(a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall offer immediate diversion assistance designed to prevent certain families who are applying for monthly temporary family assistance from needing such assistance. Diversion assistance shall be offered to families that (1) upon initial assessment are determined eligible for temporary family assistance, (2) demonstrate a short-term need that cannot be met with current or anticipated family resources, and (3) with the provision of a service or short-term benefit, would be prevented from needing monthly temporary family assistance. Within resources available to the Department of Social Services, a person who requests diversion assistance on the basis of being a victim of domestic violence, as defined in § 17b-112a, shall be deemed to satisfy subdivision (2) of this subsection and shall not be subject to the requirements of subdivision (3) of this subsection. In determining whether the family of such a victim of domestic violence satisfies the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection and the appropriate amount of diversion assistance to provide, the commissioner shall not include as a member of the family the spouse, domestic partner or other household member credibly accused of domestic violence by such victim, nor shall the commissioner count the income or assets of such a spouse, domestic partner or other household member. For purposes of this subsection, allegations of domestic violence may be substantiated by the commissioner pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of § 17b-112a.

(b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall establish (1) a simplified eligibility determination process for diversion assistance, and (2) an expedited procedure to deliver benefits pursuant to this section. Diversion assistance shall be provided not later than fifteen calendar days from the date the applicant signs a request for diversion assistance. An application for temporary family assistance shall be withdrawn if the Commissioner of Social Services and the applicant agree that diversion assistance would prevent the family from needing temporary family assistance and such diversion assistance is provided. In no event shall the amount of diversion assistance be greater than the cash assistance equivalent of three months of temporary family assistance for such family.

(c) Diversion assistance may include, but not be limited to, employment services, child care assistance, transportation assistance, housing assistance, utilities assistance, clothing assistance and assistance with purchasing or maintaining tools necessary for employment.

(d) A family receiving diversion assistance shall be ineligible to receive monthly temporary family assistance payments for a period of three months from the date of application for temporary family assistance, except that such family shall be eligible to receive temporary family assistance payments within such period if the Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner’s designee, in the commissioner’s sole discretion, determines that the family has experienced undue hardship. A family that is subject to the twenty-one-month benefit limit under temporary family assistance shall have diversion assistance count as three months toward such limit. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a family receiving diversion assistance that later qualifies for temporary family assistance from qualifying for a six-month extension available to recipients of temporary family assistance who did not receive diversion assistance.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 17b-77 and to the extent permitted by federal law, families shall not be required to assign their right to receive child support payments to the state while receiving diversion assistance.

(f) The Commissioner of Social Services shall inform each applicant of the specific benefits and services the family will receive through diversion assistance and the benefits available to such family under temporary family assistance. If the applicant consents to diversion assistance, the applicant may rescind the request for such assistance within three business days of the request for diversion assistance.

(g) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a family receiving diversion assistance from being eligible for other social service programs administered by the Department of Social Services including, but not limited to, supplemental nutrition assistance, child care assistance, medical assistance and transitional child care and medical assistance benefits.

(h) The Commissioner of Social Services shall implement the policies and procedures necessary to carry out the provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures in regulation form, provided notice of intent to adopt the regulations is published in the Connecticut Law Journal within twenty days after implementation. Such policies and procedures shall be valid until the time final regulations are effective.