§ 42-2-103 — Provision of assistance and services; duties of department; burial assistance; department of health state supplemental security income program

(a) The department shall provide and administer programs
for public assistance and social services in Wyoming to those
individuals lacking sufficient income or resources to provide
themselves or their families with a reasonable subsistence
compatible with decency and health or with services necessary
for their well-being.
(b) In carrying out subsection (a) of this section and
except as provided under the Wyoming Medical Assistance and
Services Act, the department shall:
(i) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 179, § 2.
(ii) Establish policies and standards for the
provision of public assistance and social services in accordance
with this article and federal law and regulation;
(iii) Except as otherwise provided by law, establish
by rule and regulation payment amounts and service levels for
public assistance and social services programs provided under
this article based upon the financial condition of the
individual applicant or recipient;
(iv) Supervise the expenditure of state funds and
federal funds allocated to the state for purposes of providing
public assistance and social services in such a manner as to
ensure that, to the extent funds are available and authorized by
the legislature, funds may be used in separate state-funded
programs to:
(A) Use, to the extent practicable, state
maintenance of effort funds in a separate state funded program
to provide public assistance to eligible individuals who have
exhausted their benefits under the federal temporary assistance
to needy families block grant and are exempt from the five (5)
year limitation under paragraph (e)(i) of this section;
(B) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 108, § 2.
(C) Allow an individual receiving assistance to
attend school as provided by W.S. 42-2-109(a) provided the
individual:
(I) Has completed an employment assessment
conducted under department rule or regulation;
(II) Meets the income and resource
eligibility requirements of the personal opportunities with
employment responsibilities (POWER) program;
(III) Qualifies as a full-time student
under W.S. 42-2-109(a)(ii)(A) and (C).
(v) Cooperate with and report to the United States
department of health and human services and other federal
agencies as necessary to qualify the state for federal funding
for public assistance and social services and comply with
federal law and regulations governing the administration and
expenditure of federal funds allocated to the state;
(vi) Serve as an agent of the federal government in
matters of mutual concern and in the administration of federal
funds allocated to the state for public assistance and social
services;
(vii) Cooperate with other agencies as necessary to
administer this article;
(viii) Limit approved educational programs under
paragraph (iv) of this subsection to educational courses not to
exceed the baccalaureate level, or to one (1) vocational
training program;
(ix) Amend the state plan submitted to the United
States department of health and human services to provide that
the state elects as authorized by section 402(1)(A)(ii) of P.L.
104-193 to define work as including all activities permitted
under section 407 of P.L. 104-193 plus satisfactory full-time
school attendance as defined by W.S. 42-2-109;
(x) To the extent funds are available and authorized
by the legislature and if full-time students as defined by W.S.
42-2-109 are required by federal law or regulation to work in
addition to attending school full-time, create a state funds
only program using funds required for maintenance of effort to
provide assistance to such students. Such a program shall take
priority over other uses of the maintenance of effort funds
available;
(xi) Not discriminate against married couples with
one (1) or more dependent children applying for assistance,
provided the department may maintain work requirements for
married couples consistent with the federal requirements for
work participation for two (2) parent families;
(xii) Provide benefits under the personal
opportunities with employment responsibilities (POWER) program
to permanent resident aliens lawfully admitted to the United
States under the Immigration and Nationality Act, as allowed
under section 402 of P.L. 104-193;
(xiii) Exempt individuals domiciled in Wyoming from
the application of section 115, subsection (a) of P.L. 104-193
allowing payment of benefits under the personal opportunities
with employment responsibilities program (POWER) and the
supplemental nutrition assistance program;
(xiv) Promulgate and adopt rules and regulations
necessary to carry out this article;
(xv) Subject to the availability of funds, provide to
recipients in an approved education program under W.S.
42-2-109(a) at least two (2) hours of dependent day care, if
needed, for each hour the applicant is required to be in class,
laboratory or other required instructional activity;
(xvi) Conduct the eligibility and identity
verification process as provided in W.S. 42-10-101 through