Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program

The State will conduct programs designed to serve all political subdivisions in the State (not necessarily in a uniform manner) to provide assistance and/or services to needy families with children under the administration and supervision of the Alabama Department of Human Resources through County Departments of Human Resources located in the 67 counties in Alabama. The effective date of the TANF renewal plan is October 1, 2018. Program operating guidelines which include all policies, procedures, etc., for the determination of initial and continuing eligibility for each program will be issued to the County Departments of Human Resources from the State Department of Human Resources as needed. Such operating guidelines contained in department program manuals or other correspondence is binding on the County Departments of Human Resources. Provision of assistance and/or services to eligible , needy families is contingent on the availability of program funding.

Activities of these offices for programs 1 — 3 below include: accepting and processing applications for assistance; and as appropriate conducting reviews and redeterminations of eligibility, providing child support enforcement services, information and referral services, providing family intervention and preservation services and managing a program of work activities and requirements known as the JOBS Program. Special Projects may not necessarily be available on a statewide basis.

Programs: 1. Basic Assistance to Needy Families — A. Temporary Cash Assistance (limited to 5 years) ;B. Work Program (includes services to current and former recipients of cash assistance) 2. TANF Emergency Assistance 3. TANF (Direct) Child Welfare 4. Special Projects

Financial criteria are provided for each program area in Attachment E in section (k).

General program descriptions for the components of the Family Assistance Program are as follows:

1.Basic Assistance to Needy Families: A. Cash Assistance: Financial assistance to meet basic needs is available to a family with a dependent child under age 18 or under age 19 if s/he is a full—time student in a secondary school or in the equivalent level of vocational or technical training and whose income does not exceed established agency standards and who are otherwise eligible. Non parent adult caretaker relatives are excluded from the Family Assistance unit.

Funding Source: Federal Funds.

B. Work Program: (See Section (b) Non— assistance expenditures for current and former recipients of cash assistance as well as certain needy applicants of cash assistance so as to maintain children in their own homes and end the dependency of needy parents by promoting work. Services include information and referral, case management short—term non—recurrent benefits as discussed in 45CFR 260.31, day care, transportation and other work and training services.

Funding Source: Commingled State and Federal Funds.

2.TANF Emergency Assistance ( Formerly AFDC-EA as provided by 45 CFR 233.120 with provision date of August 21, 1996): Assistance and services to or on behalf of a needy child under the age of 21 when it has been determined an emergency or crisis situation exists. Under this component an emergency exists when a child (a) is being or has been removed from his/her home and placed into publicly funded care or supervision as authorized by department staff or designee, or (b) is at risk of such removal as determined by department staff or designee. Assistance includes paying for shelter, foster care, or emergency living expenses to alleviate the emergency or crisis situation. Services include information and referral, case planning and case management, counseling and support activities to normalize family functioning, and health care and health maintenance activities. Assistance and services are provided to the extent they are determined necessary and appropriate by department staff. Assistance is authorized during one period of 30 consecutive days in any 12 consecutive months. All authorized services/assistance are delivered in the twelve month time period between the authorized date and twelve months later. Methods of delivery of assistance and services includes vendor/contract payments to the provider of services and staff services. Staff service costs are determined according to the department’s approved cost allocation plan Assistance is available to or on behalf of a needy child 1) who is under the age of 21 and to any other member of the household in which he is living provided that such child is (or, within 6 months prior to the month in which such assistance is requested, has been ) living with any of the relatives specified in section 406 (a)(1) of the Act and further clarified in 45 CFR 233.90(c)(1)(v) in a place of residence maintained by one or more of such relatives as his or her own home; (2) who has been removed from his/her home or is at risk of such removal and (3) whose emergency did not arise from his/her refusal or refusal of such relative with whom s/he lives without good cause to accept employment or training for employment. Funding Source: Commingled State and Federal Funds.

3.TANF Direct Child Welfare: Non—assistance expenditures for payment of specific services for department child welfare cases such as counseling, case management, peer support, childcare, information and referral, transitional services and non—recurrent, short—term benefits as discussed in 45 CFR 260.31. An individual is certified if that individual meets either of the following: 1) a child resides in his/her own home; 2) a child is in out—of—home placement and has a permanency goal to remain at home, return home, or live permanently with relatives.

Funding Source: Federal and State funds.

4.Special Projects: A.. Eligible Families: Non—assistance expenditures for services including information and referral to needy parents/families such as short—term non—recurrent benefits as discussed in 45 CFR 260.31, day care, subsidized employment, transportation and work and training services, statewide food distribution network activities and pro—family activities expected to prevent and reduce the incidence of out of wedlock births as well as encourage the formation and maintenance of healthy two parent families including after school activities for teens, fatherhood and healthy marriage initiatives, mentoring and literacy programs and domestic violence/drug abuse/prevention/education programs. Additional non—financial criteria, if any, are dependent on the project plan.

Funding Source (s): Commingled State and Federal funds; Federal funds dependent on the project; State MOE.

After—School Care Program — Through a collaboration with the Alabama Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, project based learning activities are provided for the purpose of preventing out of wedlock teen pregnancy. Projects include: Character, Health and Life Skills; Education and Career Development; and Health and Physical Education Programming.

Funding Source: Federal Funds

B. Pro—Family Activities for Other Than Eligible Families: Non—assistance in the form of non—federal cash and in kind qualified expenditures by third parties for individuals and families pursuant to 45 CFR 263.2(a) (4) (ii). Program specifics including non—financial eligibility criteria, if any, are contained in written agreements/contracts between the Department of Human Resources and the third party and in project plans as applicable.

These benefits and services are provided without regard to financial need or family composition.

Funding Source: State MOE.