Section 144-607-15 - REDUCTION OF ASPIRE-TANF SERVICES WHEN FUNDING IS INADEQUATESummary: This Section sets forth procedures for reduction of ASPIRE-TANF services when it is determined by OFI that funding is inadequate to continue to maintain existing levels of services.
I.GENERAL PROVISIONSA. When State and/or Federal funding for the ASPIRE-TANF program is inadequate to maintain existing levels of service, service reduction will occur. Service reduction will be as equitable as possible and will apply statewide. Service reduction will apply if a participant is being served directly by OFI or by an agency contracting with OFI.B. ASPIRE-TANF will provide services as funding and staff distribution permits on a statewide basis to include both the major urban municipalities and rural areas.II.SERVICE REDUCTION DUE TO FUNDING INADEQUACYWhen OFI determines that there is a funding shortage which results in the need to reduce services, the following steps will be taken in the following order, depending on the severity of the funding shortage:
1. All Family Contract Amendments will be honored to their completion date. No new ASPIRE-TANF participants will be enrolled until the completion of existing Family Contract Amendments is assured.2. Procedures in Step 1 will apply. In addition, no new Family Contract Amendment will be written for voluntary summer courses which can be taken during the regular academic year.3. Procedures in Step 1 and 2 will apply. In addition, no new Family Contract Amendments will be written for the following pre-training activities: job-readiness training; employability counseling; and job readiness/personal responsibility training with the exception of programs for teen parents.4. Procedures for Steps 1, 2, and 3 will apply. In addition, no new Family Contract Amendments will be written for the following pre-training activities: high school diploma programs; high school equivalency programs; and remedial education programs, with the exception of programs for teen parents. 5. Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 will apply. In addition, in descending order, no new Family Contract Amendments will be written for the following types of education and training programs: a. Programs which will require up to two years for the participant to complete.b. All pre-training programs for teen parents except high school completion.6. In the event of severe funding inadequacy, in which the above steps are not sufficient, all Family Contract Amendments will be immediately terminated.10- 144 C.M.R. ch. 607, § 15