{"data":{"id":"us-vt/33-v.s.a.-1002","jurisdiction":"us-vt","citation":"33 V.S.A. § 1002","heading":"Purpose","body":"(a) The purpose of the Reach First program is:\n(1) to stabilize families in crisis, assess the family’s strengths and needs, and orient families to the programs, services, assistance, and participant responsibilities available to improve self-sufficiency, attain economic independence, and ensure the well-being of children;\n(2) to refer families without recent work histories, recognizing individual and unique characteristics, to an appropriate program available to assist the family in obtaining the opportunities and skills necessary for self-sufficiency and economic independence;\n(3) to assist families with recent work histories by providing short-term financial support and support services to stabilize the family while the family transitions back to employment;\n(4) to support parental responsibility and positive parental role models, both custodial and noncustodial;\n(5) to improve the well-being of children by providing short-term supports to their families and referrals to appropriate programs and services;\n(6) to conserve State public financial resources by operating the system of human services in a manner that is efficient and avoids federal fiscal sanctions; and\n(7) to conform to the federal TANF law.\n(b) The critical elements of developing a short-term stabilization, assessment, and orientation program that assists families to maintain or attain self-sufficiency are:\n(1) cooperative and realistic goal-setting, coupled with individualized case management that addresses each individual’s situation and barriers to self-sufficiency;\n(2) a short-term monetary payment and support services of a limited duration to provide for immediate, short-term needs of the family until the family attains employment quickly, or transitions to an appropriate program to assist the family in order to ensure the family’s well-being and success to reaching self-sufficiency; and\n(3) clear and comprehensive information on available options and appropriate services communicated to families in a simple fashion and easy transition to programs, such as Reach Ahead, Reach Up, the Postsecondary Education Program, and any other solely State-funded or separate State-funded programs.","path":["Title 33: Human Services","Chapter 010: Reach First","Subchapter 001: ELIGIBILITY AND ASSISTANCE"],"source_url":"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/33/010/01002","current_through":"2025 session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T17:17:11Z","sha256":"5d097bc0339fdb788ea9f01ddf6cea777ed87abbae568bdcd2d758dca99ba750","source_id":"us-vt","stale":false,"prev":"us-vt/33-v.s.a.-1001","next":"us-vt/33-v.s.a.-1003"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}