Iowa Code 239B.9 – Limited benefit plan

General provisions.

a. If a participant responsible for signing and fulfilling the terms of a family investment agreement, as defined by the director in accordance with section 239B.8, chooses not to sign or fulfill the terms of the agreement, the participant’s family, or the individual participant shall enter into a limited benefit plan. Initial actions in a written statement under section 239B.2, subsection 4, which were committed to by a participant during the application period and which commitment remains in effect, shall be considered to be a term of the participant’s family investment agreement. A limited benefit plan shall apply for the period of time specified in this section. The first month of the limited benefit plan is the first month after the month in which timely and adequate notice of the limited benefit plan is given to the participant as defined by the director. The elements of a limited benefit plan shall be specified in the department‘s rules.

b. For purposes of this lettered paragraph, “significant contact with or action in regard to the JOBS program” means the individual participant communicates to the JOBS program worker the desire to engage in JOBS program activities, signs a new or updated family investment agreement, and takes any other action required by the department in accordance with rules adopted for this purpose. A limited benefit plan applied in error shall not be considered to have been applied. A limited benefit plan is applicable to the individual participant choosing the limited benefit plan and to the individual participant’s family members to which the plan is applicable under subsection 2. A limited benefit plan shall either be a first limited benefit plan or a subsequent limited benefit plan. A limited benefit plan shall be applied as follows:

(1) A first limited benefit plan shall provide for continuing ineligibility for assistance until the individual participant completes significant contact with or action in regard to the JOBS program.

(2) A limited benefit plan subsequent to a first limited benefit plan chosen by the same individual participant shall provide for a specified period of ineligibility of six months or less beginning with the effective date of the limited benefit plan and continuing indefinitely following the specified period until the individual participant completes significant contact with or action in regard to the JOBS program. The department shall adopt rules defining the circumstances for which a particular period of ineligibility will be specified.

(3) For a two-parent family in which both parents are responsible for a family investment agreement, a first or subsequent limited benefit plan shall remain applicable until both parents complete significant contact with or action in regard to the JOBS program. A limited benefit plan applied more than once to the same two-parent family shall be treated as a subsequent limited benefit plan.

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Terms Used In Iowa Code 239B.9

Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
Assistance: means a family investment program payment. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Child: includes but shall not be limited to a stepchild, foster child, or legally adopted child and means a child actually or apparently under eighteen years of age, and a dependent person eighteen years of age or over who is unable to maintain the person's self and is likely to become a public charge. See Iowa Code 252A.2
Child: means an unmarried person who is less than eighteen years of age or an unmarried person who is eighteen years of age and is engaged full-time in completing high school graduation or equivalency requirements in a manner which is reasonably expected to result in completion of the requirements prior to the person reaching nineteen years of age. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
Department: means the department of health and human services. See Iowa Code 249L.2
Department: means the department of health and human services. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Director: means the director of health and human services. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Family: means a family unit that includes at least one child and at least one parent or other specified relative of the child. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Family investment agreement: means the agreement developed with a participant in accordance with section 239B. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Family investment program: means the family investment program under this chapter. See Iowa Code 239B.1
following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
JOBS program: means the promoting independence and self-sufficiency through employment job opportunities and basic skills program created in section 239B. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Limited benefit plan: means a period of time in which a participant or member of a participant's family is either eligible for reduced assistance only or ineligible for any assistance under the family investment program, in accordance with section 239B. See Iowa Code 239B.1
Minor parent: means an applicant or participant parent who is less than eighteen years of age and has never been married. See Iowa Code 239B.1
month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" and the abbreviation "A. See Iowa Code 4.1
Participant: means a person who is receiving full or partial family investment program assistance. See Iowa Code 239B.1
person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
Specified relative: means a person who is, or was at any time, one of the following relatives of an applicant or participant child, by means of blood relationship, marriage, or adoption, or is a spouse of one of the following relatives:
a. See Iowa Code 239B.1

Plan applied.

The department shall apply the limited benefit plan to the participants responsible for the family investment agreement and other members of the participant’s family as follows:

Parent.

If the participant responsible for the family investment agreement is a parent, the limited benefit plan is applicable to the entire participant family.

Needy relative or incapacitated stepparent.

If the participant choosing a limited benefit plan is a needy relative who acts as payee when the parent is in the home but is unable to act as payee, is a needy relative who assumes the role of parent, or is a dependent child‘s stepparent whose needs are included in the assistance because of incapacity, the limited benefit plan shall apply only to the individual participant choosing the plan.

Minor parent living with adult parent or specified relative.

If the participant family includes a minor parent living with the minor parent’s adult parent or specified relative who receives family investment program assistance and both individuals are responsible for developing a family investment agreement, each individual is responsible for a separate family investment agreement, and the limited benefit plan shall be applied as follows:

(1) If the adult parent chooses the limited benefit plan, the requirements of the limited benefit plan shall apply to the entire participant family, even though the minor parent has not chosen the limited benefit plan. However, the minor parent may reapply for assistance as a minor parent living with self-supporting parents or living independently and continue in the family investment agreement process.

(2) If the minor parent chooses the limited benefit plan, the requirements of the limited benefit plan shall apply to the minor parent and any child of the minor parent.

(3) If the specified relative chooses the limited benefit plan, the requirements of the limited benefit plan shall apply only to the specified relative.

Minor parent – only child.

If the minor parent is the only child in the adult parent’s or specified relative’s home and the minor parent chooses the limited benefit plan, assistance shall not be paid to the adult parent or specified relative in this instance.

Children who are mandatory JOBS program participants.

If the participant family includes children who are mandatory JOBS program participants, the children shall not have a separate family investment agreement but shall be asked to sign the family investment agreement applicable to the family and to carry out the responsibilities of that family investment agreement. A limited benefit plan shall be applied as follows:

(1) If the parent or specified relative responsible for a family investment agreement meets the responsibilities of the family investment agreement but a child who is a mandatory JOBS program participant chooses an individual limited benefit plan, the family is eligible for reduced assistance during the child’s limited benefit plan.

(2) If the child who chooses a limited benefit plan under subparagraph (1) is the only child in the participant family, assistance shall not be paid to the adult parent, parents, or specified relative in this instance.

Exempt parent.

If a participant family includes a parent, parents, or specified relative who are exempt from JOBS program participation and children who are mandatory JOBS program participants, the children are responsible for completing a family investment agreement. If a child who is a mandatory JOBS program participant chooses the limited benefit plan, the limited benefit plan shall be applied in the manner provided in paragraph “e”.

Two parents.

If the participant family includes two parents, a limited benefit plan shall be applied as follows:

(1) If only one parent of a child in the family is responsible for a family investment agreement and that parent chooses the limited benefit plan, the limited benefit plan cannot be ended by the voluntary participation in a family investment agreement by the exempt parent. If the parent responsible for the family investment agreement chooses a limited benefit plan, the limited benefit plan applies to the entire family.

(2) If both parents of a child in the family are responsible for a family investment agreement, both parents shall sign the agreement. If either parent chooses the limited benefit plan, the limited benefit plan cannot be ended by the participation of the other parent in a family investment agreement.

(3) If the parents from a two-parent family in a limited benefit plan separate, the limited benefit plan shall follow only the parent who chose the limited benefit plan and any children in the home of that parent.

Plan chosen.

A participant shall be considered to have chosen a limited benefit plan under any of the following circumstances:

a. A participant who does not establish an orientation appointment with the JOBS program or who fails to keep or reschedule an orientation appointment shall receive a reminder letter which informs the participant that those who do not attend orientation have elected to choose a limited benefit plan. A participant who chooses not to respond to the reminder letter within ten calendar days from the mailing date shall receive notice establishing the effective date of the limited benefit plan. If a participant is deemed to have chosen a limited benefit plan, timely and adequate notice provisions, as determined by the director, shall apply.

b. A participant who chooses not to sign the family investment agreement after attending a JOBS program orientation shall enter into a limited benefit plan as described in paragraph “a”.

c. A participant who has signed a family investment agreement but then chooses a limited benefit plan under circumstances defined by the director.

Reconsideration.

A participant who chooses a limited benefit plan may reconsider that choice as follows:

a. A participant who chooses a first limited benefit plan may reconsider at any time following the effective date of the limited benefit plan. The participant may contact the department or the appropriate JOBS program office any time to begin the reconsideration process.

b. A participant who chooses a subsequent limited benefit plan may reconsider that choice at any time following the period of ineligibility specified in accordance with subsection 1.

Well-being visit.

If a participant has chosen a subsequent limited benefit plan, the department may conduct a well-being visit or contract for a well-being visit to be conducted, provided funding is available for the costs of such visits. A well-being visit shall meet all of the following criteria:

a. A qualified professional shall attempt to visit with the participant family with a focus upon the children’s well-being.

b. The visit shall be conducted during or within four weeks of the second month of the start of the subsequent limited benefit plan.

c. The visit shall serve as an extension of the family investment program and the family investment agreement philosophy of supporting families as they move toward self-sufficiency.

Appeal.

A participant has the right to appeal the establishment of the limited benefit plan only once, at the time the department issues the timely and adequate notice that establishes the limited benefit plan. However, if the reason for the appeal is based on an incorrect grant computation, an error in determining the composition of the family, or another worker error, a hearing shall be granted, regardless of the person‘s limited benefit plan status.

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