3.4 Intensive Services

Legal References:

• RCW 74.08A

The Intensive Services section includes:

• 3.4.1 What are intensive services?
• 3.4.2 Who needs intensive services?
• 3.4.3 What are intensive in-home services?
• 3.4.4 What is the role of assessment?
• 3.4.5 What are Stacked Services?
• 3.4.6 Intensive Services - Step-by-Step Guide

3.4.1 What are intensive services?

Intensive services are extra or exceptional support to help those having the greatest difficulty finding and keeping jobs achieve success. There are four key elements in the intensive services model:

• Comprehensive Evaluation:
• The Comprehensive Evaluation (CE) will help the WorkFirst Program Specialist (WFPS) find out information about the family's situation and to determine whether the person might benefit from intensive services.. See 3.2 Comprehensive Evaluation section for more information on CE.
• Assessment: A series of in-depth questions to find out more about the person's circumstances and how this might impact her or his ability to work. Assessments are conducted by DSHS WorkFirst Social Service Specialists (WFSSS). See section 6.2 for more information on Assessment .
• Collaborative IRP: An IRP developed through a case staffing at the comprehensive evaluation follow-up appointment to create a unified approach for dealing with issues and to set clear, obtainable expectations for the person. See section 3.3 for more information on Individual Responsibility Plans .
• Stacked services: A changing mixture of services and activities to help the person become and remain employable, often by working with more than one service provider at a time.

3.4.2 Who needs intensive services?

The WFPS should conduct or review a comprehensive evaluation and consider whether intensive services would be beneficial for the following individuals:

• Pregnant women and parents with infants (always, and always followed by a WFSSS assessment);
• Those deferred from job search or school because of issues like homelessness, family violence or chemical dependency;
• Those referred back early from job search;
• Those who complete job search without finding a job;
• Those who complete other work activities without progressing towards steady employment;
• Those who are able to find work, but repeatedly lose their jobs; and
• Anyone who does not progress.

Intensive In-Home Services (IIHS) are contracted services that may be appropriate for individuals needing intensive services.

3.4.3 What are intensive In-Home Services?

Refer individuals for this service who have multiple issues and may be in sanction status, at-risk of becoming sanctioned or have refused to cooperate with WorkFirst requirements. Individuals are referred for contracted IIHS services, only after DSHS has been unsuccessful in engaging the person in a WorkFirst activity and family or personal issues are complex.

The IIHS Contractor:

• Conducts an In-home evaluation and reports results to the Community Service Office within five business days from the date of the home visit.
• Participates in case staffings and assists in the development of the Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP).
• Completes Service Delivery Plans (within ten business days from the date of the case staffing).

3.4.4 What is the role of assessment?

If the comprehensive evaluation does not show what a person needs to progress, she or he should have access to intensive services (an assessment, collaborative IRP and stacking services within 30 days). The next section in this chapter, on case staffing, will give the basics for developing a joint IRP. Here we discuss vital information provided by the WFSSS assessment (followed with information on stacking services).

As shown in the chart below, the last page of the WFSSS assessment compiles the person's information to discuss at the case staffing and help develop a joint IRP with stacked services. This analysis, plus the results of the comprehensive evaluation, will give the "case staffers" the information they need to determine next steps for the person.

3.4.5 What are Stacked Services?

Stacked services will include some combination of WorkFirst activities, job search services, treatment, and other needed services (life skills, parenting, mental health, domestic violence, chemical dependency treatment, time and money management, housing, etc.). Continued communication and monitoring between the WFPS or WFSSS and these other providers is of primary importance to ensure:

• Multiple services/referrals are kept reasonable for the person;
• We share appropriate information;
• We know when to change the IRP;
• Participation requirements are enforced; and
• The person receives appropriate support services and child care.

The WorkFirst partner agencies, and most contractors, have established standards for their activities so they can be counted in actual hours. So WFPS or WFSSS can build full-time IRPs by adding up the actual hours of participation.

There may be rare occasions when the service provider has not established standards, and for which the WFPS or WFSSS will have to estimate the activities and the corresponding value, but these will be the exception, not the rule.

Use the IRP to spell out required participation and the supports we will provide.

For information about independent Life Skills training, please refer to section 7.3.6- What is Independent Life Skills Training?

For information about Life Skills training as part of other job preparation activities, please refer to section 7.3.7.

3.4.6 Intensive Services - Step-by-step guide

1. The WFPS:
   1. Initiates a comprehensive evaluation in eJAS for potential intensive services individuals.
   2. Considers referring an individual for intensive services when it is unclear from the comprehensive evaluation what the person needs to progress towards self-sufficiency.
   3. Refers the individual to a WFSSS if an emergent issue arises during the comprehensive evaluation.
2. The WFPS ensures that individuals who might benefit from intensive services have access to the following at their comprehensive evaluation follow-up appointment:
   1. An assessment from the WFSSS (including any necessary testing)
   2. A collaboratively developed IRP (via case staffing)
   3. Stacked services, as appropriate.
3. The collaboratively developed IRP will meet WorkFirst requirements. The WFPS or WFSSS will have the final responsibility to develop and document this plan, as follows:
   1. Identifies, prioritizes then determines who will meet each of the person's needs
   2. Increases emphasis on work/work activities as other issues are resolved
   3. Sets short-term and long-term goals, with plans to meet each need.
   4. Sets time frames for results or review of the IRP
4. Once the collaborative IRP is developed, the WFPS or WFSSS acts as the central point of contact, but all WorkFirst partners are responsible to create dependable communication. As part of this:
   1. One person should be designated to coordinate stacked services for each person (such as the WFPS or one of the providers)
   2. All partners ensure continuous, dependable communication to make sure the plan is working, so we can make any necessary adjustments.

What is the referral process for contacted Intensive In-Home Services?

1. Once it has been decided that a referral will be made for contracted Intensive In-Home Services, the WFPS will:

   Note: The II component code will be counted as no activity on the Client Accountability Report (CAR).

   1. Enter II (the contracted Intensive In-home Services identifier) on the eJAS component screen.
   2. Enter the appropriate contractor code.
   3. Complete the eJAS referral form.
   4. Document "notes" under the issue type that is requiring the referral for services.
   5. Once the contractor accepts the referral, enter the appropriate component activity on the eJAS component screen with the actual number of hours.
   6. The II code will remain on the component screen, with the contractor code and the accompanying component, until the contracted In-Home Services are terminated.

Resources

Related WorkFirst Handbook Sections

• 6.1 Resolving Issues - Overview
• 3.2 Comprehensive Evaluation
• 3.3.1 IRP
• 3.5 Case staffing