SB 330 - This act shall be known as the "Missouri Work and Self-Reliance Plan". The Missouri Work and Self-Reliance Commission is created to develop and implement a comprehensive state policy to guide the use of employment, public assistance, training, education and economic development funds and other resources toward defined state economic and employment goals.
The Director of the Department of Social Services shall enter into and administer a cooperative agreement with the Directors of the Departments of Corrections, Economic Development, Elementary and Secondary Education, Health, Labor and Industrial Relations, Mental Health and Transportation to form the commission. Also serving on the Commission will be a non-governmental member of the Missouri Family Investment Trust, the Missouri Training and Employment Council and the Missouri Welfare Reform Coordinating Committee.
The Commission shall administer three funds, the Emergency Intervention Fund, the Community Revitalization and Job Creation Fund and the Family Investment Trust Fund.
The Emergency Intervention Fund shall include all unencumbered balances from the general relief fund, moneys appropriated by the General Assembly and any private donations, grants or in-kind services. The fund shall be used to eliminate barriers to accepting employment and to assist individuals in remaining in the work place. Money in the fund shall first be spent on providing emergency intervention services such as child care, transportation and work-related expense payments. Any funds remaining may be spent on temporary intervention payments to families and individuals and temporary assistance to needy and medically unemployable adults who can't qualify for other assistance programs.
The Community Revitalization and Job Creation Fund shall include all unencumbered balances from the Main Street Fund as of June 30, 1997 and the Job Development and Training Program as well as money appropriated by the General Assembly and any private donations, grants or in-kind services. This Community Revitalization and Job Creation Fund shall be used to: (1) Ensure community wealth creation; (2) Encourage local volunteer projects; (3) Revitalize small communities' central business districts; (4) Improve substandard infrastructure of disadvantaged communities; (5) Encourage local private investment in community development projects; and (6) Increase the workforce skills of Missouri workers to prepare them to fill jobs projected in Missouri's future.
The Family Investment Trust Fund shall include all unencumbered balances from the Family Investment Trust, moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any private donations, grants or in-kind services. This fund shall be used to form integrated approaches to providing the services now being provided separately by the Departments of Economic Development, Elementary and Secondary Education, Health, Higher Education, Labor and Industrial Relations, Mental Health, Social Services and Transportation.
The act states that Missouri shall meet the one hundred percent maintenance of effort conditional requirement set forth in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. The Missouri Maintenance of Effort for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Fund shall be funded with state funds and any private donations, grants or in-kind services. The fund shall be used to provide (1) cash assistance; (2) child care; (3) specific educational activities; and (4) assistance to those persons who satisfy all the eligibility requirements of the TANF program except lack the capacity to participate in or perform the work requirements.
The act creates Community Partnership Councils which shall plan, implement, monitor and evaluate a community work and self-reliance plan. The Community Partnership Council shall be comprised of representatives from: (1) Families living in the community; (2) Members of local organizations, religious and secular, providing support and services to the community; (3) The business community; (4) The labor community; (5) Local government and school officials responsible for public programs, services or funds ; and (6) Members of the governing board of each local jurisdiction included in the Community Partnership Council.
A Community Work and Self-reliance Center shall be established in each county and the City of St. Louis. The duties and services of the Department of Social Services, Divisions of Child Support Enforcement, Family Services and Medical Services, the Department of Labor and the Division of Employment Security shall be placed in one centrally located office or within the area.
In order to stress the program's work focus, an applicant must complete a self- sufficiency assessment and planning interview with a human resource advocate before proceeding to an eligibility interview for public assistance.
The Division of Child Support Enforcement shall continue to provide services, including paternity establishment and the establishment, modification and enforcement of support obligation for children receiving benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant or who receive foster care maintenance payments or Medicaid.
The Department of Social Services shall establish an automated state case registry that contains a record on each case in which services are being provided by the Division of Child Support Enforcement and each support order established or modified in the state on or after October 1, 1998.
CHERYL GRAZIER