New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: November, 1994

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

New and Pending Demonstration Project Proposals Submitted

Pursuant to Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act: November, 1994

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice lists new proposals for welfare reform and

combined welfare reform/Medicaid demonstration projects submitted to

the Department of Health and Human Services during the month of

November, 1994. Federal approval for the proposals has been requested

pursuant to section 1115 of the Social Security Act. This notice also

lists proposals that were previously submitted and are still pending a

decision and projects that have been approved since September 27, 1994.

The Health Care Financing Administration is publishing a separate

notice for Medicaid only demonstration projects.

COMMENTS: We will accept written comments on these proposals. We will,

if feasible, acknowledge receipt of all comments, but we will not

provide written responses to comments. We will, however, neither

approve nor disapprove any new proposal for at least 30 days after the

date of this notice to allow time to receive and consider comments.

Direct comments as indicated below.

ADDRESSES: For specific information or questions on the content of a

project contact the State contact listed for that project.

Requests for copies of a project or comments on the project should

be addressed to: Howard Rolston, Administration for Children and

Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Aerospace Building, 7th Floor

West, Washington DC 20447, Fax: (202) 205-3598 Phone: (202) 401-9220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act (the Act), the

Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) may approve research and

demonstration project proposals with a broad range of policy

objectives.

In exercising her discretionary authority, the Secretary has

developed a number of policies and procedures for reviewing proposals.

On September 27, 1994, we published a notice in the Federal Register

(59 FR 49249) that specified (1) the principles that we ordinarily will

consider when approving or disapproving demonstration projects under

the authority in section 1115(a) of the Act; (2) the procedures we

expect States to use in involving the public in the development of

proposed demonstration projects under section 1115; and (3) the

procedures we ordinarily will follow in reviewing demonstration

proposals. We are committed to a thorough and expeditious review of

State requests to conduct such demonstrations.

II. Listing of New and Pending Proposals for the Month of November,

1994

As part of our procedures, we are publishing a monthly notice in

the Federal Register of all new and pending proposals. This notice

contains proposals for the month of November 1994.

Waiver Title: Arizona--Employing and Moving People Off Welfare and

Encouraging Responsibility Program

Description: Would not increase benefits for additional children

conceived while receiving AFDC; limit benefits to adults to 24 months

in any 60 month period; allow recipients to deposit up to $200/month

(with 50% disregarded) in Individual Development Accounts; require

minor mothers to live with parents; extend Transitional Child Care and

Medicaid to 24 months and eliminate the 100-hour rule for AFDC-U cases.

Also, in a pilot site, would provide individuals with short-term

subsidized public or private OJT subsidized by grant diversion which

includes cashing-out Food Stamps.

Date Received: 8/3/94.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Gail A. Parin, (602) 542-4702.

Waiver Title: California--Work Pays Demonstration Project

(Amendment).

Description: Would amend Work Pays Demonstration Project by adding

provisions to: reduce benefit levels by 10% (but retaining the need

level); reduce benefits an additional 15% after 6 months on assistance

for cases with an able-bodied adult; time-limit assistance to able-

bodied adults to 24 months, and not increase benefits for children

conceived while receiving AFDC.

Date Received: 3/14/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Glen Brooks, (916) 657-3291.

Waiver Title: California--Assistance Payments Demonstration Project

(Amendment).

Description: Would amend the Assistance Payments Demonstration

Project by: exempting certain categories of AFDC families from the

State's benefit cuts; paying the exempt cases based on grant levels in

effect in California on November 1, 1992; and renewing the waiver of

the Medicaid maintenance of effort provision at section 1902(c)(1) of

the Social Security Act, which was vacated by the Ninth Circuit Court

of Appeals in its decision in Beno v. Shalala.

Date Received: 8/26/94.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Michael C. Genest, (916) 657-3546.

Waiver Title: California--Work Pays Demonstration Project

(Amendment).

Description: Would amend Work Pays Demonstration Project by adding

provisions to not increasing AFDC benefits to families for additional

children conceived while receiving AFDC.

Date Received: 11/9/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Eloise Anderson, (916) 657-2598.

Waiver Title: California--AFDC and Food Stamp Compatibility

Demonstration Project.

Description: Would make AFDC and Food Stamp policy more compatible

by making AFDC households categorically eligible for Food Stamps;

allowing recipients to deduct 40 percent of self-employment income in

reporting monthly income; disregarding $100 per quarter in non-

recurring gifts and irregular/infrequent income; disregarding

undergraduate student assistance and work study income if payments are

based on need; reinstating food stamp benefits discontinued for failure

to file a monthly report when good cause is found for the failure; and

simplifying vehicle valuation methodology.

Date Received: 5/23/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Michael C. Genest, (916) 657-3546.

Waiver Title: Georgia--Work for Welfare Project.

Description: Work for Welfare Project. In 10 pilot counties would

require every non-exempt recipient and non-supporting parent to work up

to 20 hours per month in a state, local government, federal agency or

nonprofit organization; extends job search; and increases sanctions for

JOBS noncompliance. On a statewide basis, would increase the automobile

exemption to $4,500 and disregard earned income of children who are

full-time students.

Date Received: 6/30/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Nancy Meszaros, (404) 657-3608.

Waiver Title: Indiana--Manpower, Placement and Comprehensive

Training Program.

Description: Would limit AFDC benefits to 24 months for ``jobs-

ready'' individuals assigned to a placement track; provide preferential

treatment in other Federal assistance programs during the time limit;

freeze AFDC benefits at initial payment level for the 24 months and

Food Stamp benefits for 6 months after initial employment; not increase

AFDC benefits for birth of additional children; make development of

personal responsibility agreement and cooperation with self-sufficiency

plan a condition of eligibility; deny eligibility to: applicants who

quit employment without cause within the prior 6 months, individuals

convicted of welfare fraud, and parents who obtain physical custody of

children for sole purpose of obtaining AFDC eligibility; extend grant

diversion to up to 24 months and allow its use for child care and

training and development projects; eliminate 100-hours of work rule for

AFDC-UP; require children to attend school and be immunized; increase

resource limit to $1500; extend transitional child care to 18 months;

provide only one-time JOBS exemption for care of child under 3 years of

age; eliminate JOBS participation rate and target group expenditure

requirements; impose minimum JOBS/E&T sanction of two month AFDC/Food

Stamp ineligibility; eliminate JOBS exemption for VISTA volunteers,

recipients living in rural/hard to access areas, and those employed 30

or more hours per week; extend post-employment support services,

including case management; require minors to live with responsible

adult; require that Food Stamp program fair hearing requests be in

writing; enact other changes making AFDC and Food Stamp eligibility and

JOBS/E&T compliance rules compatible and allowing eligibility and

program services to be administered differently in accordance to

community needs.

Date Received: 6/21/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: James M. Hmurovich, (317) 232-4704.

Waiver Title: Kansas--Actively Creating Tomorrow for Families

Demonstration.

Description: Would, after 30 months of participation in JOBS, make

adults ineligible for AFDC for 3 years; replace $30 and 1/3 income

disregard with continuous 40% disregard; disregard lump sum income and

income and resources of children in school; count income and resources

of family members who receive SSI; exempt one vehicle without regard

for equity value if used to produce income; allow only half AFDC

benefit increase for births of a second child to families where the

parent is not working and eliminate increase for the birth of any child

if families already have at least two children; eliminate 100-hour rule

and work history requirements for UP cases; expand AFDC eligibility to

pregnant women in 1st and 2nd trimesters; extend Medicaid transitional

benefits to 24 months; eliminate various JOBS requirements, including

those related to target groups, participation rate of UP cases and the

20-hour work requirement limit for parents with children under 6;

require school attendance; require minors in AFDC and NPA Food Stamps

cases to live with a guardian; make work requirements and penalties in

the AFDC and Food Stamp programs more uniform; and increase sanctions

for not cooperating with child support enforcement activities.

Date Received: 7/26/94.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Faith Spencer (913) 296-0775.

Waiver Title: Maine--Project Opportunity.

Description: Increase participation in Work Supplementation to 18

months; use Work Supplementation for any opening; use diverted grant

funds for vouchers for education, training or support services; and

extend transitional Medicaid and child care to 24 months.

Date Received: 8/5/94.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Susan L. Dustin (207) 287-3106.

Welfare Title: Maryland--Welfare Reform Project.

Description: Statewide, eliminate increased AFDC benefit for

additional children conceived while receiving AFDC and require minor

parents to reside with a guardian. In pilot site, require able-bodied

recipients to do community service work after 18 months of AFDC

receipt; impose full-family sanction on cases where JOBS non-exempt

parent fails to comply with JOBS for 9 months; eliminate 100-hour rule

and work history requirements for AFDC-UP cases; increase both auto and

resource limits to $5000; disregard income of dependent children;

provide one-time payment in lieu of ongoing assistance; require teens

parent to continue education and attend family health and parenting

classes; extend JOBS services to unemployed non-custodial parents; and

for work supplementation cases cash-out food stamps.

Date Received: 3/1/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Katherine L. Cook (410) 333-0700.

Waiver Title: Massachusetts--Employment Support Program.

Description: Would end cash assistance to most AFDC families,

requiring recipients who could not find full-time unsubsidized

employment after 60 days of AFDC receipt to do community service and

job search to earn a cash ``subsidy'' that would make family income

equal to the applicable payment standard; provide direct distribution

of child support collections to, and cash-out food stamps for, those

who obtain jobs; continue child care for working families as long as

they are income-eligible (but requiring sliding scale co-payment);

restrict JOBS education and training services to those working at least

25 hours per week; extend transitional Medicaid for a total of 24

months; and require teen parents to live with guardian or in a

supportive living arrangement and attend school.

Date Received: 3/22/94.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Joseph Gallant (617) 727-9173.

Waiver Title: Mississippi--A New Direction Demonstration Program.

Description: Two work programs would be implemented in different

locales, one of which would expand earned income disregards, and the

other would emphasize work supplementation. Statewide, would eliminate

increased AFDC benefit for additional children conceived while

receiving AFDC, require school attendance and immunizations, and

implement other provisions.

Date Received: 12/10/93.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Larry Temple (703) 538-2440.

Waiver Title: Missouri--Families Mutual Responsibility Plan.

Description: Require minor parents in live at home or in other

adult-supervised setting; disregard parental income of minor parents if

less than 100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines; disregard earnings of

minor parents if they are students; provide option to standard filing

unit requirements for households with minor parents; eliminate work

history and 100-hour rule for two-parent families under 21 yrs old;

exclude the value of one automobile.

Date Received: 8/15/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Greg Vadner (314) 751-3124.

Waiver Title: Montana--Achieving Independence for Montanans.

Description: Would establish: (1) Job Supplement Program consisting

of a set of AFDC-related benefits to assist individuals at risk of

becoming dependent upon welfare; (2) AFDC Pathways Program in which all

applicants must enter into a Family Investment Contract and adults'

benefits would be limited to a maximum of 24 months for single parents

and 18 months for AFDC-UP families; and (3) Community Services Program

requiring 20 hours per week for individuals who reach the AFDC time

limit but have not achieved self-sufficiency. The office culture would

also be altered in conjunction with a program offering a variety of

components and services; and simplify/unify AFDC and Food Stamp intake/

eligibility process by: (1) Eliminating AFDC deprivation requirement

and monthly reporting and Food Stamp retrospective budgeting; (2)

unifying program requirements; (3) simplifying current income disregard

policies. Specific provisions provide for cashing out food stamps,

expanding eligibility for two-parent cases, increasing earned income

and child care disregards and resource limits, and extending

transitional child care.

Date Received: 4/19/94.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Penny Robbe (406) 444-1917.

Waiver Title: Nebraska--Welfare Reform Waiver Demonstration.'

Description: Would assign recipients with mental, emotional or

physical barriers to self-sufficiency or who do not have parental

responsibility for the children to a Non-Time-Limited Program and

require all other recipients to choose either a Time-Limited, High

Disregards Program or a Time-Limited, Alternative Benefit Program.

Under all three programs would eliminate increase in benefits for birth

of children conceived while receiving AFDC; raise resource limits to

$5,000 and exclude the value of one vehicle; require school attendance;

deem, to the family, income of parents living with a minor parent in

excess of 300% of the poverty level, but where minor parent lives

independently, secure support from the minor's parents. Under the Time-

Limited, High Disregards Program, would provide cash assistance for a

total of 24 months during a 48 month period (with provisions for

certain exemptions and extensions); cash-out Food Stamps; reduce AFDC

payments, but replace earned income disregards with a disregard of 60%

of earned income; require all adult wage earners to participate in

educational job skills training, work experience, intensive job search,

or employment; make employment a JOBS component, but only for a job

deemed to lead to self-sufficiency; extend job search requirements;

require both parents in two-parent families to participate in JOBS;

impose first JOBS sanction for a least one month, the second for at

least 90 days and the third permanently; extend transitional Medicaid

and child care to 24 months; eliminate 100 hour rule and work place

attachment requirements for AFDC-UP cases. Under the Time Limited,

Alternative Benefit Program the same provisions would apply except that

recipients of this program would have somewhat higher benefits, but

with the current earned income disregards.

Date Received: 10/4/94.

Type: Combined AFDC/Medicaid.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Dan Cillessen, (402) 471-9270.

Waiver Title: New Hampshire--Earned Income Disregard Demonstration

Project.

Description: AFDC applicants and recipients would have the $200

plus \1/2\ the remaining earned income disregarded.

Date Received: 9/20/93.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Avis L. Crane, (603) 271-4255.

Waiver Title: New Mexico--Untitled Project.

Description: Would increase vehicle asset limit to $4500; disregard

earned income of students; develop an AFDC Intentional Program

Violation procedure identical to Food Stamps; and allow one individual

to sign declaration of citizenship for entire case.

Date Received: 7/7/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Scott Chamberlin, (505) 827-7254.

Waiver Title: North Dakota--Training, Education, Employment and

Management Project.

Description: Would require families to develop a social contract

specifying time-limit for becoming self-sufficient; combine AFDC, Food

Stamps and LIHEAP into single cash payment with simplified uniform

income, expense and resource exclusions; increase income disregards and

exempt stepparent's income for six months; increase resource limit to

$5000 for one recipient and $8000 for families with two or more

recipients; exempt value of one vehicle; eliminate 100-hour rule for

AFDC-UP; impose a progressive sanction for non-cooperation in JOBS or

with child support; require a minimum of 32 hours of paid employment

and non-paid work; require participation in EPSDT; and eliminate child

support pass-through.

Date Received: 9/9/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Kevin Iverson, (701) 224-2729.

Waiver Title: Ohio--A State of Opportunity Project.

Description: Three demonstration components proposed would test

provisions which: divert AFDC and Food Stamp benefits to a wage pool to

supplement wages of at least $8/hour; eliminate 100-hour rule for UP

cases; provide fill-the-gap budgeting for 12 months from month of

employment; increase child support pass-through to $75; provide a one-

time bonus of $150 for paternity establishment; provide an additional 6

months of transitional child care; increase automobile asset limit to

$4500 equity value; require regular school attendance by 6 to 19 year

olds; continue current LEAP demo waivers (i.e., eliminate many JOBS

exemptions and provide incentive payments and sanctions); and disregard

JTPA earnings without time limit.

Date Received: 5/28/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Joel Rabb, (614) 466-3196.

Waiver Title: Oklahoma--Mutual Agreement, A Plan for Success.

Description: Oklahoma Five pilot demonstrations would test

provisions which: (1) Eliminate 100-hour rule for UP cases; (2)

increase auto asset level to $5000; (3) time-limit AFDC receipt to

cases with non-exempt JOBS participants to 36 cumulative months in a 60

month period followed by mandatory workfare program; (4) provide

intensive case management; and (5) apply fill-the-gap budgeting.

Date Received: 2/24/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Raymond Haddock, (405) 521-3076.

Waiver Title: Oregon--Expansion of the Transitional Child Care

Program.

Description: Provide transitional child care benefits without

regard to months of prior receipt of AFDC and provide benefits for 24

months.

Dated Received: 8/8/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Jim Neely, (503) 945-5607.

Waiver Title: Oregon--Increased AFDC Motor Vehicle Limit.

Description: Would increase automobile asset limit to $9000.

Dated Received: 11/12/93.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Jim Neely, (503) 945-5607.

Waiver Title: Pennsylvania--School Attendance Improvement Program.

Description: In 7 sites, would require school attendance as

condition of eligibility.

Dated Received: 9/12/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Patricia H. O'Neal, (717) 787-4081.

Waiver Title: South Carolina--Self-Sufficiency and Parental

Responsibility Program.

Description: In pilot sites, would increase earned income

disregards; disregard earned income of children, interest, dividends,

and payments by the Employment Security Commission or DOD, and allow

stepparents same earnings disregard as recipients; relax parental

deprivation requirements for AFDC-U cases; disregard the cash value of

one vehicle and life insurance and increase resource limit to $3000;

and require participants to comply with individualized, time-limited,

self-sufficiency plan as a condition of welfare receipt, placing

recipients in public or private work experience if an unsubsidized job

is not found.

Dated Received: 6/13/94.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Linda Martin, (803) 737-6010.

Waiver Title: Washington--Success Through Employment Program.

Description: Eliminate 100-hour rule and work history requirements

for AFDC-UP cases and subtract client earnings from 55 percent of the

State need standard rather than the payment standard.

Dated Received: 11/16/93.

Type: AFDC.

Current Status: Pending.

Contact Person: Laurel Evans, (206) 438-8268.

III. Listing of Approved Proposals Since September 27, 1994

Waiver Title: Michigan--To Strengthen Michigan Families.

Contact Person: Daniel Cleary, (517) 335-0015.

Waiver Title: New York--New York's Welfare Reform Agenda: A Jobs

First Strategy.

Contact Person: Diane Bailargeon, (518) 474-9475.

Waiver Title: Pennsylvania--Pathways to Independence.

Contact Person: Patricia H. O'Neal, (717) 787-4081.

IV. Requests for Copies of a Proposal

Requests for copies of an AFDC or combined AFDC/Medicaid proposal

should be directed to the Administration for Children and Families

(ACF) at the address listed above. Questions concerning the content of

a proposal should be directed to the State contact listed for the

proposal.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program, No. 93562;

Assistance Payments--Research.)

Dated: December 1, 1994.

Howard Rolston,

Director, Office of Policy and Evaluation.

[FR Doc. 94-30123 Filed 12-7-94; 8:45 am]

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