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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: Research Reinforces: Providing Cash to Families in Poverty Reduces Risk of Family Involvement in Child Welfare

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:

CBPP: Ending Behavioral Requirements and Reproductive Control Measures Would Move TANF in an Antiracist Direction

CBPP: Reproductive Justice and TANF: Repealing “Family Cap” Policies Promotes Economic Justice and Family Autonomy

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:

Washington

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:

Indiana

Source:

NCSL: Economic Mobility Enacted Legislation Database

Diaper Subsidy

  • Monthly diaper subsidy for parents or other caregivers receiving TANF

Example:

Washington

Source:

NCSL: Economic Mobility Enacted Legislation Database

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