Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-93.5 - [Effective 7/1/2025] Assessment
The purpose of assessment is to provide an evaluation of the FIP applicant or participant family that furnishes a basis for the PROMISE JOBS worker to determine:
(1) family
members' employability and educational potential, so that participants can make
well-informed choices; and
(2) the
services that will be needed for the family to achieve self-sufficiency, so
that the worker can provide appropriate guidance.
(1)
Initial assessment. All
persons referred to PROMISE JOBS shall complete an initial assessment, which
includes a form prescribed by the department and shall review, at a minimum,
the family's basic needs as determined by the department. This initial
assessment shall be used to develop the initial FIA. The PROMISE JOBS worker
shall meet individually with FIA-responsible persons.
(2)
Additional assessments.
Additional assessments may include but are not limited to literacy and aptitude
testing, educational level and basic skills assessment, evaluation of job
interests or job skills, occupation-specific assessment or testing, or an
evaluation of past pertinent information. An additional assessment may be used
by mutual agreement between the PROMISE JOBS worker and the participant as a
tool and to help explore possible FIA development. For a specific additional
assessment to be required, completion of the assessment must be specified in
the FIA.
a.
Additional information on
applicants. If information identified during the initial assessment
indicates that further information is needed to help the participant and
PROMISE JOBS worker identify appropriate FIA activities and level of
involvement, the applicant shall complete additional assessments as determined
by the PROMISE JOBS worker. Completion of this assessment may be the first step
in the initial FIA.
b.
Medical examination. The PROMISE JOBS worker may require a
person to complete a medical examination before including a particular PROMISE
JOBS activity in the FIA when a participant specifies or exhibits any condition
that might jeopardize successful participation in the program. The worker shall
ask the health practitioner to indicate to the best of the practitioner's
knowledge whether the person is capable of completing the FIA activity or
continuing with appropriate employment.
c.
Rehabilitation
assessments. At any time during the assessment process or as more
information is revealed, a referral may be made for professional assessments in
physical health, mental health, substance use disorder, or other rehabilitative
services.
d.
Additional
information on participants. Assessments may be completed or redone at
any time throughout the development and duration of the FIA if the information
is needed to help the participant and the PROMISE JOBS worker make decisions
concerning the type or level of the participant's involvement in PROMISE JOBS
activities.
(3)
Postsecondary educational evaluation. Participants who wish to
include postsecondary education in their FIA shall complete an educational
evaluation to determine the likelihood of success.
a.
Request for education resulting in
a vocational certificate or certificate of completion. Vocational
certificate or certification of completion training programs offer short-term
training in a specific vocational area. The PROMISE JOBS worker shall determine
the likelihood of success using the following types of tools or information:
(1) A review of information from past
training situations,
(2) Past job
performance in comparable positions,
(3) Basic skills tests,
(4) Career-specific assessments,
(5) A specific standardized test,
or
(6) Other key historical
information.
b.
Request for education resulting in an associate or baccalaureate
degree. The PROMISE JOBS worker shall determine the likelihood of
academic success through an educational evaluation. The evaluation may include
use of the following types of tools or information:
(1) Standardized assessments in reading
comprehension, math, and writing skills;
(2) Occupation-specific skills
assessments;
(3) Interest
inventories;
(4) Current or past
grades; and
(5) Other pertinent
historical information.
c.
Documenting educational evaluation
results. When a participant has requested education to be included in
the FIA, the PROMISE JOBS worker shall document:
(1) What formal assessments were completed,
if any, and what the results were;
(2) What other information was
reviewed;
(3) How the evaluation
information was used by the PROMISE JOBS worker in either approving or denying
the inclusion of education in the participant's FIA; and
(4) Whether the request is approved or
denied. If the request is denied, PROMISE JOBS shall issue a Notice of
Decision: Services to the participant as required in paragraph
93.10(1)"b."
(4)
Substituting or supplementing an
assessment.
a.
Substituting
assessment information. If the FIA-responsible person's mental status,
physical status, and life situation have not changed significantly, comparable
assessment information completed with another agency or person within the past
two years may be used instead of performing new assessments.
(1) Examples of agencies or persons that may
complete comparable assessment information include but are not limited to the
department of workforce development, Head Start, public housing authorities,
child welfare workers, vocational rehabilitation services, an educational
institution or testing service, or family development services.
(2) The FIA-responsible person may authorize
PROMISE JOBS to obtain these assessment results by signing a release of
information prescribed by the department.
b.
Supplementing assessment
information. In order to ensure that the FIA activities do not
conflict with any case plans that have already been established for the family,
the FIA-responsible person may:
(1) Supplement
assessment information, and
(2)
Establish communication between the PROMISE JOBS worker and other agencies or
persons.
c.
Use
of key historical information. When key historical information, such
as a review of the participant's job history or past training outcomes, relays
a clear picture of the participant's skills and abilities, a formal,
standardized educational assessment may not be needed.
(1) If a participant is currently enrolled in
or has been enrolled in comparable training or an academic program in the past
two years, the evaluation of the participant's performance, including grades
received, may be substituted for a formal, standardized educational
assessment.
(2) When using
historical information as an indicator of future success, changes in the
participant's mental status, physical status, life circumstances, and
motivation shall be given consideration.
(5)
Assessment after FIP cancellation
or LBP. FIP participants who previously participated in either a basic
or additional assessment and then were canceled from FIP or entered an LBP may
be required to complete an assessment again when the PROMISE JOBS worker
determines that updated information is needed for development or amendment of
the FIA.
(6)
Participants
with FaDSS services only. For participants with FaDSS services as the
only activity in their FIA, the PROMISE JOBS worker shall use information
provided by the FaDSS worker to help assess when a participant is ready to
participate in other PROMISE JOBS activities. The PROMISE JOBS worker may
require additional assessments to be completed if more information is needed to
decide the type or level of the participant's involvement in other PROMISE JOBS
activities.
(7)
Documenting
participation. The participant shall provide documentation of
participation in assessments as described in subrule 93.10(2). Persons who miss
any portion of a scheduled assessment may be required to make up the missed
portion, based on worker judgment and participant needs.
(8)
Supportive payments
allowed. Except for assessment activities that occur on the same day
as orientation, persons participating in assessment activities are eligible for
child care assistance and transportation payments needed to allow the scheduled
participation as described in rule
441-93.11 (239B). When make-up
sessions are required, the participant shall not receive an additional
transportation payment, but necessary child care assistance shall be
paid.
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 purpose of assessment is to provide an evaluation of the
(1) family members' employability and educational potential, so that participants can make well-informed choices; and
(2) the services that will be needed for the family to achieve self-sufficiency, so that the worker can provide appropriate guidance.
(1) Initial assessment. All persons referred to PROMISE JOBS shall complete an initial assessment, which shall be used to develop the initial FIA . The PROMISE JOBS worker shall meet individually with FIA -responsible persons who are referred to PROMISE JOBS to develop the FIA .
a. Self-assessment. The participant may either fill out Form 470-0806, Self-Assessment, before the meeting or fill the form out during the meeting with assistance from the PROMISE JOBS worker. The results from self-assessment shall be used to assist in identifying the applicant 's needs.
b. Scope of initial assessment. The initial assessment meeting, at a minimum, shall review the family's financial situation, family profile and goals, employment background, educational background, housing needs, child care needs, transportation needs, health care needs, family-size assessment and the participant 's wishes regarding referral to family planning counseling, and other barriers which may require referral to entities other than PROMISE JOBS for services.
(2) Additional assessments. Additional assessments may include, but are not limited to, literacy and aptitude testing, educational level and basic skills assessment, evaluation of job interests or job skills, occupation-specific assessment or testing, or an evaluation of past pertinent information. An additional assessment may be used by mutual agreement between the PROMISE JOBS worker and the participant as a tool and to help explore possible FIA development. For a specific additional assessment to be required, completion of the assessment must be specified in the FIA .
a. Additional information on applicants. If information identified during the initial assessment indicates that further information is needed to help the participant and PROMISE JOBS worker identify appropriate FIA activities and level of involvement, the applicant shall complete additional assessments as determined by the PROMISE JOBS worker. Completion of this assessment may be the first step in the initial FIA .
b. Medical examination. The PROMISE JOBS worker may require a person to complete a medical examination before including a particular PROMISE JOBS activity in the FIA when a participant specifies or exhibits any condition that might jeopardize successful participation in the program. The worker shall ask the health practitioner to indicate to the best of the practitioner's knowledge whether the person is capable of completing the FIA activity or continuing with appropriate employment.
c. Rehabilitation assessments. At any time during the assessment process or as more information is revealed, a referral may be made for professional assessments in physical health, mental health, substance abuse, or other rehabilitative services.
d. Additional information on participants. Assessments may be completed or redone at any time throughout the development and duration of the FIA if the information is needed to help the participant and the PROMISE JOBS worker make decisions concerning the type or level of the participant 's involvement in PROMISE JOBS activities.
(3) Postsecondary educational evaluation. Participants who wish to include postsecondary education in their FIA shall complete an educational evaluation to determine the likelihood of success.
a. Request for education resulting in a vocational certificate or certificate of completion. Vocational certificate or certification of completion training programs offer short-term training in a specific vocational area. Examples include, but are not limited to: nurse aid certification, training to receive a commercial driver's license, training in information technology, health care services, and child care services. The PROMISE JOBS worker shall determine the likelihood of success using the following types of tools or information:
(1) A review of information from past training situations,
(2) Past job performance in comparable positions,
(3) Basic skills tests,
(4) Career-specific assessments,
(5) A specific standardized test, or
(6) Other key historical information.
b. Request for education resulting in an associate or baccalaureate degree. The PROMISE JOBS worker shall determine the likelihood of academic success through an educational evaluation. The evaluation may include use of the following types of tools or information:
(1) Standardized assessments in reading comprehension, math, and writing skills, such as GATB (General Aptitude Test Battery), Kuder Skills Assessment, or CASA (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment) system;
(2) Occupation-specific skills assessments;
(3) Interest inventories;
(4) Current or past grades; and
(5) Other pertinent historical information.
c. Documenting educational evaluation results. When a participant has requested education to be included in the FIA , the PROMISE JOBS worker shall document:
(1) What formal assessments were completed, if any, and what the results were;
(2) What other information was reviewed;
(3) How the evaluation information was used by the PROMISE JOBS worker in either approving or denying the inclusion of education in the participant 's FIA ; and
(4) Whether the request is approved or denied. If the request is denied, PROMISE JOBS shall issue Form 470-0602, Notice of Decision: Services, to the participant as required in paragraph 93.10(1)"b."
(4) Substituting or supplementing an assessment.
a. Substituting assessment information. If the FIA-responsible person 's mental status, physical status, and life situation have not changed significantly, comparable assessment information completed with another agency or person within the past two years may be used instead of performing new assessments.
(1) Examples of agencies or persons that may complete comparable assessment information include, but are not limited to, the department of workforce development, Head Start, public housing authorities, child welfare workers, vocational rehabilitation services, an educational institution or testing service, or family development services.
(2) The FIA-responsible person may authorize PROMISE JOBS to obtain these assessment results by signing Form 470-0429, Consent to Obtain and Release Information.
b. Supplementing assessment information. In order to ensure that the family investment agreement activities do not conflict with any case plans that have already been established for the family, the FIA-responsible person may:
(1) Supplement assessment information, and
(2) Establish communication between the PROMISE JOBS worker and other agencies or persons.
c. Use of key historical information. When key historical information, such as a review of the participant 's job history or past training outcomes, relays a clear picture of the participant 's skills and abilities, a formal, standardized educational assessment may not be needed.
(1) If a participant is currently enrolled in or has been enrolled in comparable training or an academic program in the past two years, the evaluation of the participant 's performance, including grades received, may be substituted for a formal, standardized educational assessment.
(2) When using historical information as an indicator of future success, changes in the participant 's mental status, physical status, life circumstances, and motivation shall be given consideration.
(5) Assessment after FIP cancellation or limited benefit plan . FIP participants who previously participated in either a basic or additional assessment and then were canceled from FIP or entered a limited benefit plan may be required to complete an assessment again when the PROMISE JOBS worker determines that updated information is needed for development or amendment of the FIA .
(6) Participants with FaDSS services only. For participants with FaDSS services as the only activity in their FIA , the PROMISE JOBS worker shall use information provided by the FaDSS worker to help assess when a participant is ready to participate in other PROMISE JOBS activities. The PROMISE JOBS worker may require additional assessments to be completed if more information is needed to decide the type or level of the participant 's involvement in other PROMISE JOBS activities.
(7) Documenting participation. The participant shall provide documentation of participation in assessments as described at subrule 93.10(2). Persons who miss any portion of a scheduled assessment may be required to make up the missed portion, based on worker judgment and participant needs.
(8) Supportive payments allowed. Except for assessment activities that occur on the same day as orientation, persons participating in assessment activities are eligible for child care assistance and transportation payments needed to allow the scheduled participation as described at rule 441-93.11 (239B). When make-up sessions are required, the participant shall not receive an additional transportation payment, but necessary child care assistance shall be paid.