TANF Policies
This compilation shares some policies that states can choose to put into place in their Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) programs in order to support economic security for families with young children. If you’d like to see how a specific state currently spends TANF funds, take a look at How States Spend TANF Funds from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). Check out this Child Trends/NCSL presentation for a good primer on state flexibilities and variations in TANF.
Changing Requirements and Benefits
- Expanding eligibility and Benefits
States have flexibility in determining eligibility requirements, work requirements, time limits, application requirements, benefit amounts.
Sources:
Urban Institute: Welfare Rules Database provides data on state TANF eligibility policies
Urban Institute: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Caseloads Early in the Pandemic
CBPP: TANF cash assistance should reach millions more families to lessen hardship
CBPP: Cash assistance historically weak in southern states, now weak in most states
Provide Cash Benefits
- Using TANF for direct cash assistance to families with low income. States can choose to use federal TANF funds in a wide variety of ways, but research suggests that direct cash assistance to meet basic needs would more equitable support young children and reduces the likelihood of abuse and neglect.
Sources:
CLASP: TANF 101: Block Grant
CBPP: To Promote Equity, States Should Invest More TANF Dollars in Basic Assistance
CBPP: Policy Brief: Increases in TANF Cash Benefit Levels Are Critical to Help Families Meet Rising Costs (includes 50-state map)
Eliminating Exclusions
- Removing Punitive Behavioral Policies
States can act without federal changes to eliminate punitive policies around behavioral requirements, reproductive controls, and other exclusions.
Example: Seven states have family caps, which deny additional cash benefits for families who have children after their initial TANF eligibility is determined.
Sources:
Eliminating Full-Family Sanctions
- Repealing sanctions that impact entire families
States can choose to repeal full family sanctions, which take away TANF assistance to the entire family if the parent doesn’t meet work or other requirements.
Examples:
Illinois, Maryland, Maine, District of Columbia
Source:
CBPP: Maine Joins Growing List of States Repealing TANF Full-Family Sanctions
Work Requirement Exemption
- Exempting single parents on TANF from work requirements until the youngest child reaches age one
Twenty-six states have such an exemption.
Source:
National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP): Early Childhood Profiles
Decouple TANF from Child Support
- Routing parents’ child support payments to their children receiving TANF rather than being retained by the state
- Ensuring that child support payments do not reduce families’ TANF grants
Source:
Urban: Strategies for Improving Public Benefits Access and Retention
Work Requirement Reduction
- Reducing the TANF work requirement to 20 hours or less for single parents with children under age six
Thirty-seven states have reduced work requirements.
Source:
NCCP: Early Childhood Profiles
Exemption on Benefit Time Limit for Pregnant People
- Exemptions and/or extensions of the TANF benefit time limit for people who are pregnant or caring for a child under six months of age
Nineteen states have such an exemption.
Source:
NCCP: Early Childhood Profiles
Time Limits
- Time limit extensions during times of high unemployment
Example:
Source:
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): Economic Mobility Enacted Legislation Database
Child Care Assistance Eligibility
- TANF eligibility is not reduced with receipt of child care subsidy
Example:
Source:
Diaper Subsidy
- Monthly diaper subsidy for parents or other caregivers receiving TANF
Example:
Source:
Benefits to Immigrants
- Use state funds to provide TANF benefits to recent immigrants (<5 years)
Source:
Child Trends & NCSL: Presentation on state flexibilities in TANF and SNAP
Temporary Policies During/After COVID (Or Other Emergencies)
- Suspending up-front job search requirements
- Not counting unemployment insurance as income
- Issuing good-cause exemptions for work requirements
- Removing work-related sanctions
- Developing virtual learning activities
- Waiving in-person interviews
- Automatically extending or recertifying eligibility
- Having an online application available
- Adjusting time limits
- Excluding income from pandemic relief funds received by families from eligibility criteria
Sources:
Urban Institute: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Caseloads Early in the Pandemic
CLASP: Advancing Disability Equity and Access in TANF and SNAP for People with Long COVID
