Section 811.22 - Assessment(a) A Board shall ensure that initial and ongoing assessments are performed to determine the employability and retention needs, including wage advancement and career development needs, of Choices participants as follows:(1) An assessment is required for Choices participants who are:(B) heads of household, as determined by HHSC, who are not yet age 18, have not completed secondary school or received a high school equivalency credential, and are not attending secondary school.(2) An assessment shall be provided to applicants who choose to participate in Choices services.(3) Ongoing assessments shall be provided to former recipients who choose to participate in Choices services.(b) Assessments shall include evaluations of strengths and potential barriers to obtaining and retaining employment, such as:(1) skills and abilities, employment, and educational history in relation to employers' workforce needs in the local labor market;(2) pre- and post-employment skills development needs to determine the necessity for job-specific training;(3) unmet housing needs and whether those needs are a barrier to full participation in the workforce and progression to self-sufficiency;(4) support services needs; and(5) individual and family circumstances that may affect participation, including the existence of family violence, substance use that impairs daily life, mental health, or disability-related issues, as one of the factors considered in evaluating employability.(c) A Board shall ensure that the assessment identifies Choices-eligible individuals with higher-than-average barriers to employment, as defined by the Board.(d) A Board shall ensure that if the skills assessment indicates that a Choices participant requires job-specific training for placement in a job paying wages that equal or exceed the Board's identified self-sufficiency wage, the Board shall, to the extent funds are available and to the extent allowed under this chapter, place the Choices participant in vocational educational training activities or job skills training activities that are designed to improve employment and wage outcomes and job retention.(e) A Board shall ensure that mandatory Choices participants who are at least age 18, or who are heads of household but are not yet age 18 and have not completed secondary school or received a high school equivalency credential and are not attending secondary school: (1) The assessments shall also include evaluations of the mandatory Choices participants':(A) vocational and educational skills, experience, and needs; and(B) functional educational level by using a statewide standard literacy assessment instrument unless the Choices participants are mandatory Choices participants coded by HHSC as working at least 30 hours per week, earning at least $700 per month, and receiving the EID.(2) A Board shall ensure that the grade-level results or other literacy information are provided to HHSC for use in determining the appropriateness of the initial state time-limit designation for TANF cash assistance as described in Texas Human Resources Code § 31.0065, relating to state time-limited benefits.(f) Assessment Outcome. Assessments shall result in the development of a family employment plan, as described in § 811.23 of this subchapter.40 Tex. Admin. Code § 811.22
The provisions of this §811.22 adopted to be effective November 18, 2003, 28 TexReg 10261; amended to be effective February 26, 2007, 32 TexReg 906; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 43, Number 48, November 30, 2018, TexReg 7802, eff. 12/3/2018; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 20, May 17, 2024, TexReg 3589, eff. 5/20/2024