TANF is a US welfare program that provides funds to poor families with children for rent, food, and medical care. Each state determines how to use the money, but it must meet federal requirements. Eligible families face restrictions, including a lifetime limit, to wean them off government assistance. TANF aims to stabilize needy families while parents get stable jobs. States have different names for their TANF funding and impose a lifetime cap on the amount of funds a family can receive.
Temporary Assistance for Families in Need (TANF) is part of the American welfare system and is designed to put funds into the hands of poor families with children to help them with rent, food and medical care. TANF was created in 1996 to replace Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and is part of a global initiative to change the way welfare is administered in the United States. Eligible families face a number of restrictions on their aid, including a lifetime limit, designed to wean them off dependence on government assistance.
TANF takes the form of a block grant that is provided to individual states. Each state determines how to use the money individually, although it must meet certain federal requirements. Funds provided in a TANF grant must be provided directly to families in need, used to promote employment and education, promote family planning, or be used to encourage two parenting families that the government believes can better support children. 36% of TANF funds are used directly to provide cash assistance to families in need. 24% is used for “other services”, an umbrella label that includes family planning and some back-to-work programmes, while 18% is used to provide childcare. Systems and administration consume 12% of the total budget, while additional employment support and employment programs use 8%. The remaining 2% is used for transportation.
To be eligible for TANF, a family must have at least one parent and one child and be below a certain income level. The more children there are, the higher this roof is. Even two parental families can receive assistance through TANF, if they demonstrate the need. In exchange for TANF funds, adults must agree to participate in employment or education programs designed to provide them with a career. TANF’s goal is to stabilize needy families while parents get stable jobs that will allow them to support their children.
Each state has a different name for its TANF funding. Most state names include “Family” or “Jobs” in the title, but have tried to avoid using the words “well-being” and “needy” due to their negative associations. States want to encourage families to seek TANF assistance when they need it, and all states impose a lifetime cap on the amount of funds a family can receive through TANF, as well as how long the family can live with government support. In most cases, TANF supplements existing income rather than being the sole source of survival for the family.
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