WorkFirst HandBook

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3.2 Comprehensive Evaluation, Comprehensive Evaluation Foundation and Updating a Comprehensive Evaluation

3.2.3 Updating a Comprehensive Evaluation

This section has three separate sub-sections:

3.2.3.1 What does "Continuous Activity Planning" mean?

"Continuous Activity Planning" (CAP) is a meeting with a parent, the WorkFirst partner(s) working with them and the WorkFirst Program Specialist (WFPS) or WorkFirst Social Worker (WFSW). This meeting is to discuss the parent's progress and participation as well as a recommendation for the parent's next activity after a complete CE. This meeting can be conducted via phone or in person and must be documented in eJAS under the "Continuous Activity Planning" note type.

The WFPS or WFSW must document:

3.2.3.2 What is considered a "complete" CE?

A comprehensive evaluation is considered "complete" when a parent successfully completes all CE elements (foundation, college evaluation, work skill assessment, recommendation and final decision).

However, for the following populations, the CE is considered complete when a parent completes the CE foundation only:

Please refer to section 3.2.1.3, Who must receive a Comprehensive Evaluation and when should it be conducted.

 

There are other situations when a CE is considered successfully complete even when a client has not completed all elements. Please refer to section 3.2.1.7 What about parents who obtain full time employment or request closure of their TANF grant after they have started the Comprehensive Evaluation process?

3.2.3.3 How the CE enhancement works?

An update function was added to the comprehensive evaluation tool in eJAS. All previously entered information will be auto-filled into the CE tool. The system will allow DSHS users to begin a CE by selecting the foundation section from the most recent CE. The system will not allow a prior CE to be used for a new CE if that foundation does not contain Financial Literacy questions.

The system will only allow a DSHS user to select and update the most recent DSHS foundation. The same situation will take place for each partner, the WorkFirst partners will be allowed to select and update information from their sections of the same CE if the information in their sections was created less than six months ago.

When there are multiple CEs for a parent, the staff will only be able to select the most recent CE to auto-fill the new CE. If a DSHS user selects the most recent CE to auto-fill a new CE, the system will require the college and Employment Security Department (ESD) users to pull over their sections from the same CE.

The system will not auto-fill any check box information for any sections of the CE. Staff are required to document the parent's current circumstances even though we copied over the most recent eJAS information.

3.2.3.4 What to do with incomplete CEs?

Some parents may be unable to complete all portions of the CE for different reasons. For those parents required to complete the entire CE, the DSHS staff will be able to auto-fill information from the most recent CE. For incomplete CEs, there are two parts:

DSHS staff will communicate to the partners that they need to auto-fill their sections of the same CE and whether or not one-on-one interviews are required.

3.2.3.5 How important is the communication in the CE function?

Communication between DSHS staff and WorkFirst partners is crucial to ensure that information is accurately captured and reported.

DSHS staff must contact their WorkFirst partners to review their respective CE sections. The CE was designed for each partner involved in the process to auto-fill their own sections. Therefore, it is crucial that DSHS communicate to ESD and the college as soon as they complete the foundation so they can each auto-fill their sections. The foundation is always auto-filled first.

Each local planning area was assigned with the task to develop a communication process. (Please refer to your local communication protocols).

3.2.3.6 When is a new CE or CAP required?

The WFPS/WFSW decides whether the parent needs a new CE or a CAP based on the last complete CE. This decision cannot be made based on a partial or incomplete CE.

  Timeframe (from CE finish date) Situation Required Action

Complete

(Parent completes all elements of the CE)

Within 6 months A parent is:
  • Transitioning to a new activity,
  • Not progressing in an activity, or
  • Failing to complete the current activity
Conduct a "Continuous Activity Planning" meeting.
Over 6 months A parent is progressing in the plan identified in the previous CE and moving onto the next step. Conduct a "Continuous Activity Planning" meeting.
Not progressing or participating Complete a new CE unless the parent is going back to their last required activity.

Incomplete

 

 Within 60 days A parent completes portion(s) of the required CE elements within 60 days. The parent is required to complete only the sections of the CE not previously completed.
Between 61 and 180 days A parent completes portion(s) of the required CE elements between 61 and 181 days. The parent is required to:
  • Finish incomplete sections of the CE.
  • Participate in new one-on-one interviews with CE partners.
3.2.3.7 Updating a CE Step-by-Step
DSHS

The foundation is always auto-filled first.

To auto-fill and update the foundation do the following:

  1. On the comprehensive Evaluation main screen, click "Copy DSHS Foundation from Previous CE" link (the link is below the DSHS Foundation title section).
    1. A pop up window displays the following message "The copy from previous CE has completed for the DSHS Foundation section ",
    2. Click the "OK" button to view the freeform text information copied over from the most recent CE.
  2. Review the answers to all the questions to ensure whether the parent's circumstances have changed and select the proper check boxes answers as they do not copy over.
  3. Inform ESD and your college partners to review their sections. The message must include:
    1. A notification to review their section to determine if they need to auto-fill and update their sections.
    2. Whether there is a requirement to conduct a one-on-one interview.
College
  1. Below the College Evaluation section title, click "Copy College Section from Previous CE" link. This link does not show if the in the section is over 6 months old.
    1. A pop up window displays the following message "The copy from previous CE has completed for the College section "
    2. Click the "OK" button to view the test scores and the freeform text information copied over from the most recent CE (if available).
  2. Review the option and justification section to determine whether the parent's circumstances have changed and provide appropriate documentation.
ESD
  1. Below the ESD Evaluation section title, click "Copy ESD Section from Previous CE" link. This link does not show if the section is over 6 months old.
    1. A pop up window displays the following message "The copy from previous CE has completed for the ESD section"
    2. Click the "OK" button to view the information and the freeform text information copied over from the most recent CE (if available).
  2. Review the Employment Plan entries and recommendations section to determine if they are still appropriate for the parent.

The ESD worker would click on the Load CATS Employment Plan to pull over anything that had been entered into CATS since the original CE event that is being copied was finished.

It is important to remember that the college section still needs to be finished before ESD can finish their section when using the copy function even if nothing was changed.

DSHS final decision

This section will not be auto-filled.

Together with the parent, the WFPS or WFSW reviews and considers ESD's recommendation(s), special records and other relevant information and develops the IRP.

Resources

Related WorkFirst Handbook Chapters/Attachments
Other Resources

For more information about the WorkFirst HandBook, contact Olga Walker, WorkFirst Program Manager.