§ 1202. Purpose
(a) The purpose of the Reach Ahead program is:
(1) to assist families who have become recently employed to maintain employment by providing work supports and incentives to maximize the opportunity of the family to remain employed and not return to Reach Up;
(2) to provide families with information and referrals to workforce development options in order to ensure financial stability for the family;
(3) to support parental responsibility and positive parental role models, both custodial and noncustodial;
(4) to improve the well-being of children by providing time-limited work supports and food assistance to their families;
(5) to conserve State and public financial resources by operating the system of aid in a manner that is efficient and avoids federal fiscal sanctions; and
(6) to conform to the federal TANF law.
(b) The critical elements of developing a work support program that assists families to maintain self-sufficiency are:
(1) if necessary, individualized case management that addresses each individual’s situation and barriers to self-sufficiency and assists that family in maintaining employment;
(2) food assistance and support services of a limited duration to provide work support for the family;
(3) easy transition to other programs, such as Reach Up or Reach First, if needed to ensure the families’ well-being and success to reaching self-sufficiency. (Added 2007, No. 30, § 18, eff. Oct. 1, 2008.)