441—47.4 (239B) Assistance available. FIP diversion assistance shall assist participating families to overcome barriers to obtaining or retaining employment.
	 47.4(1) Types of assistance. FIP diversion assistance shall be approved for needs that create barriers to a family obtaining or retaining employment. Assistance shall include, but is not limited to:
	  a.   	 Basic needs, such as household supplies, food, medical expenses, and personal care items. Basic needs shall be allowed only if payment for the needs prevents a family from accumulating debt before receiving the first paycheck. Basic needs shall not be allowed for families who are attempting to obtain employment.
	  b.   	 Child care. Child care shall be approved only if the family is not immediately eligible for child care assistance as described at 441—Chapters 130 and 170.
	  c.   	 Job-specific expenses, such as licensing fees, tools of the trade, and uniforms required to obtain a job, advance on a job, or start self-employment.
	  d.   	 School-related expenses, such as fees, tuition, books and supplies required for training to qualify for an offered job, and training required to advance in a job, when the employer does not pay for the training.
	  e.   	 Shelter-related expenses, including rent, mortgage, insurance, lot rent, telephone, heating and cooling, water, sewer, garbage, and deposits, if the payment prevents a family from accumulating debt before receiving the first paycheck, or enables the family to acquire space to start self-employment.
	  f.   	 Transportation, including bus passes or tokens, car repair, vehicle purchase and payment, driver’s license fees, gas, and vehicle insurance. All payments must be tied to obtaining or retaining a job or to preventing a family from accumulating debt before receiving the first paycheck.
	 47.4(2) Maximum value of assistance. For assistance having a cash value to the family, each family may receive a maximum amount of $2,000 during the state fiscal year.
	 47.4(3) Frequency of assistance. FIP diversion assistance is intended to be of an immediate and short-term nature. While a family may be a candidate more than once, this program shall not be considered ongoing assistance.
	 47.4(4) Assistance method. FIP diversion assistance shall be granted through vendor payments or voucher payments, or both.
	 47.4(5) Supplanting other assistance. FIP diversion funds shall not be used for services already available through local resources at no cost to the family or to the department. The candidate may be referred to other department or local resources as requested.