2005 Vermont Code - § 1134. — Program evaluation

§ 1134. Program evaluation

(a) On or before January 31 of each year, the commissioner shall design and implement procedures to evaluate, measure and report to the governor and the general assembly the department's progress in implementing the Reach Up program and achieving the goals of the program provided for in section 1102 of this title. The report shall include:

(1) The types of barriers facing Reach Up families seeking economic self-sufficiency, the number of families with each type of barrier, and the frequency of occurrence of each type of barrier.

(2) Documentation of participant outcomes, including specific information relating to the number of persons employed, by occupation, industry and wage; the types of subsidized and unsubsidized jobs secured by participants; any available information about outcomes for children who have participated in the Reach Up program, including objective indicators of improved conditions; and the number of participating families involved in training programs.

(3) A description of the case management system and the training of case managers.

(4) Data about the food stamp participation of households who have left Reach Up during the last fiscal year, including the number of households, adults and children participating in the food stamp program three months after termination of their Reach Up benefits, broken down by reason for Reach Up termination, and the department's plan to identify and assist eligible households to apply for food stamps.

(5) Data about the enrollment of individuals who have left Reach Up during the last fiscal year in a health care assistance program, including the number of adults and children enrolled in a health care assistance program three months after termination of their Reach Up benefits, broken down by reason for Reach Up termination, and the department's plan to identify and assist eligible households to apply for health care assistance.

(6) A summary of all interim and final reports submitted by independent evaluation contractors to the agency or the department relating to the Reach Up program.

(b) On or before January 15, 2001, the commissioner of education, with the assistance of the commissioner, the commissioner of disabilities, aging, and independent living, and the commissioner of labor shall report to the senate and house committes on health and welfare and education the progress they have achieved in developing and implementing the comparable and reciprocally recognized literacy assessment protocols as described in subsection 1107(e) of this title.

(c) [Repealed.]

(d) On or before January 15, 2005, January 15, 2006, and January 15, 2007, the commissioner shall report to the house and senate committees on health and welfare and appropriations on families' receipt of aid authorized by this chapter. Such reports shall include:

(1) For the report due on or before January 15, 2005, from among all families receiving TANF-funded aid during the period from July 1, 2001, through September 30, 2004, the number of families that received such aid for no more than six cumulative months, more than six but no more than 12 cumulative months, more than 12 but no more than 18 cumulative months, more than 18 but no more than 24 cumulative months, more than 24 but no more than 30 cumulative months, and more than 30 cumulative months.

(2) For the report due on or before January 15, 2006, from among all families receiving TANF-funded aid during the period from July 1, 2001, through September 30, 2005, the number of families that received such aid for no more than six cumulative months, more than six but no more than 12 cumulative months, more than 12 but no more than 18 cumulative months, more than 18 but no more than 24 cumulative months, more than 24 but no more than 30 cumulative months, more than 30 but no more than 36 cumulative months, more than 36 but no more than 42 cumulative months, and more than 42 cumulative months.

(3) For the report due on or before January 15, 2007, from among all families receiving TANF-funded aid during the period from July 1, 2001, through September 30, 2006, the number of families that received such aid for no more than six cumulative months, more than six but no more than 12 cumulative months, more than 12 but no more than 18 cumulative months, more than 18 but no more than 24 cumulative months, more than 24 but no more than 30 cumulative months, more than 30 but no more than 36 cumulative months, more than 36 but no more than 42 cumulative months, more than 42 but no more than 48 cumulative months, more than 48 but no more than 54 cumulative months, and more than 54 cumulative months.

(4) For each report, an estimate, for federal fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010, of the average proportion of the monthly TANF-funded caseload that will include an adult family member who has received TANF-funded aid, as an adult, 60 or more months in his or her lifetime.

(5) When such proportion exceeds 20 percent, an assessment, based on an assumption of level funding in future years, of whether general funds will be sufficient in federal fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010, to support aid authorized by this chapter to fund aid for those families in excess of 20 percent while, at the same time, providing aid and services, supported solely by general funds, to other families as authorized by this act.

(6) When such assessment is that general funds will be insufficient to fund aid for all such families, the modifications in policy, appropriated general funds, or combination thereof that the commissioner recommends to support families receiving aid under this chapter in their achievement of self-sufficiency and to protect the children in these families.

(e) Beginning on or before January 15, 2008, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall report to the house and senate committees on health and welfare and appropriations on families' long-term receipt of aid authorized by this chapter. Such reports shall include:

(1) the number of families receiving aid in the most recent federal fiscal year that included an adult family member who has received TANF-funded aid, as an adult, 60 or more months in his or her lifetime;

(2) the average proportion of the monthly TANF-funded caseload during the same fiscal year that such families represent;

(3) when such proportion exceeds 20 percent, the sufficiency of general funds appropriated to support aid authorized by this chapter to fund aid for those families in excess of 20 percent while, at the same time, providing aid and services, supported solely by general funds, to other families as authorized by this chapter; and

(4) when appropriated general funds are insufficient to fund aid for all such families, the modifications in policy, appropriated general funds, or combination thereof that the commissioner recommends to support families receiving aid under this chapter in their achievement of self-sufficiency and to protect the children in these families. (Added 1999, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2001; amended 2003, No. 19, § 22, eff. May 6, 2003; 2005, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 5, 2006; 2005, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 84.)