager works with the customer to help identify any exemptions or good cause reasons for noncompliance. The sanction is not imposed less than 30 days from the start of the conciliation process. There is no conciliation process for the second and subsequent instances of noncompliance; the customer has ten days to respond to the notice of adverse action.
For noncompliance with a work activity, TCA is resumed:

* Immediately upon compliance in the first instance of noncompliance,

* After 10 days of compliance with the work activity in the second instance or

* After 30 days of compliance with the work activity in any future instance.

4. PAYMENTS FOR CHILD CARE SERVICES MADE BY THE STATE THROUGH THE USE OF DISREGARDS:

Maryland can provide information regarding the number of TCA families and total child care deduction amounts. The information is as follows:

The total number of TCA families where a portion of earned income is disregarded due to out-of-pocket child care expenses – 409

The total disregarded amount for families where a portion of earned income is disregarded due to out-of-pocket child care expenses – $185,261

5. DESCRIPTION OF MARYLAND’S FAMILY VIOLENCE OPTION:

Beginning on November 1, 1996, applicants and recipients in Maryland were screened for potential family violence. Training is provided to staff statewide to help screen and identify families with a history of family violence. Since victims of family violence generally hide the situation, sample screening questions have been provided with ways to rephrase and integrate the questions throughout the interview. Family violence experts are in place in local departments of social services offices statewide.

Certain program requirements are waived for these families. In addition, good cause reasons for not meeting program requirements are in place to protect these fragile families. The team of case manager, family violence expert, social worker or counselor determines that the family could participate in a work activity.

Families who are victims of Family Violence and who are working with the family violence expert and the FIP case manager towards resolving the violence issues and removing barriers are served through a Separate State Program described in Maryland’s TANF State Plan and funded with 100% state funds.

The total number of families served through this option was 386 in FFY 2004.

6. A DESCRIPTION OF ANY NONRECURRENT, SHORT-TERM BENEFITS PROVIDED:

As described in Maryland’s TANF State Plan on pages 1 and 2 – Maryland provides the following programs for eligible families:

Welfare Avoidance Grants (WAG). A local department may offer a WAG to families with children according to criteria described in the local plan approved by the Maryland Department of Human Resources. A WAG is cash assistance in an amount up to three times the TCA grant for that family size, which is paid based on an agreement signed by the applicant or recipient and the local department. Any application for TCA is denied during the period covered by the WAG.

Emergency Assistance to Families with Children. Funds are allocated to local departments to meet emergencies for families with children under 21 years old according to local plans. The financial eligibility criteria for this component differ from the other components. The family is needy if they have an emergency situation as defined in the local plan, do not have income or liquid assets to meet that emergency, and the emergency is not the result of quitting a job. The State uses segregated federal TANF funds to operate this program. The local plans provide help to needy families that meet one or more of the four purposes of the TANF Act.

Burial Assistance (BA) – This State-funded program pays reasonable funeral expenses for deceased persons. A representative must file on the person’s behalf. The program provides assistance for persons who were TANF recipients, foster care children, Medical Assistance nursing home patients and TEMHA/TDAP recipients. The local department may also use BA funds to prepare and transport a deceased migrant worker’s body to the place of origin. The state will not issue BA to reimburse a representative or vendor for paid funeral expenses.

Medical Assistance Outreach. Maryland has instituted an extensive outreach campaign to inform citizens, especially former TCA customers, of their potential eligibility for Medical Assistance. This program pays medical bills of certain needy and low-income individuals. Coverage is automatically granted to persons receiving public assistance such as Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Cash Assistance and Foster Care. Low-income families, children, pregnant women, and aged, blind, or disabled adults may also qualify. Maryland’s automated eligibility system for TCA, food stamps and Medical Assistance ensures that families leaving TCA or denied TCA are automatically considered for Medicaid and Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP) eligibility.

7. A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCEDURES THE STATE HAS ESTABLISHED AND IS MAINTAINING TO RESOLVE DISPLACEMENT COMPLAINTS:

An employee who feels employment was lost due to displacement may initiate a grievance by presenting:

(1) The complaint to the local department in writing not later than 30 days after the:

(a) Alleged cause of the complaint, or
(b) Employee knew or should have known of the alleged cause of complaint; and
(2) Information to the local department in support of the allegation that the employee was displaced.

The local department shall:

(1) Schedule a conference with the employee, or with the employer and the employee, within 10 days after receipt of the complaint;

(2) Within 15 calendar days from the date of the conference with the employee:

(a) Determine whether displacement occurred and send written notice to the employee and employer of the local department decision; and
(b) Notify the employee and employer in writing that if either disagrees with the decision, either has a right to request a conference before the Welfare Displacement Review Panel which shall be comprised of:
(i) Two representatives from the Department of Human Resources (DHR)
(ii) One representative from the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR), and
(iii) Two public representatives appointed by the Secretary of Human Resources.

A written request under Subsection G (2) (b) of this regulation shall be filed with the Family Investment Administration not later than 15 days from the date of the local department decision.

The Welfare Displacement Review Panel shall:

(1) Hold a conference with the employer and the employee within 30 days of receipt of the request; and
(2) Within 30 days from the date of the conference;

(a) Render a decision upholding, reversing, or modifying the local department decision,
(b) Notify the employee, the employer, and the local department, in writing, of the panel'’s decision,
(c) Give to each employee and employer written notification that if either disagrees with the Welfare Displacement Review Panel'’s decision, each has a right to request a fair hearing in the same manner that a recipient would request a fair hearing under COMAR 07.03.11.

Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH).

(1) The OAH shall conduct the hearing in accordance with State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 2, Annotated Code of Maryland, COMAR 28.02.01.
(2) Notice of the hearing shall be sent to the parties at least 15 days before the hearing and shall advise the parties of the right to be represented by a lawyer or other person at the hearing.
(3) A party may examine the Department'’s record for the purpose of discovering information pertinent to the appeal, if information the Department is required to keep confidential is protected.
(4) A hearing is open the public.
(5) The employee bears the burden of proof.
(6) The administrative law judge shall:

(a) Determine whether displacement occurred;
(b) Issue the final administrative decision not later than 90 days after the date of the request for the hearing; and
(c) Send a copy of the decision to the parties and to the local department.

(7) The decision of the administrative law judge is:

(a) Binding on the local department; and
(b) Subject to review by the circuit court.

Upon final finding of displacement in the grievance process, the local department may:

(1) End the subsidy in the case of subsidized employment; and
(2) Remove the participant from work experience, on-the-job training, or community service.

8. A SUMMARY OF STATE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DIRECTED AT THE THIRD AND FOURTH STATUTORY PURPOSES OF TANF:

As described in Maryland’s TANF State Plan on pages 12 through 16 – Maryland has developed a broad array of services to families and children that are reasonably calculated to accomplish the third and fourth purposes of the TANF law.

Office of Work Opportunities Youth Operations’ Youth Service Program – The Youth Services Program is designed to deter youth from becoming TCA customers. The program provides opportunities for youth to look at careers and the world of work linked closely to the local labor market and youth development, such as leadership through volunteer community service and connections between academic and occupational learning.

Through this program, youth learn early in their development how to access workforce services and continue to use those services throughout their working lives. The goal is to promote motivation, performance and self-esteem of youth and to prevent teen pregnancies and develop career awareness including the necessary academic, technical and vocational skills to successfully transition into adulthood.

Governor’s Council on Adolescent Pregnancy – The Governor’s Council on Adolescent Pregnancy provides funding for initiatives throughout the state that focus on teen pregnancy prevention and/or intervention. The program’s main goal is to prevent adolescent pregnancies, which will at the same time prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock births. The program includes initiatives that provide parenting skills and promote responsible fatherhood. The program serves pre-adolescents, teenagers, parents, educators and counselors, according to specific program criteria.

Maryland’s Tomorrow – Maryland’s Tomorrow is a statewide dropout prevention program operating in 70 high schools across the State (all jurisdictions are covered) and 23 middle schools in nine jurisdictions. The purpose of the program is to prevent and reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies, improve self-esteem, attendance, school performance and promotion rate, and behavior of at-risk students in grades six through twelve. The program also motivates the students to succeed in high school, make wise career choices, and continue their education and training.

Case managers visit elementary schools and identify students who meet at least one of the following criteria (no monetary criteria):

* Low achievement on standardized tests
* Prior grade retention
* Poor attendance; or
* A GPA of less than 2.0

Programs are arranged during the summer between fifth and sixth grade. This approach is also used for eighth graders who are going into high school.

Local school systems can choose different approaches. Services can include after school tutoring and computer assisted instruction, daily help with homework, student-operated businesses, jobs in the school community, weekly service learning, wellness activities, rewards and incentives. Activities may involve families, businesses and communities.

Healthy Families – This program provides home visitation and on-site services to families such as parenting education, family planning, and employment services. The program’s main goal is to reduce subsequent out of wedlock pregnancies among participants through family planning counseling. The program serves youths over age sixteen who are expecting their first child and who receive TCA or grew up in a family that received TCA. Both parents must be involved in this program which is also designed to prevent intergenerational welfare dependency. This program provides non-assistance.

Safe and Stable Families – This program helps families by providing to protective services or potential protective services families: family support through projects such as parenting classes and after school programs and family preservation by counseling families in crisis. The program prevents or reduces out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

Family Support Center Network – Family Support Centers (FSCs) were developed to establish preventive supports for families during the early formative years and to encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. The FSCs are community-based programs that provide services to assist mothers and/or fathers with children age birth through 3, particularly those in high-risk communities, raise healthy children and build productive futures. Comprehensive services are provided either on-site or through referral, coordinating existing programs to benefit mothers and/or fathers and their children, and developing new resources to satisfy unmet needs. Services include parenting skills, outreach, peer support and recreational activities, infant and child stimulation, employability and literacy opportunities, health education and referral for services.

There are no income criteria required in order to participate in the FSC program, although a significant number of participants receive TCA. Others may need cash assistance, but choose not to receive TCA. There are also participants that are financially capable of attending to their basic daily living needs but need FSC services to enhance their parenting skills. The objective is to develop a cadre of services appropriate for each family. There are 27 FSCs in the network located in 19 counties across Maryland, with six FSCs located in Baltimore City.

Young Fathers Responsible Fathers Programs (YFRF) – One of six father-focused initiatives, YFRF programs provide services to custodial and non-custodial fathers such as parenting education, family planning, GED instruction, job training, employment-search assistance and self-esteem building. Seven sites in six counties and Baltimore City serve young fathers, age 16+, who have one or more children. The program’s main goal is to reduce subsequent out-of-wedlock pregnancies among participants through family planning counseling. Program objectives seek to increase parent-child interaction, emotional support, financial responsibility and the development of two parent families. YFRF programs also encourage co-parenting for non-custodial fathers. Although participation is voluntary, participants are required to comply with Child Support Enforcement, if not currently doing so.

Programs serve low-income fathers, initially unemployed. Income is verified at point of enrollment. The average household income of participants is below 200 percent of poverty. Though not a requirement of program enrollment, participant referrals are actively solicited from local departments of social services’ TCA and child support enforcement rolls.

Youthbuild Sandtown Program (YSP) – A subsidiary of Youthbuild USA, YSP serves at-risk, low-income West Baltimore Sandtown community youth, age 16-24, with a requirement that 25 percent of program participants must be female. Participants are school dropouts (75 percent), teenage parents, single parents, non-custodial fathers or juvenile offenders who are given a second chance. YSP trainees participate in a rigorous program that combines training in the construction industry, basic vocational education and leadership development.

The YSP partners include The Enterprise Foundation, AmeriCorps, Baltimore City Housing Authority, and Habitat for Humanity. Nationally, the Youthbuild program model has an 86 percent success rate with graduates going to college and into the labor force earning an average of $11 per hour. The purpose of the program is to enhance the motivation, performance and self-esteem of youth and is thus reasonably calculated to achieve the third goal of the TANF law, the reduction of out of wedlock pregnancies.

Child First Authority Extended School Day Programs (CFA) – CFA provides extended school day activities from 3-6 p.m. to 1,100 children of low income families in ten Baltimore City public elementary/middle schools where 98 percent of the schools’ student population is eligible for free or reduced lunch. The average household income of students receiving services from CSA is at or below 200 percent of poverty. Teachers and/or school principals in participating schools can refer a child to CFA, if the child is determined to be at risk of poor school performance or attendance. All parents of participating children must actively participate in nine hours of CFA sponsored training or activities each school year.

The extended school day enriches children’s lives and enables parents to work or attend school. CFA programs focus on safety, self-esteem, motivation, performance, character development and educational enrichment. CFA programs provide additional educational experiences by conducting sessions in art, music, dance, history, reading, writing and math. Many of the participating schools do not have arts activities as a part of their curriculum. CFA was chosen as one of nine successful initiatives nationally by the Anneberg Institute for School Reform. CFA partners include the Maryland Historical Society, Maryland Institute of Art, numerous faith organizations and parent volunteers. The purpose of the program is to enhance the motivation, performance and self-esteem of youth and is thus reasonably calculated to achieve the third goal of the TANF law, the reduction of out of wedlock pregnancies.

Baltimore City Public Schools After School Program – In an agreement between State and City officials, the Maryland After School Opportunity Fund Program was expanded for Baltimore City. As required by legislation, vendors chosen to operate the program must incorporate features that "will have a positive measurable impact on one or more of the conditions of well-being for Maryland children and youth identified by the Maryland Partnership for Children, Youth and Families.” The Maryland Partnership has developed results and indicators of child well being with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. One of the results and indicators is “Babies Born Healthy,” which includes a measure for “the rate of births to adolescents less than 18 years of age.”

The programs support the Baltimore City Public Schools' efforts to provide quality after school experiences for at risk students enrolled in the City's public schools. Programs are designed to help children succeed in school, increase positive and healthy behaviors and decrease negative behaviors such as juvenile crime, substance abuse and teen pregnancy. This program provides supervision and activities for children of many low-income families and is reasonably calculated to achieve the third goal of the TANF statute. This program provides non-assistance.

Maryland After School Opportunity Fund Program – Legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 1999 requires the Governor to fund the Maryland After School Opportunity Fund. The program will be statewide for school age children.

The legislation requires that vendors chosen to operate the program must incorporate features that “will have a positive measurable impact on one or more of the conditions of well-being for Maryland children and youth identified by the Maryland Partnership for Children, Youth and Families.” The Maryland Partnership has developed results and indicators of child well being with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. One of the results and indicators is “Babies Born Healthy,” which includes a measure for “the rate of births to adolescents less than 18 years of age.” Another is “Stable and Economically Self-Sufficient Families,” which includes a measure of “the percent of single parent households.” Therefore, this program is reasonably calculated to achieve purposes three and four of the TANF statute.
Youth Service Bureau – Youth Service Bureaus are community based, multi-service prevention programs serving youth and families. All YSBs are either incorporated non-profits with Boards of Directors or considered a part of local government and have advisory boards. The youth served are those at risk of becoming delinquent because of their behaviors and circumstances, and youth who committed minor delinquencies. Referrals are accepted from schools, parents, Department of Juvenile Justice, police, self, other agencies and friends. The purpose of the program is to enhance the motivation, performance and self-esteem of youth and is thus reasonably calculated to achieve the third goal of the TANF law, the reduction of out of wedlock pregnancies.

HotSpot Communities Initiative – The HotSpot Communities Initiative is a statewide crime reduction strategy that promotes locally based, comprehensive planning in high-crime at-risk neighborhoods for youth and adults. HotSpot Communities is based on strategies implemented by neighborhoods and nonprofit community advocate groups that are successful in collaborating and involving key community leaders in solving problems in the community. The purpose of developing HotSpot Communities is to develop locally based strategies to respond to the problems that interact at the neighborhood level and bring the justice system to the community as opposed to the community to the justice system. Many of the strategies include an after school program. These strategies are designed to enhance the motivation, performance and self-esteem of youth and are thus reasonably calculated to achieve the third goal of the TANF law, the reduction of out of wedlock pregnancies.

The overall goal for the Community HotSpot initiative is a 25 to 35 percent reduction in serious crime and quality-of-life improvements in HotSpot communities that implement a comprehensive strategy. Each HotSpot community surveys residents to measure whether there are improvements in the quality of life and changes in their sense of hopefulness and ability to make a difference. This program seeks to involve youth, as much as possible, in all phases of planning and implementation.

Consolidated Education Grant – The grant is administered through the school system to needy families through out Maryland and serves abused and neglected children, boys and girls who are parents, and disruptive youths. The program provides funding to local school systems to reduce and prevent child abuse, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and teen suicide for middle and high school students. The program does not have upper income or asset limit.

9. AN ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT:

In FFY 2004, 546 individuals participated in subsidized employment programs in Maryland. Of these, 73 were employed in private sector jobs and 473 were employed in public sector jobs.

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This is a Historical Document.