The Prevention, Retention, Contingency Program (PRC) is a special category of assistance, established to help with one-time, urgent needs of low income families. Anyone, not just previous or current recipients of cash assistance may be eligible for PRC. Eligibility is based on household size and income at or below 200 % of the Federal Poverty Guideline. The assistance group must include at least one minor child or pregnant individual and have a maximum resources limit of $200.

The program is designed to help people overcome immediate barriers to achieving or maintaining self-sufficiency by providing one-time, short-term assistance. Assistance payment is limited to the amount actually required to meet the presenting need and is limited to a maximum of $1500 per a 12 consecutive month period. Of the $1500, up to $1000 can be expended for prevention and retention (employment related) services and no more than $500 can be expended for contingency (non-employment related) emergent needs. Also, based on income, individuals may be required to pay for a portion of the requested assistance.

PRC assistance will be authorized with the expectation that the assistance group will then be able to function without additional agency help. Services are provided to an assistance groups to prevent them from reliance on and diversion from ongoing cash assistance by helping them overcome the present crisis.