Cash assistance program.

Cash assistance families include any families receiving cash assistance payments from the state program for temporary assistance for needy families as defined in federal law, whether such funds are from federal funds, state funds, or commingled federal and state funds. Cash assistance families may also include families receiving cash assistance through a program defined as a separate state program.

(1) For reporting purposes, families receiving cash assistance shall be grouped into the following categories. The department may develop additional groupings in order to comply with federal reporting requirements, to comply with the data-reporting needs of the state board as defined in s. 445.002, or to better inform the public of program progress.

(a) Work-eligible cases.—Work-eligible cases shall include:

1. Families containing an adult or a teen head of household, as defined by federal law. These cases are generally subject to the work activity requirements provided in s. 445.024 and the time limitations on benefits provided in s. 414.105.

2. Families with a parent where the parent’s needs have been removed from the case due to sanction or disqualification shall be considered work-eligible cases to the extent that such cases are considered in the calculation of federal participation rates or would be counted in such calculation in future months.

3. Families participating in transition assistance programs.

4. Families otherwise eligible for temporary cash assistance which receive diversion services, a severance payment, or participate in the relocation program.

(b) Child-only cases.—Child-only cases include cases that do not have an adult or teen head of household as defined in federal law. Such cases include:

1. Children in the care of caretaker relatives, if the caretaker relatives choose to have their needs excluded in the calculation of the amount of cash assistance.

2. Families in the Relative Caregiver Program as provided in s. 39.5085.

3. Families in which the only parent in a single-parent family or both parents in a two-parent family receive supplemental security income (SSI) benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended. To the extent permitted by federal law, individuals receiving SSI shall be excluded as household members in determining the amount of cash assistance, and such cases shall not be considered families containing an adult. Parents or caretaker relatives who are excluded from the cash assistance group due to receipt of SSI may choose to participate in work activities. An individual whose ability to participate in work activities is limited who volunteers to participate in work activities shall be assigned to work activities consistent with such limitations. An individual who volunteers to participate in a work activity may receive child care or support services consistent with such participation.

4. Families in which the only parent in a single-parent family or both parents in a two-parent family are not eligible for cash assistance due to immigration status or other limitation of federal law. To the extent required by federal law, such cases shall not be considered families containing an adult.

5. To the extent permitted by federal law and subject to appropriations, difficult-to-place children who have been adopted pursuant to s. 409.166 and whose adopting family qualifies as a needy family under the state program for temporary assistance for needy families. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in s. 414.075, s. 414.085, or s. 414.095, a family shall be considered a needy family if:

a. The family is determined by the department to have an income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level;

b. The family meets the requirements of s. 414.095(2) and (3) related to residence, citizenship, or eligible noncitizen status; and

c. The family provides any information that may be necessary to meet federal reporting requirements specified under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act.

6. Families in the Guardianship Assistance Program as provided in s. 39.6225.

Families described in subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., or subparagraph 3. may receive child care assistance or other supports or services so that the children may continue to be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives. Such assistance or services may be funded from the temporary assistance for needy families block grant to the extent permitted under federal law and to the extent funds have been provided in the General Appropriations Act.

(2) Oversight by the state board as defined in s. 445.002 and the service delivery and financial planning responsibilities of the local workforce development boards apply to the families defined as work-eligible cases in paragraph (1)(a). The department shall be responsible for program administration related to families in groups defined in paragraph (1)(b), and the department shall coordinate such administration with the state board to the extent needed for operation of the program.