Section 385.4 Supportive services.

    (a) Public assistance.

        (1) To the extent Federal and State resources are available and consistent with a local plan submitted pursuant to this Part, the social services official must provide to applicants and recipients transportation, work related expenses, child care for children up to age 13, case management and medical assistance in a manner which is consistent with the social services district's local plan prepared in accordance with the requirements of section 385.10 of this Part.

            (i) To the extent local resources permit, case management shall be provided for pregnant adolescents, adolescent parents and at risk youth under 18 years of age, persons with limited English proficiency and individuals whose employability plans indicate the need for two or more concurrent work activities.

            (ii) Child care shall be guaranteed to individuals who need such care to participate in activities assigned in accordance with the provisions of this Part and Part 415 of this Title.

        (2) The social services official may provide supportive services for up to 90 days to individuals who have lost eligibility for public assistance due to employment.

        (3) The social services official may provide any other supportive services which he/she deems necessary to allow individuals to participate in work activities, assist individuals at risk of needing public assistance to improve their opportunities for employment or to maintain their employment, or to assist employed public assistance recipients to improve their opportunities for employment which will move them to self-sufficiency.

        (4) The social services official shall make diligent efforts to assist a person who needs transportation to get to and from a work activity site assigned in accordance with section 385.9 of this Part to obtain such transportation. Where lack of transportation is a direct barrier to participation in an assigned work activity the social services official shall make a reasonable effort to assign the individual to an appropriate work activity at a site in closest proximity to such individual's residence.

    (b) Food stamps. The social services official shall provide, as appropriate, transportation, or reimburse the costs of transportation and provide for dependent care, or reimburse the costs of dependent care expenses for individuals participating in food stamp employment and training programs identified in local plans developed pursuant to section 385.10 of this Part.

        (1) Reimbursement for transportation costs shall not exceed a total of $25 per month per individual.

        (2) Reimbursement for dependent care shall not exceed the actual cost of care or the market rate for such care as established by section 415.9(k)and (l) of this Title. Individuals cannot be required to participate in food stamp employment and training programs if the cost of dependent care exceeds the allowable amounts, provided, however, that food stamp applicants and recipients participating in combined food stamp and public assistance employment and training activities for which the requirements of subdivision (a) of this section apply shall be required to participate if dependent care costs in excess of the maximum allowed by this paragraph are made available if appropriate and in accordance with the provisions of such subdivision.

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