The Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division (BESSD)
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The Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division (BESSD) is the largest division in the DHS. BESSD employees provide a continuum of services, through nine programs that serve different populations, aimed at providing clients with monthly benefits to assist them with such essentials as food, shelter, and child care, as well as employment support and work-training and dependency diversion and prevention.
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Temporary Assistance to Other Needy Families (TAONF)
- First-To-Work (FTW)
- Employment and Training (E&T)
- Pre-Plus Program
- Child Care Connection Hawaii (CCCH)
- Hawaii Head Start State Collaboration (HHSSC)
- General Assistance (GA)
- Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (AABD)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - formerly known as the Food Stamp Program
Hawaii Financial and Food Stamp Benefits Rights and Responsibilities
TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) and TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO OTHER NEEDY FAMILIES (TAONF)
TANF and TAONF are the time-limited welfare reform programs for adults with children. These programs are designed to protect those who cannot work and to require those who are able to work to do so. Unlike the old welfare program, which fostered dependence and low self-esteem, the TANF and TAONF programs require work and promote self-reliance, responsibility, and family stability. Both TANF and TAONF offer a package of strong incentives and penalties, child care support for working parents, and restructured welfare benefits so that it “pays to work.” Households which include an adult who is not exempt, are allowed to receive TANF or TAONF cash benefits for a maximum of five years in their lifetime.
In December 2001, eligibility expired for 539 families who were the first to reach the five-year time limit. In fiscal year 2003, 1,251 cases were closed due to time-limits. In fiscal year 2004, 852 cases were closed due to time limits and this figure decreased to 708 cases in fiscal year 2005. The Department continues to expand its outreach activities to ensure that families who are approaching the five-year limit are prepared and have a self-sufficiency plan. Job preparation services, job search skills, training and education are available. We have also expanded our supportive services for those with barriers to
employment. Our intent is to assist families towards self-sufficiency as expeditiously as possible.
TANF and TAONF provide monthly cash benefits to families for food, clothing, shelter, and other essentials. To qualify, a family must include children under the age of 19 and the family’s total gross income must be under 185% of the 2006 Federal Poverty Level (FPL). For a household of three persons, this means that the monthly gross income must be less than $2,941 and the net income must be under $636 if the household includes an employable adult. All TANF/TAONF households are permitted to acquire resources or assets, but the combined total must be under $5,000. Vehicles and the home in which a household resides are exempt from consideration as an asset or resource. For an exempt household, e.g., disabled, caring for a child under six months, or other exemptions, their net income must be under $795 per month.
Whether a family participates in TANF or TAONF depends on the household composition. In families in which all members are U. S. citizens and no child has two legal parents residing in the home, the family is eligible for federally-funded welfare under TANF. Families which include at least one non-citizen or in which at least one child has both of his or her parents residing in the home are eligible for state-funded welfare under TAONF. Other than the funding sources, the TANF/TAONF programs are identical.
Beginning in FY 2004, the Department began implementing and continues to implement dependency diversion and prevention programs and services with the goal of preventing people from needing welfare or keeping people off welfare. Teen Pregnancy Prevention programs were established at several sites around the State. These programs are offered in a variety of different venues including the Department of Education, the DHS' Office of Youth Services through contracts at 12 youth centers statewide, and through contracts with private agencies such as Kapiolani Medical Center.
In addition, implementation and monitoring, and training and evaluation for these programs and contracts were provided through memorandum of agreements with the Department of Health and the University of Hawaii School of Medicine and the Outreach College. These programs help to get youth engaged in positive activities during times of the day when they may be at risk of engaging in behavior leading to negative outcomes such as pregnancy, substance abuse, and crime. Youth are exposed to positive information on making healthy decisions in their lives and the opportunity for a better life. Our TANF/TAONF statistics show that 73% of the TANF/TAONF households are one-parent families which is why it is important to provide teen pregnancy prevention programs and services.
In October 2008, the Department implemented a new eligibility requirement where applicants are referred to our work program and expected to fulfill a compliance period prior to approval of benefits. The purpose is to meet the work participation rates and other program requirements mandated by the federal government.
Also in response to a strong economy, the DHS in February 2005 launched a new employment service program to help businesses meet their growing labor demands and provide additional work opportunities for individuals on government assistance. The Supporting Employment Empowerment (SEE) program provides pre-screened candidates to companies for employment. Employers will have the opportunity to train individuals to meet their business needs with candidates who either have had previous job experience or possess basic employment skills. The employer sets the wage and the State reimburses the state minimum wage plus 14 percent of the wages. In addition, the State covers health insurance and childcare.
Program Goal: Families will achieve financial self -sufficiency.
FIRST-TO-WORK (FTW)
The First-to-Work (FTW) program, implemented in FY 1997, is a work program designed to assist able-bodied adults to become attached to the workforce. FTW serves TANF recipients and puts emphasis on: employment, skill-building, training, on-the-job training, and job search activities. FTW also provides supportive services such as child care, transportation reimbursement, and work-related expenses. Under FTW, the Department offers several work-incentive and job-readiness programs to recipients through partnerships and contracts with public and private agencies:
Work + provides work experiences to welfare recipients through volunteer placements in State agencies.
Grant + places welfare recipients in non-profit agencies. The participating household’s grant is given directly to the non-profit agency to pay the recipient it hires.
TOP, the Transitional Opportunity Program, is a private-public partnership that provides employers with similar incentives as Grant +. The goal is to hire more welfare recipients. Ho’ala provides welfare recipients with job-readiness skills and is contracted out to the City and County of Honolulu’s Work Hawaii program.
Program Goal: To assist able-bodied persons receiving cash assistance to obtain employment and to become self-sufficient.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING (E&T)
The Employment and Training (E&T) program is a statewide work program designed to assist able-bodied adults to become attached to the workforce. This work program replaces the PRIDE program on Oahu. E&T serves Food Stamp recipients and puts emphasis on: employment, work experience, training, on-the-job training, and limited job search activities. E&T also provides supportive services in the form of a participant reimbursement to cover work-related expenses and child care.
Program Goal: To assist able-bodied persons receiving Food Stamp benefits to obtain employment and to become self-sufficient.
CHILD CARE CONNECTION HAWAII (CCCH)
The Child Care Connection Hawaii program is a statewide service that offers the licensing of child care facilities and child care payment assistance to needy families. Under the licensing program, the primary intent is to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of children cared for within licensed facilities. Under the payment assistance program, financially needy families can apply for child care assistance if they work or are attending training to become self-sufficient.
Program Goal: To assist able-bodied persons receiving cash assistance to obtain employment and to become self-sufficient.
HAWAI’I HEAD START-STATE COLLABORATION PROJECT
The Hawaii Head Start State Collaboration Office (HHSSCO) is funded by a federal grant through the Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Bureau, to ensure coordination and delivery of services in eight national priority areas: health care, welfare, child care, education, community service activities, family literacy services, activities relating to children with disabilities, and services for homeless children. Multi-agency and public/private partnerships are developed and facilitated at the State level to effect school readiness, enhance access to comprehensive services, and improve quality of life for low-income children and their families, including those enrolled in Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) programs.
Program Goals: To help build early childhood systems and enhance access to comprehensive services and support for all low-income children; encourage widespread collaboration between Head Start and other appropriate programs, services, and initiatives, augmenting Head Start’s capacity to be a partner in State initiatives on behalf of children and their families; and facilitate the involvement of Head Start in State policies, plans, processes and decisions affecting the Head Start target population and other low-income families.
GENERAL ASSISTANCE (GA)
The General Assistance program provides cash benefits for food, clothing, shelter, and other essentials to adults ages 18 through 64, without minor dependents, who are temporarily disabled and who do not qualify for Social Security. To be eligible, the adult must have little or no income, not qualify for a federal category of assistance, and be certified by a DHS medical board to be unable to engage in any substantial employment of at least thirty hours per week for a period of at least sixty days.
The GA program is funded by a block-grant appropriated by the State Legislature each year. This means that to stay within the block-grant appropriation, adjustments to the monthly benefit amount may be made throughout the year based on the number of individuals who are participating in the program. Currently, the monthly benefit is $418 a month for an individual and may not exceed this amount by statute. Assets may not exceed $2,000 for a single person and $3,000 for a couple to maintain eligibility.
Program Goal: To provide temporary economic assistance to those eligible for financial support, to ensure they receive at least a minimally adequate standard of living.
AID TO THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED (AABD)
The Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled program provides cash benefits for food, clothing, shelter, and other essentials to adults who are elderly (65 years of age or older) or who meet the Social Security Administration (SSA) definition of disabled. To qualify, individuals must have countable income that is below 62.5% of the 1993 Federal Poverty Level and may not have resources in excess of $2,000 for a single person and $3,000 for a couple.
Program Goal: Provide economic assistance to those eligible for financial support to ensure that they receive at least a minimally adequate standard of living.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Hawaii Financial and SNAP Benefits Rights and Responsibilities
SNAP is a federal program funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As of October 1, 2008, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the new name for the federal Food Stamp Program. Each state administers a SNAP. The new name reflects the focus on nutrition and putting healthy food within reach for low income households. Hawaii will also change the State administered Food Stamp Program’s name to SNAP. Other states may adopt different names.
In FY 2008, SNAP helped put food on the table for approximately 47,545 Hawaii families each month. The program provides crucial support to Hawaii’s needy households and to those making the transition from welfare to self sufficiency.
The Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card system was implemented in Hawaii in 1998 for disbursement of not only SNAP but also financial assistance benefits. This EBT card has the individual’s cash benefits, child care assistance, and SNAP equivalent that may be drawn down like a debit card.
To participate in the SNAP:
- Households may have no more than $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account ($3,000 if at least one person in the household is age 60 or older, or is disabled). Certain resources are not counted, such as a home and lot and automobiles.
- The gross monthly income must be 130% or less of the federal poverty guidelines, which was $2,193 for a family of three in Hawaii in FY 2008. Gross income includes all cash payments made to a household, with a few exceptions specified in the law or by program regulations.
- Net monthly income must be 100% or less of federal poverty guidelines, which was $1,687 for a family of three in Hawaii in FY 2008. Net income is figured by adding all of a household's gross income, and then taking a number of approved deductions for child care, some shelter costs and other expenses. Households with an elderly or disabled member are subject only to the net income test.
- Most able-bodied adult applicants must meet certain work requirements.
- All household members must provide a Social Security number or apply for one.
