NCJ Number
129349
Journal
Clearinghouse Review Volume: 24 Issue: 5 Dated: special issue (1990) Pages: 493-495
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) recipients with substance abuse problems may need legal help in interacting with the JOBS (Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training) Program.
Abstract
Legal help may be needed to be excused from program participation based on a substance abuse problem, to defend against a sanction based on the substance abuse problem, to seek affirmative substance abuse remediation from the JOBS Program, or to defend against compelled participation in treatment as a JOBS activity. Under the Family Support Act of 1988, all States had to begin to implement a JOBS Program by October 1, 1990. The State JOBS Program must include a range of educational, training, and work-related components and must also guarantee necessary child care and provide supportive services determined by the State to be necessary for participation. Federal law sets the terms for exemptions from the JOBS Program. The two potentially relevant exemptions are for illness and incapacitation. The practical difficulty in relying on exemption provisions for an individual with a substance abuse problem is that such a person probably does not want to reveal the problem to a JOBS worker. Several States use the concept of deferral, temporarily postponing required participation for an individual who does not meet the terms of exemptions but has a current circumstance that precludes effective participation. If individuals with substance abuse problems are not exempted or deferred, they may face difficulties in complying with program requirements, and the State may initiate sanctions. A State may make substance abuse rehabilitation available to JOBS participants, but limited JOBS funding makes it unlikely that a State program will offer more than referral to existing rehabilitation and treatment programs. 32 endnotes