SB 224 - This act requires the Department of Social Services to apply for a waiver and any necessary state plan amendments to implement work and community engagement requirements for certain MO HealthNet participants by January 1, 2022. Participants ages 19 to 64 shall complete at least 80 hours a month of any combination of specified work, education, job search, child care, and volunteer services. The Department shall provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, who are not otherwise exempt from the work and community engagement requirements under this act, to ensure that the participants are able to comply with the requirements, including exemptions, modifications of hours, and the provision of necessary support services. MO HealthNet participants who shall not be required to comply with the provisions of this act include: (1) those under 19 and over 64; (2) those who are medically frail, as defined in the act, including those with certain disabilities; (3) those who are pregnant or caring for a child under one year of age; (4) those who are primary caregivers of a dependent child under the age of six or a dependent adult; and (5) those who are also participants of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and are exempt from work requirements under those programs. The Department may permit further exemptions in areas of high unemployment, limited economies or educational opportunities, lack of public transportation, or for good cause, as defined in this act.
This act is substantially similar to SJR 32 (2020), SCS/SB 76 (2019), and SCS/SB 948 (2018) and similar to HCS/HB 1856 (2018).
SARAH HASKINS