Vermont § 1103 - Eligibility and benefit levels

§ 1103. Eligibility and benefit levels

• (a) Financial assistance shall be given for the benefit of a dependent child to the relative
  or caretaker with whom the child is living, unless otherwise provided. The amount
  of financial assistance to which an eligible person is entitled shall be determined
  with due regard to the income, resources, and maintenance available to that person
  and, as far as funds are available, shall provide that person a reasonable subsistence
  compatible with decency and health. The Commissioner may fix by rule maximum amounts
  of financial assistance and act to ensure that the expenditures for the programs shall
  not exceed appropriations for them consistent with section 101 of this title. In no case shall the Department expend State funds in excess of the appropriations
  for the programs under this chapter. (b) Financial assistance may include the maintenance of one or both parents, if in need
  and in the dependent child’s home, or a relative or caretaker with whom a dependent
  child is living, if the relative or caretaker is without sufficient means of support. (c) The Commissioner shall adopt rules for the determination of eligibility for the Reach
  Up program and benefit levels for all participating families that include the following
  provisions: (1) Not less than the first $350.00 per month of earnings from an unsubsidized or subsidized
  job and 25 percent of the remaining earnings shall be disregarded in determining the
  amount of the family’s financial assistance grant. The family shall receive the difference
  between countable income and the Reach Up payment standard in a partial financial
  assistance grant. (2) [Repealed.] (3) Each family development plan shall provide for an incentive payment to be paid to
  the participating family for completing a required activity or task. (4) Education stipends, employment stipends, job training stipends, and incentive payments,
  as determined by the Commissioner, shall be excluded in calculating the financial
  assistance grant. (5)(A) The asset limitation shall be $9,000.00 for families for the purposes of determining
  initial and continuing eligibility for the Reach Up program, and the following savings
  accounts shall not be considered in the calculation for determining the asset limitation: (i) a retirement account, such as an individual retirement arrangement (IRA), a defined
  contribution plan qualified under 26 U.S.C. § 401(k), or any similar account as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 408; and (ii) a qualified child education savings account, such as the Vermont Higher Education
  Investment Plan, established in 16 V.S.A. § 2877, or any similar plan qualified under 26 U.S.C. § 529. (B) The value of assets accumulated from the earnings of adults and children in participating
  families and from any federal or Vermont earned income tax credit shall be excluded
  for purposes of determining continuing eligibility for the Reach Up program. (6) Transitional medical assistance of up to 36 months shall be provided to families with
  a working adult who becomes ineligible for financial assistance due to increased earnings,
  unless family income exceeds 185 percent of the federal poverty level, and provided
  that federal financial participation is available for such transitional medical assistance. (7) The equity value of one operable motor vehicle for each adult in the family and the
  equity value of one operable motor vehicle for any child of driving age who needs
  a vehicle to attend school or work shall be excluded for purposes of determining eligibility
  for the Reach Up program. The Commissioner shall take all steps necessary to retain
  current resource protections under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  so that the rules under SNAP and the Reach Up program are compatible. (8) An individual domiciled in Vermont shall be exempt from the disqualification provided
  for in 21 U.S.C. § 862a. (9) [Repealed.] (d) In determining eligibility and benefit levels for two-parent participating families,
  the Commissioner shall: (1) Allow two-parent families with earned income who would otherwise qualify for assistance
  to receive financial assistance, regardless of the number of hours worked, and supplement
  their earnings with partial financial assistance and medical assistance. (2) Eliminate the requirements for two-parent families that the primary worker must have
  worked at least six quarters and be unemployed for at least 30 days. It is the intent
  of this subdivision that two-parent and one-parent families receive financial assistance
  under more similar rules. (e) In determining eligibility and benefit levels for parents who are under 18 in participating
  families, the Commissioner shall: (1) Require parents who are under 18 to attend school or an appropriate alternative education
  or training activity. (2) Ensure that the family development plan of a parent who is under 18 includes a requirement
  to take part in a case-managed support, education, and training program. (3) Adopt rules, which shall include appropriate exemptions, requiring parents who are
  under 18 and who are not emancipated minors in accordance with 12 V.S.A. § 7151 to live with a parent or in an approved supervised living arrangement. The sanctions
  provided for noncompliance with a Reach Up family development plan requirement under
  section 1116 of this title shall apply to noncompliance with the rules adopted under this subdivision. (4) Allow parents who are under 18 and who live with their parents to have their eligibility
  for the Reach Up program and the amount of their financial assistance grant determined
  without consideration of their parents’ income. (f) The Commissioner shall disregard not less than $100.00 per month of child support
  payments in determining eligibility and benefit levels for participating families. (g) The Commissioner shall use the family composition rules applicable to the welfare
  demonstration project established pursuant to 1994 Acts and Resolves No. 106 in determining
  eligibility and benefit levels for a financial assistance grant. (h) The Department shall offer every eligible family the option of electronic or direct
  payment of financial assistance for the family’s housing or other expenses to the
  person providing the lodging, utilities, or other service as provided for by rule. (Added 1967, No. 147, § 4; amended 1973, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 21, eff. April 14, 1974; 1999, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2001; 2005, No. 113 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2007, No. 30, § 4, eff. May 17, 2007; 2009, No. 1 (Sp. Sess.), § E.323; 2013, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 24, eff. May 20, 2014; 2013, No. 198 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2015; 2015, No. 58, § E.323; 2015, No. 172 (Adj. Sess.), § E.323.2; 2017, No. 29, § 2; 2017, No. 109 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2019, No. 72, § E.323.1; 2021, No. 74, § E.323.1; 2021, No. 133 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. January 1, 2024.)