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18 <br />VII. Services to Low-Income Families <br />Orange County DSS will provide services to low income employed families at or below <br />200% of poverty. Services may include transportation or transportation related expenses, <br />work attire, tools, shelter cost, or utility assistance, domestic violence services, and any <br />other employment retention assistance or social work intervention with at risk families as <br />funds are available. The amount of funds that will be available for 200% will be directly <br />related to the number of cases in the Work First caseload. <br />VIII. Services to Non-Custodial Parents <br />Orange County Department of Social Services is committed to providing assistance in the <br />development of an initiative to serve non-custodial pazents. We recognize that the need <br />for child support in Work First families is critical to them becoming and remaining self- <br />sufficient. There aze 253 Work First families at any one time. Of this number there aze <br />about 275 non-custodial pazents, generally fathers. Of the 275 non-custodial pazents, <br />there aze 145 child-only cases with both pazents absent. Orange County will implement a <br />non-custodial pazent program to improve the employment skills and enhance pazental <br />responsibility for the emotional and financial well being of children. <br />Program participants must be anon-custodial pazent of a Work First child with income at <br />or below 200% of poverty, and a US citizen or an eligible alien. Program participants <br />will be identified through Child Support Enforcement. The program's initial focus will <br />be on fathers. <br />The fatherhood initiative will enable non-custodial fathers of Work First children to take <br />more responsibility for their children. The Work First Block Grant Planning Committee <br />believes that with county and nonprofit agency partnerships, this program will help to <br />improve the lives of Work First non-custodial pazents, their children, and custodial <br />parents. <br />IX. Exemption from the Work Requirement <br />Orange County will continue to exempt all single parents with children under the age of <br />one for a lifetime limit of 12 months. Individuals with children under the age of one who <br />aze working 30 hours per week are not eligible for this exemption. If the single parent <br />loses their job, they may reclaim the exemption for a lifetime maximum of 12 months. <br />X. Innovative County Strategies <br />Demonstration Grant Initiative <br />Orange County participated in a 3 yeaz Work First Demonstration Crrant with the <br />Division of Social Services with the final yeaz to be completed June 30, 2009. This grant <br />initiative has allowed for atwelve-week comprehensive job readiness and enrichment <br />program providing a more hands-on learning environment for Work First participants. <br />The class has four main components that drive it. These components include immediate <br />