Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-93.4 - [Effective 7/1/2025] FIA
The FIA is the condition of and basis for PROMISE JOBS services and is an eligibility requirement for the FIP as specified in rule 441-41.24 (239B).
(1)
Development. An initial
FIA shall be developed during the orientation and assessment process through
discussion between the FIA-responsible person and the PROMISE JOBS worker. For
the FIA to be considered completed, an FIA shall be signed by all of the
following:
a. The FIA-responsible person or
persons.
b. Other family members
who are referred to PROMISE JOBS.
c. The PROMISE JOBS worker.
d. The PROMISE JOBS supervisor.
(2)
FIA-responsible
persons. All members of the FIP applicant family shall develop and
sign an FIA unless exempt as described in 441-subrule 41.24(2). When an
FIA-responsible person is incompetent or incapacitated, someone acting
responsibly on that person's behalf may participate in the interview.
Responsibility for carrying out the steps of the FIA ends at the point that FIP
assistance is not provided to the participant or when a participant becomes
exempt.
a.
Parents. All
parents who are not exempt from PROMISE JOBS shall be responsible for signing
and carrying out the activities of the FIA. Parents of any age are exempt only
if they are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or they are not U.S.
citizens and are not qualified aliens as defined in rule
441-40.21 (239B). When the
FIP-eligible group includes a minor parent living with one or both parents or a
needy specified relative who receives FIP as described in 441-subparagraph
41.28(2)"b" (2) and none is exempt from PROMISE JOBS
participation, each parent or needy specified relative is responsible for a
separate FIA.
b.
Teens. Participants aged 16 to the participants' nineteenth
birthday shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of
the FIA unless they are receiving SSI or they attend school full-time.
(1) When the FIP-eligible group includes one
or both parents or a needy specified relative and a child or children and none
is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation, all shall be asked to sign one FIA
with the family and to carry out the activities of that FIA rather than signing
separate FIAs.
(2) When the
FIP-eligible group includes one or both parents or a needy specified relative
who is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation and a child or children who are
not exempt, each child is responsible for completing a separate FIA.
(3) A minor nonparental specified relative
who is not exempt and whose needs are included in the FIP grant shall be
responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA.
c.
Other adults.
All other adults who are not exempt and whose needs are included in the FIP
grant shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the
FIA.
(3)
FIA
content. The FIA shall include the goals of the family for achieving
self-sufficiency and shall establish a time frame with a specific ending date,
during which the family expects to become selfsufficient and after which FIP
benefits will be terminated. For individuals and families with acknowledged
barriers, one or more incremental FIAs may be written.
a. All FIAs shall:
(1) Outline the expectations of the PROMISE
JOBS program and of the family;
(2)
Clearly establish interim goals and FIA activities necessary to reach long-term
goals and selfsufficiency;
(3)
Identify barriers to participation so that the FIA may include a plan,
appropriate referrals, and supportive services necessary to eliminate or manage
the barriers;
(4) Stipulate
specific services to be provided by the PROMISE JOBS program, including child
care assistance, transportation assistance, family development services, and
other supportive services;
(5)
Include the participant's responsibility to provide verification of hours of
participation, and how and when the verification will be submitted;
(6) Record a participant's response to the
option of referral for family planning counseling as described in subrule
93.9(3).
b. Plans from
other agencies. The FIA may incorporate a self-sufficiency plan that the family
has developed with another agency or person, subject to the following
requirements:
(1) The participant shall
authorize PROMISE JOBS to obtain the self-sufficiency plan and to arrange
coordination with the manager of the self-sufficiency plan by signing a release
of information prescribed by the department.
(2) The self-sufficiency plan may be included
in the participant's FIA if the self-sufficiency plan meets the requirements of
this chapter and is deemed by the PROMISE JOBS worker to be appropriate to the
family circumstances.
(4)
Participation
requirements. The FIA shall require the FIA-responsible persons and
family members who are referred to PROMISE JOBS to choose participation in one
or more activities as described in this subrule.
a.
Goals. It is expected
that employment leading to economic self-sufficiency is the eventual goal of
the FIA.
(1) To the maximum extent possible,
the FIA shall reflect the goals of the family, subject to program rules;
funding; the capability, experience, and aptitudes of family members; and the
potential market for the job skills currently possessed or to be
developed.
(2) The program goal for
all participants is to be involved in PROMISE JOBS activities on a full-time
basis unless problems or barriers prohibit this level of involvement.
"Full-time" is considered an average of at least 30 hours per week. Exceptions
to full-time involvement are identified in rule
441-93.14 (239B) and subrule
93.4(5).
b.
Activities. Except as specified in 441-paragraph
93.4(4)"c," PROMISE JOBS activities may include but are not
limited to any combination of the following activities:
(1) Orientation as described in subrule
93.3(4).
(2) Assessment as
described in rule 441-93.5 (239B).
(3) Job readiness and job search activities,
including job readiness skills training and other activities that prepare a
participant to search for or obtain employment, individual and structured job
search, unplanned job opportunities, mental health treatment, substance use
disorder treatment, or other rehabilitative activities, as described in rule
441-93.6 (239B).
(4) Work activities, including part-time or
full-time employment, self-employment, on-the-job training, work experience
placement, or unpaid community service as described in
441-93.7 (239B).
(5) Educational activities, including high
school completion, high school equivalency diploma (HSED) certification, adult
basic education (ABE), English as a second language (ESL) training, vocational
training, or postsecondary training up to and including a baccalaureate degree
as described in 441-93.8 (239B).
(6) Parenting skills training as described in
subrule 93.9(1).
(7) Participation
in the FaDSS program or other family development programs as described in
subrule 93.9(2).
(8) Referral for
family planning counseling as described in subrule 93.9(3).
(9) Family violence option as described in
subparagraph 93.4(5)"b"(4).
(10) Services provided by other
agencies.
c.
FIA
activities for participants aged 16 to 19. Development of FIA
activities shall follow these guidelines for participants aged 16 to 19.
(1) Participants aged 16 to 19 who are not
parents and who have not completed high school shall be strongly encouraged to
participate in educational activities to obtain a high school diploma or the
equivalent. A high school education is recognized as important to achieving
self-sufficiency. Participants shall be given information on the earning power
of people with a high school education compared to those who do not so that
participants are able to make an informed choice. If high school or high school
equivalency completion is not included in a teenager's FIA, other FIA
activities shall be required. High school or high school equivalency completion
shall be proposed and reconsidered at the next FIA review.
(2) Parents under the age of 18 who are not
married and who have not completed high school shall be expected to use
enrollment or continued attendance in high school or involvement in a high
school equivalency program as a first step in the FIA, except when the parent
is deemed incapable of participating in these activities by the local education
agency.
(3) Parents aged 19 and
younger shall include parenting skills training as described in subrule 93.9(1)
in their FIA, or the case file shall include documentation that this
requirement has been fulfilled.
(4)
Parents under the age of 18 who are not married and who do not live with a
parent or legal guardian shall include FaDSS, as described in 441-Chapter 49,
or other family development services as described in subrule 93.9(2) in the
FIA. The FaDSS or other family development services shall continue after the
parent reaches the age of 18 only when the participant and the family
development worker believe that the services are needed for the family to reach
self-sufficiency.
d.
FIA activities for participants convicted of a drug-related felony
after August 22, 1996. A participant convicted of a drug-related
felony after August 22, 1996, shall include drug rehabilitation activities in
the participant's FIA to verify that the participant does not illegally
possess, use, or distribute a controlled substance except when:
(1) The participant successfully completed
any applicable drug rehabilitation and court-ordered probation or parole
resulting from the drug felony conviction, or
(2) The participant is currently on probation
or parole and successfully completed all drug rehabilitation requirements
resulting from the drug felony conviction, whether court-ordered or required by
probation or parole.
e.
Waiting lists. The department of health and human services
reserves the authority to prioritize services to FIP applicants and
participants in the order that best fits the needs of FIP applicants and
recipients and PROMISE JOBS program participants. Participants who are placed
on a waiting list for a PROMISE JOBS component shall include other appropriate
activities in the FIA while waiting unless family circumstances indicate
otherwise.
(1) Persons shall be removed from
these waiting lists and placed in components at the discretion of state-level
PROMISE JOBS administrators in order to help participants achieve
self-sufficiency in the shortest possible time, meet budgetary limitations,
enable participants to make maximum use of other programs, fulfill the federal
minimum participation rate requirements, and meet other TANF
requirements.
(2) Persons who were
enrolled in approved postsecondary training at the time of FIP cancellation
shall not be placed on a postsecondary training waiting list if the participant
is still satisfactorily participating in approvable training at the time that
FIP eligibility is regained.
f.
Unavailability of
funding. If funding for the PROMISE JOBS activities included in a
participant's FIA or required supportive payments are not available, the
participant's FIA shall be renegotiated to include different
activities.
(5)
Barriers to participation. Problems with participation of a
permanent or long-term nature shall be considered barriers to participation and
shall be identified in the FIA as issues to be resolved or managed so that
maximum participation can result.
a.
Barriers defined. Barriers to participation include anything
identified by an FIA-responsible person that prevents them from fully
participating in PROMISE JOBS.
b.
Inclusion in FIA.
(1) When
barriers are identified by the applicant during initial assessment, removal or
management of the barrier shall be part of the FIA from the
beginning.
(2) When barriers are
revealed by the participant or are identified by problems that develop after
the FIA is signed, the FIA shall be renegotiated and amended to provide for
removal or management of the barriers.
(3) In limited instances where special-needs
care for a child or adult is not available, it may be most practical for the
participant to develop the FIA to identify providing the care as part of the
FIA.
(4) Victims of domestic
violence may include in their FIA the family violence option, which is a plan
to address or attempt to prevent domestic violence. The family violence option
may allow for a temporary waiver from participation in PROMISE JOBS activities
when appropriate for the participant or participant's situation.
(5) The PROMISE JOBS worker shall review the
need for inclusion of a barrier to participation in the FIA at least once every
six months to determine if the barrier continues to exist.
c.
Cooperation with removing or
managing barriers.
(1) Applicants.
An FIA-responsible applicant who chooses not to cooperate in removing or
managing barriers to participation identified during FIA development shall be
denied FIP.
(2) Participants. A
participant who chooses not to cooperate in removing or managing identified
barriers to participation shall be considered to have chosen the LBP. If the
participant claims a cognitive or physical disability or mental illness that is
expected to last for more than 12 consecutive months, the participant is
required to apply for social security disability and supplemental security
income benefits. When the participant refuses to apply for those benefits, the
FIP household is ineligible for FIP as described at 441-subrule 41.27(1), and
the LBP does not apply.
(6)
Failure to complete an
FIA.
a.
FIP
applicants. An applicant's failure to develop or sign an FIA will
result in denial of the family's application for FIP assistance as described in
441-paragraphs 41.24(4)"a" through "c."
b.
FIP
participants. FIP participants who choose not to enter into an FIA or
who choose not to continue its activities after signing an FIA shall enter into
the LBP as described in 441-subrule 41.24(8).
(7)
Progress reviews. The
PROMISE JOBS worker shall review all FIAs at least once every six months with
input from at least one family member. FIA goals and, if appropriate, the needs
for child care, transportation, and other supports shall be reviewed for
continued appropriateness.
(8)
Renegotiation.
a. The FIA
shall be renegotiated to reflect a new plan for self-sufficiency if:
(1) The participant has participated
satisfactorily in the current FIA activities but is not self-sufficient by the
end date specified in the FIA; or
(2) The participant demonstrates effort in
carrying out the steps of the FIA but is unable to participate satisfactorily
in the current FIA activities due to a barrier as described in subrule 93.4(5);
or
(3) The participant's
circumstances change to such an extent that the current FIA activities are no
longer appropriate.
(9)
Reinstatement. When a participant who has signed an FIA loses
FIP eligibility and has not become exempt from PROMISE JOBS at the time of FIP
reapplication, the contents of the original FIA and the participant's
responsibility for carrying out the steps of that FIA may be reinstated when
the steps of the FIA fit the family's current circumstances. The FIA shall be
renegotiated and amended if needed to accommodate changed family
circumstances.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
The
(1) Development. An initial FIA shall be developed during the orientation and assessment process through discussion between the FIA-responsible person and the PROMISE JOBS worker. For the FIA to be considered completed, Form 470-3095, Family Investment Agreement , and Form 470-3096, FIA Steps to Achieve Self-Sufficiency, shall be signed by all of the following:
a. The FIA-responsible person or persons.
b. Other family members who are referred to PROMISE JOBS.
c. The PROMISE JOBS worker.
d. The PROMISE JOBS supervisor.
(2) FIA -responsible persons. All members of the FIP applicant family shall develop and sign an FIA , unless exempt as described at 441-subrule 41.24(2). When an FIA-responsible person is incompetent or incapacitated, someone acting responsibly on that person's behalf may participate in the interview. Responsibility for carrying out the steps of the FIA ends at the point that FIP assistance is not provided to the participant or when a participant becomes exempt.
a. Parents. All parents who are not exempt from PROMISE JOBS shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA . Parents of any age are exempt only if they are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or they are not U.S. citizens and are not qualified aliens as defined in rule 441-40.21 (239B). When the FIP eligible group includes a minor parent living with one or both parents or a needy specified relative who receives FIP , as described at 441-subparagraph 41.28(2)"b" (2), and none is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation, each parent or needy specified relative is responsible for a separate FIA .
b. Teens. Persons aged 16 to 19 shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA unless they are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or they attend school full-time.
(1) When the FIP -eligible group includes one or both parents or a needy specified relative and a child or children and none is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation, all shall be asked to sign one FIA with the family and to carry out the activities of that FIA rather than signing separate FIAs. Copies of the FIA shall be placed in each individual case file.
(2) When the FIP -eligible group includes one or both parents or a needy specified relative who is exempt from PROMISE JOBS participation and a child or children who are not exempt, each child is responsible for completing a separate FIA .
(3) A minor nonparental specified relative who is not exempt and whose needs are included in the FIP grant shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA .
c. Other adults. All other adults who are not exempt and whose needs are included in the FIP grant shall be responsible for signing and carrying out the activities of the FIA .
(3) FIA content. The FIA shall include the goals of the family for achieving self-sufficiency and shall establish a time frame with a specific ending date, during which the family expects to become self-sufficient and after which FIP benefits will be terminated. For individuals and families with acknowledged barriers, one or more incremental FIAs may be written.
a. All FIAs shall:
(1) Outline the expectations of the PROMISE JOBS program and of the family;
(2) Clearly establish interim goals and FIA activities necessary to reach long-term goals and self-sufficiency;
(3) Identify barriers to participation so that the FIA may include a plan, appropriate referrals, and supportive services necessary to eliminate or manage the barriers;
(4) Stipulate specific services to be provided by the PROMISE JOBS program , including child care assistance, transportation assistance, family development services, and other supportive services;
(5) Include the participant 's responsibility to provide verification of hours of participation, and how and when the verification shall be submitted;
(6) Record a participant 's response to the option of referral for family planning counseling as described at subrule 93.9(3).
b. Plans from other agencies. The FIA may incorporate a self-sufficiency plan that the family has developed with another agency or person, such as, but not limited to, Head Start, public housing authorities, child welfare workers, vocational rehabilitation, and FaDSS grantees, subject to the following requirements:
(1) The participant shall authorize PROMISE JOBS to obtain the self-sufficiency plan and to arrange coordination with the manager of the self-sufficiency plan by signing Form 470-0429, Consent to Obtain and Release Information.
(2) The self-sufficiency plan may be included in the participant 's FIA if the self-sufficiency plan meets the requirements of this chapter and is deemed by the PROMISE JOBS worker to be appropriate to the family circumstances.
(4) Participation requirements. The FIA shall require the FIA -responsible persons and family members who are referred to PROMISE JOBS to choose participation in one or more activities as described in this subrule.
a. Goals. It is expected that employment leading to economic self-sufficiency is the eventual goal of the FIA .
(1) To the maximum extent possible, the FIA shall reflect the goals of the family, subject to program rules; funding; the capability, experience, and aptitudes of family members; and the potential market for the job skills currently possessed or to be developed.
(2) The program goal for all participants is to be involved in PROMISE JOBS activities on a full-time basis unless problems or barriers prohibit this level of involvement. "Full-time" is considered as an average of at least 30 hours per week. Exceptions to full-time involvement are identified in rule 441-93.14 (239B) and subrule 93.4(5).
b. Activities. Except as specified in paragraph 93.4(4)"c," PROMISE JOBS activities may include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following activities:
(1) Orientation as described in subrule 93.3(4).
(2) Assessment as described in rule 441-93.5 (239B).
(3) Job readiness and job search activities, including job readiness skills training and other activities that prepare a participant to search for or obtain employment, individual and structured job search, unplanned job opportunities, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, or other rehabilitative activities, as described in rule 441-93.6 (239B).
(4) Work activities, including part-time or full-time employment, self-employment, on-the-job training, work experience placement, or unpaid community service as described in rule 441-93.7 (239B).
(5) Educational activities, including high school completion, high school equivalency diploma (HSED) certification, adult basic education (ABE), English as a second language (ESL) training, vocational training, or postsecondary training up to and including a baccalaureate degree, as described in rule 441-93.8 (239B).
(6) Parenting skills training as described in subrule 93.9(1).
(7) Participation in the family development and self-sufficiency program (FaDSS ) or other family development programs as described in subrule 93.9(2).
(8) Referral for family planning counseling as described in subrule 93.9(3).
(9) Family violence option as described in subparagraph 93.4(5)"b" (4).
(10) Services provided by other agencies.
c. FIA activities for participants aged 16 to 19. Development of FIA activities shall follow these guidelines for participants aged 16 to 19.
(1) Participants aged 16 to 19 who are not parents and who have not completed high school shall be strongly encouraged to participate in educational activities to obtain a high school diploma or the equivalent. A high school education is recognized as important to achieving self-sufficiency. Participants shall be given information on the earning power of people with a high school education compared to those who do not so that participants are able to make an informed choice. If high school or high school equivalency completion is not included in a teenager's FIA , other FIA activities shall be required. High school or high school equivalency completion shall be proposed and reconsidered at the next FIA review.
(2) Parents under the age of 18 who are not married and who have not completed high school shall be expected to use enrollment or continued attendance in high school or involvement in a high school equivalency program as a first step in the FIA , except when the parent is deemed incapable of participating in these activities by the local education agency.
(3) Parents aged 19 and younger shall include parenting skills training as described at subrule 93.9(1) in their FIA or the case file shall include documentation that this requirement has been fulfilled.
(4) Parents under the age of 18 who are not married and who do not live with a parent or legal guardian shall include FaDSS , as described at 421-Chapter 24, or other family development services, as described in subrule 93.9(2), in the FIA . The FaDSS or other family development services shall continue after the parent reaches the age of 18 only when the participant and the family development worker believe that the services are needed for the family to reach self-sufficiency.
d. Waiting lists. The department of human services reserves the authority to prioritize services to FIP applicants and participants in the order that best fits the needs of FIP applicants and recipients and of the PROMISE JOBS program . Participants who are placed on a waiting list for a PROMISE JOBS component shall include other appropriate activities in the FIA while waiting unless family circumstances indicate otherwise.
(1) Persons shall be removed from these waiting lists and placed in components at the discretion of state-level PROMISE JOBS administrators in order to help participants achieve self-sufficiency in the shortest possible time, meet budgetary limitations, enable participants to make maximum use of other programs, fulfill the federal minimum participation rate requirements, and meet other TANF requirements.
(2) Persons who were enrolled in approved postsecondary training at the time of FIP cancellation shall not be placed on a postsecondary training waiting list if the participant is still satisfactorily participating in approvable training at the time that FIP eligibility is regained.
e. Unavailability of funding. If funding for the PROMISE JOBS activities included in a participant 's FIA or required supportive payments are not available, the participant 's FIA shall be renegotiated to include different activities.
(5) Barriers to participation. Problems with participation of a permanent or long-term nature shall be considered barriers to participation and shall be identified in the FIA as issues to be resolved or managed so that maximum participation can result.
a. Barriers defined. Barriers to participation shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Child or adult care needed before a person can participate or take a job is not available. Participants are not required to do any activity unless suitable child or adult care has been arranged.
(2) Lack of transportation.
(3) Substance addiction.
(4) Victim of domestic violence or sexual abuse.
(5) Overwhelming family stress.
(6) Physical or cognitive disability or mental illness.
b. Inclusion in FIA .
(1) When barriers are identified during assessment, removal or management of the barrier shall be part of the FIA from the beginning.
(2) When barriers are revealed by the applicant or participant during the FIA development or are identified by problems that develop after the FIA is signed, the FIA shall be renegotiated and amended to provide for removal or management of the barriers.
(3) In limited instances where special-needs care for a child or adult is not available, it may be most practical for the participant to develop the FIA to identify providing the care as part of the FIA .
(4) Victims of domestic violence may include in their FIA the family violence option, which is a safety plan to address or attempt to prevent domestic violence. The family violence option may allow for a temporary waiver from participation in PROMISE JOBS activities when appropriate for the participant or participant 's situation.
(5) The PROMISE JOBS worker shall review the need for inclusion of a barrier to participation in the FIA at least once every six months to determine if the barrier continues to exist.
c. Cooperation with removing or managing barriers.
(1) Applicants. An FIA -responsible applicant who chooses not to cooperate in removing or managing barriers to participation identified during FIA development shall be denied FIP .
(2) Participants. A participant who chooses not to cooperate in removing or managing identified barriers to participation shall be considered to have chosen the limited benefit plan . If the participant claims a cognitive or physical disability or mental illness that is expected to last for more than 12 consecutive months, the participant is required to apply for Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits. When the participant refuses to apply for those benefits, the FIP household is ineligible for FIP as described at 441-subrule 41.27(1), and the limited benefit plan does not apply.
(6) Failure to complete an FIA .
a. FIP applicants. An applicant 's failure to develop or sign an FIA shall result in denial of the family's application for FIP assistance, as described at 441-paragraphs 41.24(4)"a," "b" and"c."
b. FIP participants. FIP participants who choose not to enter into an FIA or who choose not to continue its activities after signing an FIA shall enter into the limited benefit plan (LBP ) as described at 441-subrule 41.24(8).
(7) Progress reviews. The PROMISE JOBS worker shall review all FIAs at least once every six months. Progress reviews do not have to be face-to-face interviews but must include verbal contact with and input from at least one family member. FIA goals, Form 470-3096, FIA Steps for Achieving Self-Sufficiency, and, if appropriate, the needs for child care, transportation, and other supports shall be reviewed for continued appropriateness.
(8) Renegotiation.
a. The FIA shall be renegotiated to reflect a new plan for self-sufficiency if:
(1) The participant has participated satisfactorily in the current FIA activities but is not self-sufficient by the end date specified in the FIA ; or
(2) The participant demonstrates effort in carrying out the steps of the FIA but is unable to participate satisfactorily in the current FIA activities due to a barrier as described at subrule 93.4(5); or
(3) The participant 's circumstances change to such an extent that the current FIA activities are no longer appropriate.
(9) Reinstatement. When a participant who has signed an FIA loses FIP eligibility and has not become exempt from PROMISE JOBS at the time of FIP reapplication, the contents of the original FIA and the participant 's responsibility for carrying out the steps of that FIA may be reinstated when the steps of the FIA fit the family's current circumstances. The FIA shall be renegotiated and amended if needed to accommodate changed family circumstances.