| (a) A Board shall ensure that initial and ongoing assessments
are performed to determine the employability and retention needs,
including wage advancement and career development needs, of Choices
participants as follows:
(1) An assessment is required for Choices participants
who are:
(A) at least age 18; or
(B) heads of household, as determined by HHSC, who
are not yet age 18, have not completed secondary school or received
a GED credential, and are not attending secondary school.
(2) An assessment shall be provided to applicants who
choose to participate in Choices services.
(3) Ongoing assessments shall be provided to former
recipients who choose to participate in Choices services.
(b) Assessments shall include evaluations of strengths
and potential barriers to obtaining and retaining employment, such
as:
(1) skills and abilities, employment, and educational
history in relation to employers' workforce needs in the local labor
market;
(2) pre- and post-employment skills development needs
to determine the necessity for job-specific training;
(3) unmet housing needs and whether those needs are
a barrier to full participation in the workforce and progression to
self-sufficiency;
(4) support services needs; and
(5) individual and family circumstances that may affect
participation, including the existence of family violence, substance
abuse, mental health, or disability-related issues, as one of the
factors considered in evaluating employability.
(c) A Board shall ensure that the assessment identifies
Choices-eligible individuals with higher-than-average barriers to
employment, as defined by the Board.
(d) A Board shall ensure that if the skills assessment
indicates that a Choices participant requires job-specific training
for placement in a job paying wages that equal or exceed the Board's
identified self-sufficiency wage, the Board shall, to the extent funds
are available and to the extent allowed under this chapter, place
the Choices participant in vocational educational training activities
or job skills training activities that are designed to improve employment
and wage outcomes and job retention; and
(e) For mandatory Choices participants who are at least
age 18, or who are heads of household but are not yet age 18 and have
not completed secondary school or received a GED credential and are
not attending secondary school:
(1) The assessments shall also include evaluations
of the mandatory Choices participants':
(A) vocational and educational skills, experience,
and needs; and
(B) literacy level by using a statewide standard literacy
assessment instrument unless the Choices participants are mandatory
Choices participants coded by HHSC as working at least 30 hours per
week, earning at least $700 per month, and receiving the EID.
(2) A Board shall ensure that the grade-level results
or other literacy information are provided to HHSC for use in determining
the appropriateness of the initial state time-limit designation for
TANF cash assistance as described in the Texas Human Resources Code §31.0065,
relating to state time-limited benefits.
(f) Assessment Outcome. Assessments shall result in
the development of a family employment plan, as described in §811.23.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §811.22 adopted to be effective November 18, 2003, 28 TexReg 10261; amended to be effective February 26, 2007, 32 TexReg 906; amended to be effective December 3, 2018, 43 TexReg 7801 |
