(1) That the provision of public assistance to children in very low income families would help keep families together and reduce hardship in times of high unemployment;

(2) That the lack of public assistance to two-parent unemployed families does not produce significant financial savings for the State of Oregon since family break-up increases the number of single-parent families receiving public assistance;

(3) That children in two-parent unemployed families have needs as urgent as those of children in single-parent unemployed families;

(4) That the provision of public assistance to two-parent unemployed families may provide access to medical care for these families, health being one of the prerequisites to seeking and maintaining employment;

(5) That because federal law requires active participation in employment and other alternatives to be eligible for federal funds for public assistance, the availability of federal funds helps those families who are trying hardest to help themselves be self-supporting; and

(6) That additional funds need to be made available in the temporary assistance for needy families program to effectuate this policy. [Formerly 418.180; 2015 c.765 §21]

PILOT PROGRAMS

Note: Sections 1 to 4, chapter 574, Oregon Laws 2019, provide:

Sec. 1. TANF Housing Pilot Program. (1) As used in this section, "TANF" means aid or services provided in the temporary assistance for needy families program under ORS 412.006.

(2) The TANF Housing Pilot Program is created in the Housing and Community Services Department to provide, in collaboration with local offices of the Department of Human Services and local housing services providers, housing stabilization services to families receiving TANF. The Housing and Community Services Department, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall establish:

(a) Application procedures and eligibility requirements for grants to be awarded to up to four pilot projects operated by local housing services providers, in at least one rural and at least one urban area, to provide housing stabilization services.

(b) Requirements for grantees, including requirements that grantees:

(A) Develop a collaborative referral process with the local offices of the Department of Human Services to facilitate the referral of TANF families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; and

(B) Use the grants awarded by the program to leverage housing resources that are available in the local communities to improve the housing stability of TANF families.

(3) Grants awarded under subsection (2) of this section shall be awarded based on need and on performance and may be awarded to local housing services providers individually or to a group of two or more local housing services providers.

(4) The Housing and Community Services Department and the Department of Human Services shall track and compile:

(a) The number of TANF families needing housing stabilization services to prevent or end homelessness;

(b) The number of TANF families served with funding from the pilot program and the type of services that were provided;

(c) The outcomes of the housing referrals for individual TANF families;

(d) The success of the pilot program in preventing homelessness or providing housing to TANF families who were homeless; and

(e) Additional barriers faced by TANF families in securing and retaining housing.

(5) No later than September 15, 2021, the Housing and Community Services Department, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to human services, in the manner provided in ORS 192.245, the data compiled under subsection (4) of this section, with an analysis of the data and recommendations for legislative changes necessary to address the barriers to housing stability faced by TANF families. [2019 c.574 §1]

Sec. 2. Mental and Behavioral Health Pilot Program. (1) As used in this section:

(a) "Coordinated care organization" has the meaning given that term in ORS 414.025.

(b) "TANF" means aid or services provided in the temporary assistance for needy families program under ORS 412.006.

(2) The Oregon Health Authority, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall administer a Mental and Behavioral Health Pilot Program to award grants to up to four coordinated care organizations for the purpose of assessing potential gaps in access by TANF recipients to mental and behavioral health services and to drug and alcohol treatment services through the state medical assistance program.

(3) The authority, in consultation with the department, shall:

(a) Select at least one coordinated care organization serving rural areas and at least one coordinated care organization serving urban areas to participate in the pilot program; and

(b) Adopt by rule application procedures and eligibility requirements for grant recipients, including, but not limited to, a demonstrated commitment to partner with local offices of the Department of Human Services, hospitals and health systems that are located in the geographic area served by the coordinated care organization.

(4) At a minimum, grant recipients shall develop and implement a:

(a) Survey or assessment process to identify TANF applicants with a need for mental health or substance abuse services;

(b) Process to refer TANF recipients with identified needs for services to the level of care appropriate to their need; and

(c) Process for tracking the results of the referrals.

(5) A coordinated care organization that receives a grant from the pilot program shall collect and report to the authority, in the manner prescribed by the authority, the following information:

(a) The number of TANF recipients screened for mental health or substance abuse services;

(b) The number of TANF recipients with an identified need for mental health or substance abuse services; and

(c) For TANF recipients with an identified need for mental health or substance abuse services:

(A) The number of TANF recipients referred by the coordinated care organization for mental health or substance abuse services;

(B) The number of referrals that resulted in a visit with a health care provider and the time that elapsed between the referral and the visit;

(C) Whether the TANF recipient was enrolled in a patient-centered primary care home at the time of the visit or as a result of the visit;

(D) The number of TANF recipients for whom a treatment plan was established or who had a follow-up appointment with a primary health care provider and the services provided;

(E) Other factors indicating that the TANF recipient accessed appropriate services in a timely manner; and

(F) The barriers faced by the TANF recipients in accessing the services identified in their treatment plans.

(6) The pilot program shall begin on or after February 1, 2020.

(7) The authority, in consultation with the department, shall evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program based on the information reported by coordinated care organizations under subsection (6) of this section and based on the evaluation shall:

(a) Develop educational materials containing best practices learned from the pilot program and make the materials available to coordinated care organizations; and

(b) No later than March 30, 2022, report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health on the need for mental health and substance abuse services and provide an assessment of the barriers faced by TANF recipients in accessing mental health or substance abuse treatment and services through the state medical assistance program and make recommendations for legislative changes necessary to address the barriers and meet the need. [2019 c.574 §2]

Sec. 3. Education and Training Pilot Program. (1) As used in this section, "TANF" means aid or services provided in the temporary assistance for needy families program under ORS 412.006.

(2) The Education and Training Pilot Program is created in the Department of Human Services for the purpose of providing educational opportunities and vocational training for TANF recipients to help them be more competitive in the job market and achieve careers that allow the recipients to be safe, healthy and financially stable.

(3) The goal of the pilot program is to expand the availability of education and vocational training services to TANF recipients using a comprehensive model that may include:

(a) Continuous one-on-one coaching;

(b) Providing opportunities to network and cultivate productive relationships for employment or business;

(c) Facilitating relationships with other participants in the education or training programs, such as study partners; and

(d) Providing support service payments for tuition, books and supplies.

(4) The department will provide funding to community-based entities through a competitive application process. In selecting entities to receive funding, the department shall give priority to entities serving rural areas or areas where it is difficult to access education or vocational training through existing programs.

(5) Recipients of funds shall customize the services offered to meet the unique needs of TANF recipients in their communities and the job markets in their communities.

(6) The department shall establish outcome measures and entities participating in the pilot program must report data necessary for the department to assess the efficacy of each project and the services provided.

(7) No later than September 15, 2021, the department shall report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to human services the findings from the pilot program and recommendations for legislative changes necessary to implement the practices that were most successful in meeting the goals of the pilot program. [2019 c.574 §3]

Sec. 4. Sunset. Sections 1 to 3 of this 2019 Act are repealed on July 1, 2022. [2019 c.574 §4]