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Reach Up Case Management

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Our Mission:

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Reach Up joins families on their journey to overcome obstacles, explore opportunities, improve their finances and reach their goals. 

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Our Vision:

Families are Empowered, Connected and Thriving

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Purposes of the Reach Up Program

  • To empower families to choose and pursue goals that are meaningful to them
  • To encourage economic independence by removing barriers and disincentives to work and providing positive incentives to work
  • To protect children by providing for their immediate basic needs, including food, housing and clothing.

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Underlying Assumptions

  • Choosing and working toward a goal will enhance a Family’s well-being.
  • There are benefits to children to see at least one parent working.
  • All work has value and any job may become a stepping stone to other jobs.
  • Individuals feel empowered when they choose their own goals and see themselves making progress on things that are important to them.

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Our Programs

  • Reach Up
  • Reach First
    • Financial Support for families who are likely to need assistance for 4 months or less.
  • Reach Ahead
    • Transitional benefit for families whose Reach Up closed due to earned income
      • $100 additional food benefit for 6 mo. Then $50 for next 18 mo.
      • Employment supports available from case manager
      • Cash Bonuses $750.00@ 6 mths, $1000 at 12, 18, and 24 months.
  • Post Secondary Education-PSE
    • Support to pursue higher education full-time

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Who are the Case Managers?

  • 10 Economic Services - Reach Up Case Managers
  • 1 AALV Case Manager
    • Specializing in serving New Americans
  • 1 USCRI-VT Case Manager
    • Specializing in serving New Americans

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Who Else works with Reach Up?

  • 1 Howard Center Wellness Coach
    • Serve families with the goal of accessing and stabilizing treatment
  • 3 Howard Center Clinicians
    • Co-occurring assessments and clinical support
    • Facilitation of the VT MOMs Stress Management Group

(a Partnership with Yale University)

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Who Else Works With Reach Up?

  • 3.5 VABIR (VT Assoc for Business Industry and Rehabilitation)
  • Career Coaches- Case leads for individuals focusing on Employment, Training, Financial Literacy
      • Job shadows, company tours, work experience placements, on-the-job training placements, job search/resume/cover letter/interview assistance
      • Provide job coaching and soft skills training
      • Career and Educational Exploration
  • 1 VABIR SSI specialist
    • Teams with case manager and family to access Social Security benefits.

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Chittenden Workforce Partners

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  • Consistent Employment Services across AHS employment programs
    • Marketing and outreach to employers
    • Progressive employment options
    • Assessments
    • SalesForce database
    • Job Fairs
  • Business Account Manager
    • Representing all Team members
    • Coordination of Employment Staff activities

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��Some Time Limits Can Be Deferred

  • There are Federal and State time limits for those who receive TANF benefits. Some Families are eligible to receive a Deferment that Stops that Federal Clock for a period of time.

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  • A deferred participant must have a Family Development Plan, a goal they choose, and be participating to the extent that they are able.

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Deferment Options

  • Primary caregiver of a child under 6 months of age.

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  • New baby <13 weeks
  • Needed in home to care for family member

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More Deferment Options

  • Medically Issues
  • Domestic Violence
  • Age 60 or older-are not required to work with a case manager at all unless they want to
    • * Note: Homelessness is not a deferment option

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Sanctions

  • Numerous communication and engagement attempts made before implementation
  • Grant is reduced by $75 for the first 3 months; $150 thereafter.
  • Participant must meet with their case manager by the 16th of each month to get their grant released.
  • Rent is sent directly to the landlord.
  • Not eligible for support services while sanctioned unless they will help cure sanction.

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What We Do

  • Coaching
  • Home visits
  • Community visits
  • Team meetings
  • Assessments
  • Arranging work Experience
  • Goal Identification-Breaking down into manageable steps

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  • Transportation support
  • Negotiating with landlords
  • Connecting adult or children with services
  • Service navigation
  • Childcare Support
  • Financial Literacy

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60 Month Rules

  • We count months on assistance since July 2001
    • We don’t count some deferment months so some participants have had more than 60 months of cash assistance
  • To continue on Reach Up, individuals must:
    • Be making progress on the goals they have identified, or be willing to revise them
    • Meet regularly with the case manager
  • 2 adults and 1 at time limit – both subject to time limit rules

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How We Can Work Together

  • Families are best served when:
    • You know who the Case Manager is, and we know which providers are assisting the family
    • Information is shared when changes, celebrations or concerns arise
    • We coordinate plans and work together
  • We can save each other time and be more efficient and effective!