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The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

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The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

Updated April 12, 2019 (RL32760)
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Contents

Tables

Summary

The Temporary Assistance for June 3, 2019 Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Gene Falk Responses to Frequently Asked Questions Specialist in Social Policy The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds a wide range of benefits and services for low-income families with children. TANF was created in the 1996 welfare reform law (P.L. 104-193). This report responds to some frequently asked questions about TANF; it does not describe TANF rules (see, instead, CRS Report RL32748, The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: A Primer on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements, by Gene Falk).

TANF Funding and Expenditures. TANF provides fixed funding for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the territories, and American Indian tribes. The basic block grant totals $16.5 billion per year. States are also required in total to contribute, from their own funds, at least $10.3 billion annually under a maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirement.

Though TANF is best known for funding cash assistance payments for needy families with children, the block grant and MOE funds are used for a wide variety of benefits and activities. In FY2017, expenditures on basic assistance totaled $7.1 billion—23% of total federal TANF and MOE dollars. Basic assistance is often—but not exclusively—paid as cash. In addition to funding basic assistance, TANF also contributes funds for child care and services for children who have been, or are at risk of being, abused and neglected. Some states also count expenditures in prekindergarten programs toward the MOE requirement.

The TANF Assistance Caseload. A total of 1.2 million families, composed of 3.1 million recipients, received TANF- or MOE-funded assistance in September 2018. The bulk of the "recipients"“recipients” were children—2.3 million in that month. The assistance caseload is heterogeneous. The type of family once thought of as the "typical"“typical” assistance family—one with an unemployed adult recipient—accounted for 32% of all families on the rolls in FY2016. Additionally, 31% of cash assistance families had an employed adult, while 38% of all TANF families were "child-only" and had no adult recipient. Child-only families include those with disabled adults receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), adults who are nonparents (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles) caring for children, and families consisting of citizen children and ineligible noncitizen parents.

Cash Assistance Benefits. TANF cash benefit amounts are set by states. In July 2017, the maximum monthly benefit for a family of three ranged from $1,021 in New Hampshire to $170 in Mississippi. Only New Hampshire (at 60% of the federal poverty guidelines) had a maximum TANF cash assistance amount for this sized family in excess of 50% of poverty-level income.

Work Requirements. TANF's main federal work requirement is actually a performance measure that applies to the states. States determine the work rules that apply to individual recipients. TANF law requires states to engage 50% of all families and 90% of two-parent families with work-eligible individuals in work activities, though these standards can be reduced by "credits." Therefore, the effective standards states face are often less than the 50% or 90% targets, and vary by state. In FY2017, states achieved, on average, an all-family participation rate of 53.0% and a two-parent rate of 69.5%. In FY2017, two jurisdictions did not meet the all-family participation standard: Nevada and Guam. This is a reduction from FY2012, when 16 states did not meet that standard. In FY2017, nine jurisdictions did not meet the two-parent standard. States that do not meet work standards are at risk of being penalized by a reduction in their block grant.


Introduction

Congressional Research Service link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 6 link to page 7 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 9 link to page 10 link to page 11 link to page 13 link to page 13 link to page 13 link to page 13 link to page 14 link to page 15 link to page 17 link to page 7 link to page 9 link to page 11 link to page 12 link to page 12 link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 16 link to page 16 link to page 18 link to page 18 link to page 6 link to page 8 link to page 19 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Funding and Expenditures ............................................................................................................... 1 What Is TANF’s Funding Status? ............................................................................................. 1 How Are State TANF Programs Funded? ................................................................................. 1 How Much Has the Value of the TANF Basic Block Grant Changed Over Time? ................... 1 How Have States Used TANF Funds? ...................................................................................... 2 How Much of the TANF Grant Has Gone Unspent? ................................................................ 3 The Caseload ................................................................................................................................... 4 How Many Families Receive TANF- or MOE-Funded Benefits and Services? ....................... 4 How Many Families and People Currently Receive TANF- or MOE-Funded “Assistance”? ......................................................................................................................... 4 How Does the Current Assistance Caseload Level Compare with Historical Levels? ............. 5 What Are the Characteristics of Families Receiving TANF Assistance? .................................. 6 TANF Cash Benefits: How Much Does a Family Receive in TANF Cash Per Month? .................. 7 TANF Work Participation Standards ............................................................................................... 9 What Is the TANF Work Participation Standard States Must Meet? ........................................ 9 Have There Been Changes in the Work Participation Rules Enacted Since the 1996 Welfare Reform Law? ............................................................................................................ 9 What Work Participation Rates Have the States Achieved?.................................................... 10 How Many Jurisdictions Did Not Meet the All-Families Standard? ........................................ 11 Have States Met the Two-Parent Work Participation Standard? ............................................. 13 Figures Figure 1. Uses of TANF Funds by Spending Category, FY2017 .................................................... 3 Figure 2. Number of Families Receiving Cash Assistance, July 1959-September 2018................. 5 Figure 3. Characteristics of Assistance Families, Selected Years FY1988 to FY2017 ................... 7 Figure 4. TANF Cash Assistance Maximum Monthly Benefit Amounts for a Single Parent Family with Two Children, 50 States and the District of Columbia, July 2016 ........................... 8 Figure 5. National Average TANF Work Participation Rate for All Families, FY2002- FY2017 ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Figure 6. States That Met or Did Not Meet the TANF All-Families Work Participation Standard: FY2006-FY2017 ........................................................................................................ 12 Figure 7. Two-Parent TANF Work Participation Standard, Status by State: FY2006- FY2017 ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Tables Table 1. TANF Basic Block Grant Funding in Nominal and Constant Dollars ............................... 2 Table 2. TANF Assistance Caseload: September 2018 .................................................................... 4 Table A-1. Trends in the Cash Assistance Caseload: 1961-2017 ................................................... 15 Congressional Research Service link to page 21 link to page 21 link to page 22 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 28 link to page 29 link to page 29 link to page 31 link to page 31 link to page 33 link to page 19 link to page 22 link to page 36 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Table A-2. Families Receiving AFDC/TANF Assistance by Family Category, Selected Years, FY1988-FY2017 ............................................................................................................. 17 Table B-1. Use of FY2017 TANF and MOE Funds by Category .................................................. 18 Table B-2. Use of FY2017 TANF and MOE Funds by Category as a Percentage of Total Federal TANF and State MOE Funding ..................................................................................... 21 Table B-3. Unspent TANF Funds at the End of FY2017 ............................................................... 24 Table B-4. Number of Families, Recipients, Children, and Adults Receiving TANF Assistance by State, September 2018 ......................................................................................... 25 Table B-5. Number of Needy Families with Children Receiving Assistance by State, September of Selected Years ...................................................................................................... 27 Table B-6. TANF Assistance Families by Number of Parents by State: September 2018 ............ 29 Appendixes Appendix A. Supplementary Tables .............................................................................................. 15 Appendix B. State Tables .............................................................................................................. 18 Contacts Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 32 Congressional Research Service link to page 22 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Introduction This report provides responses to frequently asked questions about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. It is intended to serve as a quick reference to provide easy access to information and datadata. Appendix B presents a series of tables with state-level data. This report does not provide information on TANF program rules (for a discussion of TANF rules, see CRS Report RL32748, The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: A Primer on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements, by Gene Falk).

Funding and Expenditures

What Is TANF's Funding Status?

On January 24, 2019, the President signed legislation (P.L. 116-4) that funds TANF and related programs through June 30, 2019. The legislationlaw permits states to receive their quarterly TANF grants for the 2ndsecond quarter (January through -March) and 3rdthird quarter (April through June) of FY2019. Additional legislation would be required to pay TANF grants in the final quarter (July through September) of FY2019.

-June) of FY2019. The majority leader has announced that the House is to consider legislation (H.R. 2940) during the week of June 3, 2019, that would extend TANF funding for the remainder of FY2019 through September 30, 2019. The legislation is expected to be considered under the expedited suspension of the rules procedure, which, among its principal features, requires a two-thirds vote of the House for passage. How Are State TANF Programs Funded? How Are State TANF Programs Funded?

TANF programs are funded through a combination of federal and state funds. In FY2018, TANF has two federal grants to states. The bulk of the TANF funding is in a basic block grant to the states, totaling $16.5 billion for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Indian tribes. There is also a contingency fund available that provides extra federal funds to states that meet certain conditions.

Additionally, states are required to expend a minimum amount of their own funds for TANF and TANF-related activities under what is known as the maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement. States are required to spend at least 75% of what they spent in FY1994 on TANF's predecessor programs. The minimum MOE amount, in total, is $10.3 billion per year for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories.

How Much Has the Value of the TANF Basic Block Grant Changed Over Time?

TANF was created in the 1996 welfare reform law, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA, P.L. 104-193). A TANF basic block grant amount—both nationally and for each state—was established in the 1996 welfare reform law. The amount established in that law for the 50 states, District of Columbia, territories, and tribes was $16.6 billion in total. From FY1997 through FY2016, that amount remained the same. It was not adjusted for changes that occur over time, such as inflation, the size of the TANF assistance caseload, or changes in the poverty population. During this period, the real (inflation-adjusted) value of the block grant declined by one-third (33.1%). Beginning with FY2017, the state family assistance grant was reduced by 0.33% from its historical levels to finance TANF-related research and technical assistance. The reduced block grant amount is $16.5 billion.

Congressional Research Service 1 link to page 6 link to page 7 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Table 1 shows the state family assistance grant, in both nominal (actual) and real (inflation-adjusted) dollars for each year, FY1997 through FY2018. In real (inflation-adjusted) terms, the FY2018 block grant was 36% below its value in FY1997.

Table 1. TANF Basic Block Grant Funding in Nominal and Constant Dollars

(In billions of $) (In billions of $)

Fiscal Year

State Family State Family Assistance Grant: 50 State Family States, DC, Tribes, and Assistance Grant Cumulative Percentage Fiscal Year Territories Constant 1997 Dollars Change 1997 $16.567 $16.567 1998 16.567 16.306 -1.6% 1999 16.567 15.991 -3.5 2000 16.567 15.498 -6.5 2001 16.567 15.020 -9.3 2002 16.567 14.792 -10.7 2003 16.567 14.456 -12.7 2004 16.567 14.124 -14.7 2005 16.567 13.680 -17.4 2006 16.567 13.190 -20.4 2007 16.567 12.893 -22.2 2008 16.567 12.345 -25.5 2009 16.567 12.382 -25.3 2010 16.567 12.182 -26.5 2011 16.567 11.859 -28.4 2012 16.567 11.585 -30.1 2013 16.567 11.394 -31.2 2014 16.567 11.217 -32.3 2015 16.567 11.179 -32.5 2016 16.567 11.082 -33.1 2017 16.512 10.820 -34.7 2018 16.512 10.564 -36.2 States, DC, Tribes, and Territories

State Family Assistance Grant Constant 1997 Dollars

Cumulative Percentage Change

1997

$16.567

$16.567

 

1998

16.567

16.306

-1.6%

1999

16.567

15.991

-3.5

2000

16.567

15.498

-6.5

2001

16.567

15.020

-9.3

2002

16.567

14.792

-10.7

2003

16.567

14.456

-12.7

2004

16.567

14.124

-14.7

2005

16.567

13.680

-17.4

2006

16.567

13.190

-20.4

2007

16.567

12.893

-22.2

2008

16.567

12.345

-25.5

2009

16.567

12.382

-25.3

2010

16.567

12.182

-26.5

2011

16.567

11.859

-28.4

2012

16.567

11.585

-30.1

2013

16.567

11.394

-31.2

2014

16.567

11.217

-32.3

2015

16.567

11.179

-32.5

2016

16.567

11.082

-33.1

2017

16.512

10.820

-34.7

2018

16.512

10.564

-36.2

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Notes: Constant dollarsdol ars were computed using the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

How Have States Used TANF Funds?

Figure 1 shows the uses of federal TANF grants to states and state MOE funds in FY2017. In FY2017, a total of $31.1 billion of both federal TANF and state MOE expenditures were either expended or transferred to other block grant programs. Basic assistance—ongoing benefits to Congressional Research Service 2 link to page 22 link to page 25 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs families to meet basic needs—represented 23% ($7.1 billion) of total FY2017 TANF and MOE dollars.

TANF is a major contributor of child care funding. In FY2017, $5 billion (16% of all TANF and MOE funds) were either expended on child care or transferred to the child care block grant (the Child Care and Development Fund, or CCDF). TANF work-related activities (including education and training) were the third-largest TANF and MOE spending category at $3.3 billion, or 11% of total TANF and MOE funds. TANF also helps low-wage parents by helping to finance state refundable tax credits, such as state add-ons to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). TANF and MOE expenditures on refundable tax credits in FY2017 totaled $2.8 billion, or 9% of total TANF and MOE spending.

TANF is also a major contributor to the child welfare system, which provides foster care, adoption assistance, and services to families with children who either have experienced or are at risk of experiencing child abuse or neglect, spending about $2.2 billion on such activities. TANF and MOE funds also help fund state prekindergarten (pre-K) programs, with total FY2017 expenditures for that category also at $2.5 billion. TANF and MOE funds are also used for short-term and emergency benefits and a wide range of other social services.

Figure 1. Uses of TANF Funds by Spending Category, FY2017

(Dollars in billions) (Dollars in billions)

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Notes: Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

For state-specific information on the use of TANF funds, see Table B-1 and Table B-2.

How Much of the TANF Grant Has Gone Unspent?

TANF law permits states to "reserve"“reserve” unused funds without time limit. This permits flexibility in timing of the use of TANF funds, including the ability to "save"“save” funds for unexpected occurrences that might increase costs (such as recessions or natural disasters).

At the end of FY2017 (September 30, 2017, the most recent data currently available), a total of $5.1 billion of federal TANF funding remained neither transferred nor spent. However, some of these unspent funds represent monies that states had already committed to spend later. At the end of FY2017, states had made such commitments to spend—that is, had obligated—a total of $1.8 Congressional Research Service 3 link to page 28 link to page 8 link to page 29 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs billion. At the end of FY2017, states had $3.3 billion of "unobligated balances." These funds are available to states to make new spending commitmentscommitments. Table B-3 shows unspent TANF funds by state.

by state. The Caseload

How Many Families Receive TANF- or MOE-Funded Benefits and Services?

This number is not known. Federal TANF reporting requirements focus on families receiving only ongoing assistance. There is no complete reporting on families receiving other TANF benefits and services.

Assistance is defined as benefits provided to families to meet ongoing, basic needs.11 It is most often paid in cash. However, some states use TANF or MOE funds to provide an "earnings supplement"supplement” to working parents added to monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) allotments. These "earnings supplements" are paid separately from the regular TANF cash assistance program. Additionally, TANF MOE dollars are used to fund food assistance for immigrants barred from regular SNAP benefits in certain states. These forms of nutrition aid meet an ongoing need, and thus are considered TANF assistance.

As discussed in a previous section of this report, TANF basic assistance accounts for about 24% of all TANF expenditures. Therefore, the federal reporting requirements that pertain to families receiving "assistance"“assistance” are likely to undercount the number of families receiving any TANF-funded benefit or service.

How Many Families and People Currently Receive TANF- or MOE-Funded “Assistance”? Funded "Assistance"?

Table 2 provides assistance caseload information. A total of 1.2 million families, composed of 3.1 million recipients, received TANF- or MOE-funded assistance in September 2018. The bulk of the “recipients”the "recipients" were children—2.3 million in that month. For state-by-state assistance caseloads, see Table B-4.

Table 2. TANF Assistance Caseload: September 2018 Families 1,175,335 Recipients 3,104,094 Child Recipients 2,280,173 Adult Recipients 823,921 Table 2. TANF Assistance Caseload: September 2018

Families

1,175,335

Recipients

3,104,094

Child Recipients

2,280,173

Adult Recipients

823,921

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Notes: TANF cash assistance caseload includes families receiving assistance in state-funded programs counted toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement.

1 The definition of TANF assistance is not in statute. However, because the statutory language has most TANF requirements triggered by a family receiving “assistance,” the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations define assistance at 45 C.F.R. §260.31. Congressional Research Service 4 link to page 9 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs How Does the Current Assistance Caseload Level Compare with Historical Levels?

Figure 2 provides a long-term historical perspective on the number of families receiving assistance from TANF or its predecessor program, from July 1959 to September 2017. The shaded areas of the figure represent months when the national economy was in recession. Though the health of the national economy has affected the trend in the cash assistance caseload, the long-term trend in receipt of cash assistance does not follow a classic countercyclical pattern. Such a pattern would have the caseload rise during economic slumps, and then fall again during periods of economic growth. Factors other than the health of the economy (demographic trends, policy changes) also have influenced the caseload trend.

The figure shows two periods of sustained caseload increases: the period from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s and a second period from 1988 to 1994. The number of families receiving assistance peaked in March 1994 at 5.1 million families. The assistance caseload fell rapidly in the late 1990s (after the 1996 welfare reform law) before leveling off in 2001. In 2004, the caseload began another decline, albeit at a slower pace than in the late 1990s. During the recent 2007-2009 recession and its aftermath, the caseload began to rise from 1.7 million families in August 2008, peaking in December 2010 at close to 2.0 million families. By September 2018, the assistance caseload had declined to 1.2 million families.

Figure 2. Number of Families Receiving Cash Assistance, July 1959-September 2018

Click and type sub-title, or delete Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) with data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Notes: Shaded areas denote months when the national economy was in recession. Information represents families receiving cash assistance from Aid to Dependent Children (ADC), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), and TANF. For October 1999 through September 2018, includes families receiving assistance Congressional Research Service 5 link to page 19 link to page 31 link to page 11 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs from Separate State Programs (SSPs) with expenditures countable toward the TANF maintenance of effort requirement. See Table A-1 for average annual data on families, recipients, adult recipients, and child recipients of ADC, AFDC, and TANF cash assistance for 1961 to 2017.

Table B-5 shows recent trends in the number of cash assistance families by state.

What Are the Characteristics of Families Receiving TANF Assistance?

Before PRWORA, the "typical"“typical” family receiving assistance has been headed by a single parent (usually the mother) with one or two children. That single parent has also typically been unemployed. However, over the past 20 years the assistance caseload decline has occurred together with a major shift in the composition of the rollsrolls. Figure 3 shows the change in the size and composition of the assistance caseload under both AFDC (1988 and 1994) and TANF. In FY1988, an estimated 84% of AFDC families were headed by an unemployed adult recipient. In FY2016, families with an unemployed adult recipient represented 32% of all cash assistance families. This decline occurred, in large part, as the number of families headed by unemployed adult recipients declined more rapidly than other components of the assistance caseload. In FY1994, a monthly average of 3.8 million families per month who received AFDC cash assistance had adult recipients who were not working. In FY2016, a monthly average of 485,000 families per month had adult recipients or work-eligible individuals, with no adult recipient or work-eligible individual working.

With the decline in families headed by unemployed adults, the share of the caseload represented by families with employed adults and "child only" families has increased. In FY2017, families with all adult recipients unemployed and families with employed adult recipients each represented 31% of all assistance families. The latter category includes families in "earnings supplement"supplement” programs separate from the regular TANF cash assistance program. "Child-only" families are those where no adult recipient receives benefits in their own right; the family receives benefits on behalf of its children. The share of the caseload that was child-only in FY2017 was 38%. In FY2017, families with a nonrecipient, nonparent relative (grandparents, aunts, uncles) represented 14% of all assistance families. Families with ineligible, noncitizen adults or adults who have not reported their citizenship status made up 9% of the assistance caseload in that year. Families where the parent received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the children received TANF made up 9% of all assistance families in FY2017.

Congressional Research Service 6 link to page 12 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Figure 3. Characteristics of Assistance Families,
Selected Years FY1988 to FY2017

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) tabulations of the TANF national data files.

Notes: TANF cash assistance caseload includes families receiving assistance in state-funded programs counted toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement.

TANF Cash Benefits: How Much Does a Family Receive in TANF Cash Per Month?

There are no federal rules that help determine the amount of TANF cash benefits paid to a family. (There are also no federal rules that require states to use TANF to pay cash benefits, though all states do so.) Benefit amounts are determined solely by the states.

Most states base TANF cash benefit amounts on family size, paying larger cash benefits to larger families on the presumption that they have greater financial needs. The maximum monthly cash benefit is usually paid to a family that receives no other income (e.g., no earned or unearned income) and complies with program rules. Families with income other than TANF often are paid a reduced benefit. Moreover, some families are financially sanctioned for not meeting a program requirement (e.g., a work requirement), and are also paid a lower benefit.

Figure 4 shows the maximum monthly TANF cash benefit by state for a single mother caring for two children (family of three) in July 2016.22 The benefit amounts shown are those for a single-parent family with two children.33 For a family of three, the maximum TANF benefit paid in July 2017 varied from $170 per month in Mississippi to $1,201 per month in New Hampshire. The 2 States are not required to report to the federal government their cash assistance benefit amounts in either the TANF state plan (under Section 402 of the Social Security Act) or in annual program reports (under Section 411 of the Social Security Act). The benefit amounts shown are from the “Welfare Rules Database,” maintained by the Urban Institute and funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 3 Some states vary their benefit amounts for other family types such as two-parent families or “child-only” cases. States also vary their benefits by other factors such as housing costs and substate geography. Congressional Research Service 7 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs map shows a regional pattern to the maximum monthly benefit paid, with lower benefit amounts in the South than in other regions. Only New Hampshire (at 60% of the federal poverty guidelines) had a maximum TANF cash assistance amount for this sized family in excess of 50% of poverty-level income.4

4 Figure 4. TANF Cash Assistance Maximum Monthly Benefit Amounts for a Single Parent Family with Two Children, 50 States and the District of Columbia, July 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the Urban Institute's Welfare Rules Database. The welfare rules database has information for the 50 states and District of Columbia. It does not have information on TANF assistance programs in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands or tribal TANF programs. . 4 In 2017, the HHS poverty guidelines for the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia for a family of three was $1,702 per month. Higher poverty lines applied in Alaska ($2,126 per month for a family of three) and Hawaii ($1,933 per month for a family of three). Congressional Research Service 8 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs programs.

TANF Work Participation Standards

TANF's main federal work requirement is actually a performance measure that applies to the states, rather than individual recipients. States determine the work rules that apply to individual recipients.

What Is the TANF Work Participation Standard States Must Meet?

The TANF statute requires states to have 50% of their caseload meet standards of participation in work or activities—that is, a family member must be in specified activities for a minimum number of hours.55 There is a separate participation standard that applies to the two-parent portion of a state's caseload, requiring 90% of the state's two-parent caseload to meet participation standards.

However, the statutory work participation standards are reduced by a "caseload reduction credit." The caseload reduction credit reduces the participation standard one percentage point for each percentage point decline in a state's caseload. Additionally, under a regulatory provision, a state may get "extra"“extra” credit for caseload reduction if it spends more than required under the TANF MOE. Therefore, the effective standards states face are often less than the 50% and 90% targets, and vary by state and by year.

States that do not meet the TANF work participation standard are at risk of being penalized through a reduction in their block grant. However, penalties can be forgiven if a state claims, and the Secretary of HHS finds, that it had "reasonable cause" for not meeting the standard. Penalties can also be forgiven for states that enter into "corrective compliance plans," and subsequently meet the work standard.

Have There Been Changes in the Work Participation Rules Enacted Since the 1996 Welfare Reform Law?

The 50% and 90% target standards that states face, as well as the caseload reduction credit, date back to the 1996 welfare reform law. However, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA, P.L. 109-171) made several changes to the work participation rules effective in FY2007

  • The caseload reduction credit was changed to measure caseload reduction from FY2005, rather than the original law's FY1995.
  • The work participation standards were broadened to include families receiving cash aid in "separate state programs." Separate state programs are programs run with state funds, distinct from a state's "’s “TANF program," but with expenditures countable toward the TANF MOE.
  • HHS was instructed to provide definition to the allowable TANF work activities listed in law. HHS was also required to define what is meant by a "work-eligible" individual, expanding the number of families that are included in the work participation calculation.
  • States were required to develop plans and procedures to verify work activities.

5 Families without a work-eligible individual are excluded from the participation rate calculation. It excludes families where the parent is a nonrecipient (for example, disabled receiving Supplemental Security Income or an ineligible noncitizen) or the children in the family are being cared for by a nonparent relative (e.g., grandparent, aunt, uncle) who does not receive assistance on his or her behalf. Congressional Research Service 9 link to page 15 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, P.L. 111-5), a law enacted in response to the sharp economic downturn of 2007-2009, held states "harmless"“harmless” for caseload increases affecting the work participation standards for FY2009 through FY2011. It did so by allowing states to "freeze"“freeze” caseload reduction credits at pre-recession levels through the FY2011 standards.

What Work Participation Rates Have the States Achieved?

HHS computes two work participation rates for each state that are then compared with the effective (after-credit) standard to determine if it has met the TANF work standard. An "all-families"“all-families” work participation rate is computed and compared with the all-families effective standard (50% minus the state's caseload reduction credit). HHS also computes a two-parent work participation rate that is compared with the two-parent effective standard (90% minus the state'state’s caseload reduction credit).

Figure 5 shows the national average all-families work participation rate for FY2002 through FY2017. For the period FY2002 through FY2011, states achieved an average all-families work participation rate hovering around 30%. The work participation rate increased since then. In FY2016, it exceeded 50% for the first time since TANF was established. However, it is important to note that the increase in the work participation rate has not come from an increase in the number of recipients in regular TANF assistance programs who are either working or in job preparation activities. This increase stems mostly from states creating new "earnings supplement" programs that use TANF funds to aid working parents in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) or who have left the regular TANF assistance programs for work.6 6 See CRS In Focus IF10856, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Work Requirements. Congressional Research Service 10 link to page 16 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs for work.6

Figure 5. National Average TANF Work Participation Rate for All Families, FY2002-FY2017

FY2017 Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

How Many Jurisdictions Did Not Meet the All-Families Standard?

Figure 6 shows which states did not meet the TANF all-families work participation standards from FY2006 through FY2017. Before FY2007, the first year that DRA was effective, only a few jurisdictions did not meet TANF all-families work participation standards. However, in FY2007, 15 jurisdictions did not meet the all-families standard. This number declined to 9 in FY2008 and 8 in FY2009.

In FY2012, despite the uptick in the national average work participation rate, 16 states did not meet the all-family standard, the largest number of states that did not meet their participation standards in any one year since the enactment of TANF. FY2012 was the year that ARRA's "freeze"’s “freeze” of the caseload reduction credit expired, and states were generally required to meet higher standards than in previous years.

The number of jurisdictions that did not meet the all-families standard declined over the FY2012 to FY2017 period. In FY2017, two jurisdictions did not meet the all-family participation standard: Nevada and Guam.

Congressional Research Service 11 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Figure 6. States That Met or Did Not Meet the TANF All-Families Work Participation Standard: FY2006-FY2017

(Changes to TANF work participation standard rules under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 [DRA], effective in FY2007) effective in FY2007)

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Congressional Research Service 12 link to page 18 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Have States Met the Two-Parent Work Participation Standard?

In addition to meeting a work standard for all families, TANF also imposes a second standard—90%—for the two-parent portion of its cash assistance caseload. This standard can also be lowered by caseload reduction.

Figure 7 shows whether each state met its two-parent work participation standard for FY2006 through FY2017. However, the display on the table is more complex than that for reporting whether a state met or did not meet its "all family" rate.

A substantial number of states have reported no two-parent families subject to the work participation standard. These states are denoted on the table with an "NA," indicating that the two-parent standard was not applicable to the state in that year. Before the changes made by the DRA were effective, a number of states had their two-parent families in separate state programs that were not included in the work participation calculation. When DRA brought families receiving assistance in separate state programs into the work participation rate calculations, a number of states moved these families into solely state-funded programs. These are state-funded programs with expenditures not countable toward the TANF maintenance of effort requirement, and hence are outside of TANF's rules.

For states with two-parent families in their caseloads, the table reports "Yes"“Yes” for states that met the two-parent standard, and "No"“No” for states that did not meet the two-parent standard. Of the 28 jurisdictions that had two-parent families in their FY2017 TANF work participation calculation, 19 met the standard and 9 did not.

Congressional Research Service 13 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Figure 7. Two-Parent TANF Work Participation Standard, Status by State: FY2006-FY2017

("Yes" FY2017 (“Yes” indicates a state met the standard; "No"“No” indicates the state did not meet the standard; and "NA" “NA” means the standard was not applicable to the state in that year [no two-parent families in its caseload].)

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Congressional Research Service 14 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Appendix A. Services (HHS).

Appendix A. Supplementary Tables

Supplementary Tables Table A-1. Trends in the Cash Assistance Caseload: 1961-2017 TANF Child Recipients As a As a Percentage Percentage Families Recipients Adults Children of All of All Poor Year (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) Children Children 1961 0.873 3.363 0.765 2.598 3.7% 14.3% 1962 0.939 3.704 0.860 2.844 4.0 15.7 1963 0.963 3.945 0.988 2.957 4.1 17.4 1964 1.010 4.195 1.050 3.145 4.3 18.6 1965 1.060 4.422 1.101 3.321 4.5 21.5 1966 1.096 4.546 1.112 3.434 4.7 26.5 1967 1.220 5.014 1.243 3.771 5.2 31.2 1968 1.410 5.702 1.429 4.274 5.9 37.8 1969 1.696 6.689 1.716 4.973 6.9 49.7 1970 2.207 8.462 2.250 6.212 8.6 57.7 1971 2.763 10.242 2.808 7.435 10.4 68.5 1972 3.048 10.944 3.039 7.905 11.1 74.9 1973 3.148 10.949 3.046 7.903 11.2 79.9 1974 3.219 10.847 3.041 7.805 11.2 75.0 1975 3.481 11.319 3.248 8.071 11.8 71.2 1976 3.565 11.284 3.302 7.982 11.8 76.2 1977 3.568 11.015 3.273 7.743 11.6 73.9 1978 3.517 10.551 3.188 7.363 11.2 72.8 1979 3.509 10.312 3.130 7.181 11.0 68.0 1980 3.712 10.774 3.355 7.419 11.5 63.2 1981 3.835 11.079 3.552 7.527 11.7 59.2 1982 3.542 10.358 3.455 6.903 10.8 49.6 1983 3.686 10.761 3.663 7.098 11.1 50.1 1984 3.714 10.831 3.687 7.144 11.2 52.3 1985 3.701 10.855 3.658 7.198 11.3 54.4 1986 3.763 11.038 3.704 7.334 11.5 56.0 1987 3.776 11.027 3.661 7.366 11.5 56.4 1988 3.749 10.915 3.586 7.329 11.4 57.8 1989 3.798 10.992 3.573 7.419 11.5 57.9 1990 4.057 11.695 3.784 7.911 12.1 57.9 1991 4.497 12.930 4.216 8.715 13.2 59.8 Congressional Research Service 15 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs TANF Child Recipients As a As a Percentage Percentage Families Recipients Adults Children of All of All Poor Year (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) Children Children 1992 4.829 13.773 4.470 9.303 13.9 59.9 1993 5.012 14.205 4.631 9.574 14.1 60.0 1994 5.033 14.161 4.593 9.568 13.9 61.7 1995 4.791 13.418 4.284 9.135 13.1 61.5 1996 4.434 12.321 3.928 8.600 12.3 58.7 1997 3.740 10.376 NA NA 10.0 50.1 1998 3.050 8.347 NA NA 8.1 42.9 1999 2.578 6.924 NA NA 6.7 39.4 2000 2.303 6.143 1.655 4.479 6.1 38.1 2001 2.192 5.717 1.514 4.195 5.7 35.3 2002 2.187 5.609 1.479 4.119 5.6 33.6 2003 2.180 5.490 1.416 4.063 5.5 31.3 2004 2.153 5.342 1.362 3.969 5.4 30.2 2005 2.061 5.028 1.261 3.756 5.1 28.9 2006 1.906 4.582 1.120 3.453 4.6 26.7 2007 1.730 4.075 0.956 3.119 4.2 23.2 2008 1.701 4.005 0.946 3.059 4.1 21.6 2009 1.838 4.371 1.074 3.296 4.4 21.2 2010 1.919 4.598 1.163 3.435 4.6 20.9 2011 1.907 4.557 1.149 3.408 4.6 20.9 2012 1.852 4.402 1.104 3.298 4.4 20.3 2013 1.726 4.042 0.993 3.050 4.1 19.1 2014 1.650 3.957 1.007 2.950 4.0 18.9 2015 1.609 4.126 1.155 2.971 4.0 20.4 2016 1.479 3.780 1.037 2.743 3.7 20.7 2017 1.358 3.516 0,930 2.577 3.5 20.1 Table A-1. Trends in the Cash Assistance Caseload: 1961-2017

 

 

 

 

 

TANF Child Recipients

Year

Families (millions)

Recipients (millions)

Adults (millions)

Children (millions)

As a Percentage of All Children

As a Percentage of All Poor Children

1961

0.873

3.363

0.765

2.598

3.7%

14.3%

1962

0.939

3.704

0.860

2.844

4.0

15.7

1963

0.963

3.945

0.988

2.957

4.1

17.4

1964

1.010

4.195

1.050

3.145

4.3

18.6

1965

1.060

4.422

1.101

3.321

4.5

21.5

1966

1.096

4.546

1.112

3.434

4.7

26.5

1967

1.220

5.014

1.243

3.771

5.2

31.2

1968

1.410

5.702

1.429

4.274

5.9

37.8

1969

1.696

6.689

1.716

4.973

6.9

49.7

1970

2.207

8.462

2.250

6.212

8.6

57.7

1971

2.763

10.242

2.808

7.435

10.4

68.5

1972

3.048

10.944

3.039

7.905

11.1

74.9

1973

3.148

10.949

3.046

7.903

11.2

79.9

1974

3.219

10.847

3.041

7.805

11.2

75.0

1975

3.481

11.319

3.248

8.071

11.8

71.2

1976

3.565

11.284

3.302

7.982

11.8

76.2

1977

3.568

11.015

3.273

7.743

11.6

73.9

1978

3.517

10.551

3.188

7.363

11.2

72.8

1979

3.509

10.312

3.130

7.181

11.0

68.0

1980

3.712

10.774

3.355

7.419

11.5

63.2

1981

3.835

11.079

3.552

7.527

11.7

59.2

1982

3.542

10.358

3.455

6.903

10.8

49.6

1983

3.686

10.761

3.663

7.098

11.1

50.1

1984

3.714

10.831

3.687

7.144

11.2

52.3

1985

3.701

10.855

3.658

7.198

11.3

54.4

1986

3.763

11.038

3.704

7.334

11.5

56.0

1987

3.776

11.027

3.661

7.366

11.5

56.4

1988

3.749

10.915

3.586

7.329

11.4

57.8

1989

3.798

10.992

3.573

7.419

11.5

57.9

1990

4.057

11.695

3.784

7.911

12.1

57.9

1991

4.497

12.930

4.216

8.715

13.2

59.8

1992

4.829

13.773

4.470

9.303

13.9

59.9

1993

5.012

14.205

4.631

9.574

14.1

60.0

1994

5.033

14.161

4.593

9.568

13.9

61.7

1995

4.791

13.418

4.284

9.135

13.1

61.5

1996

4.434

12.321

3.928

8.600

12.3

58.7

1997

3.740

10.376

NA

NA

10.0

50.1

1998

3.050

8.347

NA

NA

8.1

42.9

1999

2.578

6.924

NA

NA

6.7

39.4

2000

2.303

6.143

1.655

4.479

6.1

38.1

2001

2.192

5.717

1.514

4.195

5.7

35.3

2002

2.187

5.609

1.479

4.119

5.6

33.6

2003

2.180

5.490

1.416

4.063

5.5

31.3

2004

2.153

5.342

1.362

3.969

5.4

30.2

2005

2.061

5.028

1.261

3.756

5.1

28.9

2006

1.906

4.582

1.120

3.453

4.6

26.7

2007

1.730

4.075

0.956

3.119

4.2

23.2

2008

1.701

4.005

0.946

3.059

4.1

21.6

2009

1.838

4.371

1.074

3.296

4.4

21.2

2010

1.919

4.598

1.163

3.435

4.6

20.9

2011

1.907

4.557

1.149

3.408

4.6

20.9

2012

1.852

4.402

1.104

3.298

4.4

20.3

2013

1.726

4.042

0.993

3.050

4.1

19.1

2014

1.650

3.957

1.007

2.950

4.0

18.9

2015

1.609

4.126

1.155

2.971

4.0

20.4

2016

1.479

3.780

1.037

2.743

3.7

20.7

2017

1.358

3.516

0,930

2.577

3.5

20.1

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Notes: NA denotes not available. During transition reporting from AFDC to TANF, caseload statistics on adult and child recipients were not collectedcol ected. For those years, TANF children as a percent of all children and percent of all poor children were estimated by HHS and published in Welfare Indicators and Risk Factors, Annual Report to Congress, Table TANF 2, p. A-7. See http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/14/indicators/rpt_indicators.pdf.

. Congressional Research Service 16 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Table A-2. Families Receiving AFDC/TANF Assistance by Family Category, Selected Years, FY1988-FY2017 AFDC TANF 1988 1994 2001 2006 2017 Number of Families Receiving Assistance Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Not Working 3,136,566 3,798,997 992,445 825,490 434,602 Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Working 243,573 378,620 420,794 259,001 435,259 Child-Only/SSI Parent 59,988 171,391 171,951 176,670 126,483 Child-Only/Noncitizen Parent 47,566 184,397 125,900 153,445 133,173 Child-Only/Other Ineligible Parent 51,764 146,227 91,447 158,113 4,370 Child-Only/Caretaker Relative 188,598 328,290 255,984 261,944 198,103 Child-Only/Unknown 19,897 38,341 143,834 122,738 70,882 Totals 3,747,952 5,046,263 2,202,356 1,957,402 1,402,871 Percentage of All Families Receiving Assistance Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Not Working 83.7% 75.3% 45.1% 42.2% 31.0% Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Working 6.5 7.5 19.1 13.2 31.0 Child-Only/SSI Parent 1.6 3.4 7.8 9.0 9.0 Child-Only/Noncitizen Parent 1.3 3.7 5.7 7.8 9.5 Child-Only/Other Ineligible Parent 1.4 2.9 4.2 8.1 0.3 Child-Only/Caretaker Relative 5.0 6.5 11.6 13.4 14.1 Child-Only/Unknown 0.5 0.8 6.5 6.3 5.1 Totals 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Years, FY1988-FY2017

 

AFDC

TANF

 

1988

1994

2001

2006

2017

Number of Families Receiving Assistance

Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Not Working

3,136,566

3,798,997

992,445

825,490

434,602

Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Working

243,573

378,620

420,794

259,001

435,259

Child-Only/SSI Parent

59,988

171,391

171,951

176,670

126,483

Child-Only/Noncitizen Parent

47,566

184,397

125,900

153,445

133,173

Child-Only/Other Ineligible Parent

51,764

146,227

91,447

158,113

4,370

Child-Only/Caretaker Relative

188,598

328,290

255,984

261,944

198,103

Child-Only/Unknown

19,897

38,341

143,834

122,738

70,882

Totals

3,747,952

5,046,263

2,202,356

1,957,402

1,402,871

Percentage of All Families Receiving Assistance

Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Not Working

83.7%

75.3%

45.1%

42.2%

31.0%

Adult Recipient or Work-Eligible Parent/Working

6.5

7.5

19.1

13.2

31.0

Child-Only/SSI Parent

1.6

3.4

7.8

9.0

9.0

Child-Only/Noncitizen Parent

1.3

3.7

5.7

7.8

9.5

Child-Only/Other Ineligible Parent

1.4

2.9

4.2

8.1

0.3

Child-Only/Caretaker Relative

5.0

6.5

11.6

13.4

14.1

Child-Only/Unknown

0.5

0.8

6.5

6.3

5.1

Totals

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) tabulations of the FY1988 and FY1994 AFDC Quality Control (QC) data files and the FY2001, FY2006, and FY2017 TANF National Data Files.

Notes: FY2001 through FY2017 data include families receiving assistance from separate state programs (SSPs) with expenditures countable toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement. For FY2016, TANF families with an adult recipient include those families with "work-eligible" nonrecipient parents. These include nonrecipient parents who have been time-limited or sanctioned off the rollsrol s, but the family continues to receive a reduced benefit. For FY2001 and FY2006, such families cannot be identified and are classified as "“child-only” families. Congressional Research Service 17 Appendix B. child-only" families.

Appendix B. State Tables

State Tables Table B-1. Use of FY2017 TANF and MOE Funds by Category

(Dollars in millions) Work, Education, Emergency and Pre- Basic Administrative and Refundable Short-Term Child K/Head State Assistance Costs Training Child Care Tax Credit Benefits Welfare Start Other Totals Alabama $22.318 $26.710 $5.349 $5.679 $0.000 $36.833 $32.240 $41.648 $40.208 $210.984 Alaska 58.114 6.024 8.397 8.879 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 4.985 86.399 Arizona 37.732 43.656 1.443 0.000 0.000 10.369 147.105 0.000 119.624 359.929 Arkansas 5.948 18.829 13.920 8.032 0.000 5.368 0.231 105.196 4.811 162.335 California 2539.250 573.786 1620.135 615.700 0.000 237.887 0.000 0.000 1010.169 6596.928 Colorado 89.927 23.474 10.687 11.929 77.489 31.389 46.532 74.851 43.716 409.995 Connecticut 52.352 46.885 12.037 41.764 0.000 18.646 61.273 83.561 171.132 487.651 Delaware 17.421 4.736 7.063 67.490 0.000 2.724 0.000 0.000 15.160 114.595 District of 121.650 8.398 37.991 59.532 28.928 51.110 0.000 0.000 9.299 316.909 Columbia Florida 163.180 83.371 46.314 318.206 0.000 0.934 242.113 0.000 80.542 934.661 Georgia 86.540 20.570 11.265 22.183 0.000 0.085 257.554 0.000 90.828 489.024 Hawaii 39.957 16.540 52.170 4.972 0.000 0.425 1.294 0.000 84.876 200.233 Idaho 7.871 7.519 2.549 15.025 0.000 11.750 1.327 1.475 1.713 49.229 Il inois 43.419 0.184 18.685 596.459 47.254 0.916 221.080 58.586 79.217 1065.801 Indiana 16.714 23.452 182.300 112.404 28.904 0.546 15.520 0.000 131.405 511.244 Iowa 37.166 8.206 11.799 58.254 26.505 0.253 62.264 0.000 22.299 226.746 Kansas 13.920 14.568 1.594 6.673 48.347 0.071 22.980 14.437 50.495 173.086 Kentucky 170.762 14.601 29.380 38.815 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 15.474 269.032 CRS-18 Work, Education, Emergency and Pre- Basic Administrative and Refundable Short-Term Child K/Head State Assistance Costs Training Child Care Tax Credit Benefits Welfare Start Other Totals Louisiana 19.191 18.079 26.153 10.214 14.671 9.471 33.144 45.991 35.029 211.945 Maine 25.693 3.138 0.310 14.888 7.561 4.162 7.683 0.415 28.130 91.980 Maryland 115.787 31.019 31.450 8.397 152.582 26.370 20.035 55.962 55.808 497.410 Massachusetts 207.063 36.557 174.674 327.404 174.125 103.873 8.311 0.000 66.263 1,098.270 Michigan 133.132 53.908 5.417 26.586 45.440 66.929 81.665 186.193 649.995 1,249.266 Minnesota 98.144 46.341 57.751 173.904 160.076 27.478 0.000 5.700 19.524 588.918 Mississippi 8.585 4.572 33.655 27.660 0.000 0.000 12.859 0.000 43.971 131.302 Missouri 42.341 7.317 19.813 64.380 0.000 59.191 102.816 0.000 60.586 356.444 Montana 26.080 7.451 6.282 10.495 0.000 2.195 3.187 0.000 9.708 65.397 Nebraska 26.603 5.383 14.079 23.489 35.062 0.000 2.836 0.000 0.290 107.742 Nevada 39.108 9.559 1.362 17.887 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 34.465 102.382 New 18.987 11.041 5.403 15.118 0.000 2.213 3.662 0.000 17.081 73.505 Hampshire New Jersey 99.529 52.403 77.142 159.671 354.819 16.630 0.000 560.009 58.912 1,379.114 New Mexico 55.422 5.073 18.259 30.528 74.623 0.000 0.895 17.600 84.412 286.811 New York 1,455.625 389.219 147.068 355.940 1,410.980 219.797 290.559 467.685 361.475 5,098.348 North Carolina 41.570 43.356 4.785 194.900 0.000 5.077 125.782 115.709 44.926 576.104 North Dakota 4.070 4.422 4.070 1.102 0.000 0.019 17.270 0.000 1.274 32.226 Ohio 246.989 117.873 87.008 424.009 0.000 53.852 11.099 0.000 191.421 1,132.250 Oklahoma 42.603 11.274 10.776 48.668 0.000 3.536 15.999 12.079 29.282 174.217 Oregon 89.263 39.235 16.558 12.911 1.467 32.130 12.811 12.001 87.605 303.981 Pennsylvania 186.912 79.850 98.385 488.909 0.000 15.459 0.000 154.677 169.790 1,193.982 Rhode Island 24.435 5.434 10.869 41.679 19.129 26.237 27.334 0.800 10.171 166.088 CRS-19 Work, Education, Emergency and Pre- Basic Administrative and Refundable Short-Term Child K/Head State Assistance Costs Training Child Care Tax Credit Benefits Welfare Start Other Totals South Carolina 38.231 24.983 14.782 4.085 0.000 0.000 0.000 26.794 54.010 162.886 South Dakota 13.813 2.581 3.866 0.803 0.000 3.174 1.958 0.000 3.057 29.254 Tennessee 62.597 22.152 9.618 18.976 0.000 0.000 0.000 61.668 1.377 176.387 Texas 50.837 77.601 82.284 0.000 0.000 32.166 284.108 342.674 59.966 929.636 Utah 25.289 8.863 26.555 21.438 0.000 4.419 3.676 5.501 33.702 129.443 Vermont 15.230 6.631 2.696 30.996 19.013 1.360 5.508 0.000 15.842 97.276 Virginia 68.485 31.387 38.944 32.558 0.371 5.269 0.000 0.000 84.885 261.900 Washington 143.608 88.021 145.004 222.086 0.000 56.731 0.000 61.125 315.382 1,031.957 West Virginia 26.753 15.010 0.461 15.321 0.000 19.584 35.656 0.000 26.644 139.428 Wisconsin 85.911 24.187 27.486 208.262 69.700 38.553 4.484 0.000 122.860 581.443 Wyoming 6.706 6.481 3.508 1.554 0.000 3.399 0.000 1.016 4.952 27.615 Totals 7,068.836 2,231.910 3,279.551 5,026.817 2,797.046 1,248.578 2,224.848 2,513.354 4,758.747 31,149.686 (Dollars in millions)

State

Basic Assistance

Administrative Costs

Work, Education, and Training

Child Care

Refundable Tax Credit

Emergency and Short-Term Benefits

Child Welfare

Pre-K/Head Start

Other

Totals

Alabama

$22.318

$26.710

$5.349

$5.679

$0.000

$36.833

$32.240

$41.648

$40.208

$210.984

Alaska

58.114

6.024

8.397

8.879

0.000

0.000

0.000

0.000

4.985

86.399

Arizona

37.732

43.656

1.443

0.000

0.000

10.369

147.105

0.000

119.624

359.929

Arkansas

5.948

18.829

13.920

8.032

0.000

5.368

0.231

105.196

4.811

162.335

California

2539.250

573.786

1620.135

615.700

0.000

237.887

0.000

0.000

1010.169

6596.928

Colorado

89.927

23.474

10.687

11.929

77.489

31.389

46.532

74.851

43.716

409.995

Connecticut

52.352

46.885

12.037

41.764

0.000

18.646

61.273

83.561

171.132

487.651

Delaware

17.421

4.736

7.063

67.490

0.000

2.724

0.000

0.000

15.160

114.595

District of Columbia

121.650

8.398

37.991

59.532

28.928

51.110

0.000

0.000

9.299

316.909

Florida

163.180

83.371

46.314

318.206

0.000

0.934

242.113

0.000

80.542

934.661

Georgia

86.540

20.570

11.265

22.183

0.000

0.085

257.554

0.000

90.828

489.024

Hawaii

39.957

16.540

52.170

4.972

0.000

0.425

1.294

0.000

84.876

200.233

Idaho

7.871

7.519

2.549

15.025

0.000

11.750

1.327

1.475

1.713

49.229

Illinois

43.419

0.184

18.685

596.459

47.254

0.916

221.080

58.586

79.217

1065.801

Indiana

16.714

23.452

182.300

112.404

28.904

0.546

15.520

0.000

131.405

511.244

Iowa

37.166

8.206

11.799

58.254

26.505

0.253

62.264

0.000

22.299

226.746

Kansas

13.920

14.568

1.594

6.673

48.347

0.071

22.980

14.437

50.495

173.086

Kentucky

170.762

14.601

29.380

38.815

0.000

0.000

0.000

0.000

15.474

269.032

Louisiana

19.191

18.079

26.153

10.214

14.671

9.471

33.144

45.991

35.029

211.945

Maine

25.693

3.138

0.310

14.888

7.561

4.162

7.683

0.415

28.130

91.980

Maryland

115.787

31.019

31.450

8.397

152.582

26.370

20.035

55.962

55.808

497.410

Massachusetts

207.063

36.557

174.674

327.404

174.125

103.873

8.311

0.000

66.263

1,098.270

Michigan

133.132

53.908

5.417

26.586

45.440

66.929

81.665

186.193

649.995

1,249.266

Minnesota

98.144

46.341

57.751

173.904

160.076

27.478

0.000

5.700

19.524

588.918

Mississippi

8.585

4.572

33.655

27.660

0.000

0.000

12.859

0.000

43.971

131.302

Missouri

42.341

7.317

19.813

64.380

0.000

59.191

102.816

0.000

60.586

356.444

Montana

26.080

7.451

6.282

10.495

0.000

2.195

3.187

0.000

9.708

65.397

Nebraska

26.603

5.383

14.079

23.489

35.062

0.000

2.836

0.000

0.290

107.742

Nevada

39.108

9.559

1.362

17.887

0.000

0.000

0.000

0.000

34.465

102.382

New Hampshire

18.987

11.041

5.403

15.118

0.000

2.213

3.662

0.000

17.081

73.505

New Jersey

99.529

52.403

77.142

159.671

354.819

16.630

0.000

560.009

58.912

1,379.114

New Mexico

55.422

5.073

18.259

30.528

74.623

0.000

0.895

17.600

84.412

286.811

New York

1,455.625

389.219

147.068

355.940

1,410.980

219.797

290.559

467.685

361.475

5,098.348

North Carolina

41.570

43.356

4.785

194.900

0.000

5.077

125.782

115.709

44.926

576.104

North Dakota

4.070

4.422

4.070

1.102

0.000

0.019

17.270

0.000

1.274

32.226

Ohio

246.989

117.873

87.008

424.009

0.000

53.852

11.099

0.000

191.421

1,132.250

Oklahoma

42.603

11.274

10.776

48.668

0.000

3.536

15.999

12.079

29.282

174.217

Oregon

89.263

39.235

16.558

12.911

1.467

32.130

12.811

12.001

87.605

303.981

Pennsylvania

186.912

79.850

98.385

488.909

0.000

15.459

0.000

154.677

169.790

1,193.982

Rhode Island

24.435

5.434

10.869

41.679

19.129

26.237

27.334

0.800

10.171

166.088

South Carolina

38.231

24.983

14.782

4.085

0.000

0.000

0.000

26.794

54.010

162.886

South Dakota

13.813

2.581

3.866

0.803

0.000

3.174

1.958

0.000

3.057

29.254

Tennessee

62.597

22.152

9.618

18.976

0.000

0.000

0.000

61.668

1.377

176.387

Texas

50.837

77.601

82.284

0.000

0.000

32.166

284.108

342.674

59.966

929.636

Utah

25.289

8.863

26.555

21.438

0.000

4.419

3.676

5.501

33.702

129.443

Vermont

15.230

6.631

2.696

30.996

19.013

1.360

5.508

0.000

15.842

97.276

Virginia

68.485

31.387

38.944

32.558

0.371

5.269

0.000

0.000

84.885

261.900

Washington

143.608

88.021

145.004

222.086

0.000

56.731

0.000

61.125

315.382

1,031.957

West Virginia

26.753

15.010

0.461

15.321

0.000

19.584

35.656

0.000

26.644

139.428

Wisconsin

85.911

24.187

27.486

208.262

69.700

38.553

4.484

0.000

122.860

581.443

Wyoming

6.706

6.481

3.508

1.554

0.000

3.399

0.000

1.016

4.952

27.615

Totals

7,068.836

2,231.910

3,279.551

5,026.817

2,797.046

1,248.578

2,224.848

2,513.354

4,758.747

31,149.686

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). CRS-20 Table B-2. Use of FY2017 TANF and MOE Funds by Category as a Percentage of Total Federal TANF and State MOE Funding Work, Education, Emergency and Pre- Basic Administrative and Child Refundable Short-Term Child K/Head State Assistance Costs Training Care Tax Credit Benefits Welfare Start Other Totals Alabama 10.6% 12.7% 2.5% 2.7% 0.0% 17.5% 15.3% 19.7% 19.1% 100.0% Alaska 67.3 7.0 9.7 10.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.8 100.0 Arizona 10.5 12.1 0.4 0.0 0.0 2.9 40.9 0.0 33.2 100.0 Arkansas 3.7 11.6 8.6 4.9 0.0 3.3 0.1 64.8 3.0 100.0 California 38.5 8.7 24.6 9.3 0.0 3.6 0.0 0.0 15.3 100.0 Colorado 21.9 5.7 2.6 2.9 18.9 7.7 11.3 18.3 10.7 100.0 Connecticut 10.7 9.6 2.5 8.6 0.0 3.8 12.6 17.1 35.1 100.0 Delaware 15.2 4.1 6.2 58.9 0.0 2.4 0.0 0.0 13.2 100.0 District of 38.4 2.6 12.0 18.8 9.1 16.1 0.0 0.0 2.9 100.0 Columbia Florida 17.5 8.9 5.0 34.0 0.0 0.1 25.9 0.0 8.6 100.0 Georgia 17.7 4.2 2.3 4.5 0.0 0.0 52.7 0.0 18.6 100.0 Hawaii 20.0 8.3 26.1 2.5 0.0 0.2 0.6 0.0 42.4 100.0 Idaho 16.0 15.3 5.2 30.5 0.0 23.9 2.7 3.0 3.5 100.0 Il inois 4.1 0.0 1.8 56.0 4.4 0.1 20.7 5.5 7.4 100.0 Indiana 3.3 4.6 35.7 22.0 5.7 0.1 3.0 0.0 25.7 100.0 Iowa 16.4 3.6 5.2 25.7 11.7 0.1 27.5 0.0 9.8 100.0 Kansas 8.0 8.4 0.9 3.9 27.9 0.0 13.3 8.3 29.2 100.0 Kentucky 63.5 5.4 10.9 14.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.8 100.0 Louisiana 9.1 8.5 12.3 4.8 6.9 4.5 15.6 21.7 16.5 100.0 Maine 27.9 3.4 0.3 16.2 8.2 4.5 8.4 0.5 30.6 100.0 Maryland 23.3 6.2 6.3 1.7 30.7 5.3 4.0 11.3 11.2 100.0 CRS-21 Work, Education, Emergency and Pre- Basic Administrative and Child Refundable Short-Term Child K/Head State Assistance Costs Training Care Tax Credit Benefits Welfare Start Other Totals Massachusetts 18.9 3.3 15.9 29.8 15.9 9.5 0.8 0.0 6.0 100.0 Michigan 10.7 4.3 0.4 2.1 3.6 5.4 6.5 14.9 52.0 100.0 Minnesota 16.7 7.9 9.8 29.5 27.2 4.7 0.0 1.0 3.3 100.0 Mississippi 6.5 3.5 25.6 21.1 0.0 0.0 9.8 0.0 33.5 100.0 Missouri 11.9 2.1 5.6 18.1 0.0 16.6 28.8 0.0 17.0 100.0 Montana 39.9 11.4 9.6 16.0 0.0 3.4 4.9 0.0 14.8 100.0 Nebraska 24.7 5.0 13.1 21.8 32.5 0.0 2.6 0.0 0.3 100.0 Nevada 38.2 9.3 1.3 17.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.7 100.0 New Hampshire 25.8 15.0 7.4 20.6 0.0 3.0 5.0 0.0 23.2 100.0 New Jersey 7.2 3.8 5.6 11.6 25.7 1.2 0.0 40.6 4.3 100.0 New Mexico 19.3 1.8 6.4 10.6 26.0 0.0 0.3 6.1 29.4 100.0 New York 28.6 7.6 2.9 7.0 27.7 4.3 5.7 9.2 7.1 100.0 North Carolina 7.2 7.5 0.8 33.8 0.0 0.9 21.8 20.1 7.8 100.0 North Dakota 12.6 13.7 12.6 3.4 0.0 0.1 53.6 0.0 4.0 100.0 Ohio 21.8 10.4 7.7 37.4 0.0 4.8 1.0 0.0 16.9 100.0 Oklahoma 24.5 6.5 6.2 27.9 0.0 2.0 9.2 6.9 16.8 100.0 Oregon 29.4 12.9 5.4 4.2 0.5 10.6 4.2 3.9 28.8 100.0 Pennsylvania 15.7 6.7 8.2 40.9 0.0 1.3 0.0 13.0 14.2 100.0 Rhode Island 14.7 3.3 6.5 25.1 11.5 15.8 16.5 0.5 6.1 100.0 South Carolina 23.5 15.3 9.1 2.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.4 33.2 100.0 South Dakota 47.2 8.8 13.2 2.7 0.0 10.9 6.7 0.0 10.5 100.0 Tennessee 35.5 12.6 5.5 10.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 35.0 0.8 100.0 Texas 5.5 8.3 8.9 0.0 0.0 3.5 30.6 36.9 6.5 100.0 CRS-22 Work, Education, Emergency and Pre- Basic Administrative and Child Refundable Short-Term Child K/Head State Assistance Costs Training Care Tax Credit Benefits Welfare Start Other Totals Utah 19.5 6.8 20.5 16.6 0.0 3.4 2.8 4.3 26.0 100.0 Vermont 15.7 6.8 2.8 31.9 19.5 1.4 5.7 0.0 16.3 100.0 Virginia 26.1 12.0 14.9 12.4 0.1 2.0 0.0 0.0 32.4 100.0 Washington 13.9 8.5 14.1 21.5 0.0 5.5 0.0 5.9 30.6 100.0 West Virginia 19.2 10.8 0.3 11.0 0.0 14.0 25.6 0.0 19.1 100.0 Wisconsin 14.8 4.2 4.7 35.8 12.0 6.6 0.8 0.0 21.1 100.0 Wyoming 24.3 23.5 12.7 5.6 0.0 12.3 0.0 3.7 17.9 100.0 Totals 22.7 7.2 10.5 16.1 9.0 4.0 7.1 8.1 15.3 100.0 Table B-2. Use of FY2017 TANF and MOE Funds by Category as a Percentage of Total Federal TANF and State MOE Funding

State

Basic Assistance

Administrative Costs

Work, Education, and Training

Child Care

Refundable Tax Credit

Emergency and Short-Term Benefits

Child Welfare

Pre-K/Head Start

Other

Totals

Alabama

10.6%

12.7%

2.5%

2.7%

0.0%

17.5%

15.3%

19.7%

19.1%

100.0%

Alaska

67.3

7.0

9.7

10.3

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

5.8

100.0

Arizona

10.5

12.1

0.4

0.0

0.0

2.9

40.9

0.0

33.2

100.0

Arkansas

3.7

11.6

8.6

4.9

0.0

3.3

0.1

64.8

3.0

100.0

California

38.5

8.7

24.6

9.3

0.0

3.6

0.0

0.0

15.3

100.0

Colorado

21.9

5.7

2.6

2.9

18.9

7.7

11.3

18.3

10.7

100.0

Connecticut

10.7

9.6

2.5

8.6

0.0

3.8

12.6

17.1

35.1

100.0

Delaware

15.2

4.1

6.2

58.9

0.0

2.4

0.0

0.0

13.2

100.0

District of Columbia

38.4

2.6

12.0

18.8

9.1

16.1

0.0

0.0

2.9

100.0

Florida

17.5

8.9

5.0

34.0

0.0

0.1

25.9

0.0

8.6

100.0

Georgia

17.7

4.2

2.3

4.5

0.0

0.0

52.7

0.0

18.6

100.0

Hawaii

20.0

8.3

26.1

2.5

0.0

0.2

0.6

0.0

42.4

100.0

Idaho

16.0

15.3

5.2

30.5

0.0

23.9

2.7

3.0

3.5

100.0

Illinois

4.1

0.0

1.8

56.0

4.4

0.1

20.7

5.5

7.4

100.0

Indiana

3.3

4.6

35.7

22.0

5.7

0.1

3.0

0.0

25.7

100.0

Iowa

16.4

3.6

5.2

25.7

11.7

0.1

27.5

0.0

9.8

100.0

Kansas

8.0

8.4

0.9

3.9

27.9

0.0

13.3

8.3

29.2

100.0

Kentucky

63.5

5.4

10.9

14.4

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

5.8

100.0

Louisiana

9.1

8.5

12.3

4.8

6.9

4.5

15.6

21.7

16.5

100.0

Maine

27.9

3.4

0.3

16.2

8.2

4.5

8.4

0.5

30.6

100.0

Maryland

23.3

6.2

6.3

1.7

30.7

5.3

4.0

11.3

11.2

100.0

Massachusetts

18.9

3.3

15.9

29.8

15.9

9.5

0.8

0.0

6.0

100.0

Michigan

10.7

4.3

0.4

2.1

3.6

5.4

6.5

14.9

52.0

100.0

Minnesota

16.7

7.9

9.8

29.5

27.2

4.7

0.0

1.0

3.3

100.0

Mississippi

6.5

3.5

25.6

21.1

0.0

0.0

9.8

0.0

33.5

100.0

Missouri

11.9

2.1

5.6

18.1

0.0

16.6

28.8

0.0

17.0

100.0

Montana

39.9

11.4

9.6

16.0

0.0

3.4

4.9

0.0

14.8

100.0

Nebraska

24.7

5.0

13.1

21.8

32.5

0.0

2.6

0.0

0.3

100.0

Nevada

38.2

9.3

1.3

17.5

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

33.7

100.0

New Hampshire

25.8

15.0

7.4

20.6

0.0

3.0

5.0

0.0

23.2

100.0

New Jersey

7.2

3.8

5.6

11.6

25.7

1.2

0.0

40.6

4.3

100.0

New Mexico

19.3

1.8

6.4

10.6

26.0

0.0

0.3

6.1

29.4

100.0

New York

28.6

7.6

2.9

7.0

27.7

4.3

5.7

9.2

7.1

100.0

North Carolina

7.2

7.5

0.8

33.8

0.0

0.9

21.8

20.1

7.8

100.0

North Dakota

12.6

13.7

12.6

3.4

0.0

0.1

53.6

0.0

4.0

100.0

Ohio

21.8

10.4

7.7

37.4

0.0

4.8

1.0

0.0

16.9

100.0

Oklahoma

24.5

6.5

6.2

27.9

0.0

2.0

9.2

6.9

16.8

100.0

Oregon

29.4

12.9

5.4

4.2

0.5

10.6

4.2

3.9

28.8

100.0

Pennsylvania

15.7

6.7

8.2

40.9

0.0

1.3

0.0

13.0

14.2

100.0

Rhode Island

14.7

3.3

6.5

25.1

11.5

15.8

16.5

0.5

6.1

100.0

South Carolina

23.5

15.3

9.1

2.5

0.0

0.0

0.0

16.4

33.2

100.0

South Dakota

47.2

8.8

13.2

2.7

0.0

10.9

6.7

0.0

10.5

100.0

Tennessee

35.5

12.6

5.5

10.8

0.0

0.0

0.0

35.0

0.8

100.0

Texas

5.5

8.3

8.9

0.0

0.0

3.5

30.6

36.9

6.5

100.0

Utah

19.5

6.8

20.5

16.6

0.0

3.4

2.8

4.3

26.0

100.0

Vermont

15.7

6.8

2.8

31.9

19.5

1.4

5.7

0.0

16.3

100.0

Virginia

26.1

12.0

14.9

12.4

0.1

2.0

0.0

0.0

32.4

100.0

Washington

13.9

8.5

14.1

21.5

0.0

5.5

0.0

5.9

30.6

100.0

West Virginia

19.2

10.8

0.3

11.0

0.0

14.0

25.6

0.0

19.1

100.0

Wisconsin

14.8

4.2

4.7

35.8

12.0

6.6

0.8

0.0

21.1

100.0

Wyoming

24.3

23.5

12.7

5.6

0.0

12.3

0.0

3.7

17.9

100.0

Totals

22.7

7.2

10.5

16.1

9.0

4.0

7.1

8.1

15.3

100.0

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Notes: Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

CRS-23 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Table B-3. Unspent TANF Funds at the End of FY2017

(September 30, 2017, in millions of dollars) Obligated but Not Unobligated State Spent Balances Alabama $19.0 $55.2 Alaska 48.1 0.0 Arizona 0.0 30.7 Arkansas 32.7 31.0 California 307.2 0.0 Colorado 0.0 96.4 Connecticut 0.0 0.8 Delaware 0.6 7.8 District of 0.2 32.8 Columbia Florida 17.1 0.0 Georgia 23.8 40.9 Hawaii 15.6 225.8 Idaho 0.0 20.0 Il inois 0.0 0.0 Indiana 46.3 109.5 Iowa 3.8 0.5 Kansas 0.4 67.9 Kentucky 0.0 66.5 Louisiana 7.9 0.0 Maine 5.6 141.1 Maryland 0.0 0.0 Massachusetts 0.0 0.0 Michigan 0.0 116.8 Minnesota 0.0 59.3 Mississippi 0.0 23.6 Missouri 0.0 0.3 Montana 10.3 13.1 Nebraska 0.0 64.2 Nevada 23.7 0.0 New 0.0 57.5 Hampshire New Jersey 22.7 35.0 New Mexico 52.9 38.3 Congressional Research Service 24 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Obligated but Not Unobligated State Spent Balances New York 121.4 519.5 North 41.7 0.0 Carolina North 0.0 9.7 Dakota Ohio 462.7 29.4 Oklahoma 76.3 0.0 Oregon 0.0 50.3 Pennsylvania 63.3 427.0 Rhode Island 0.0 11.1 South 0.0 0.0 Carolina South Dakota 0.0 22.5 Tennessee 0.0 517.8 Texas 190.0 1.3 Utah 0.0 79.2 Vermont 0.0 0.0 Virginia 8.0 122.0 Washington 0.0 65.1 West Virginia 0.0 57.4 Wisconsin 167.1 33.2 Wyoming 2.6 22.8 Total 1,771.0 3,303.1 (September 30, 2017, in millions of dollars)

State

Obligated but Not Spent

Unobligated Balances

Alabama

$19.0

$55.2

Alaska

48.1

0.0

Arizona

0.0

30.7

Arkansas

32.7

31.0

California

307.2

0.0

Colorado

0.0

96.4

Connecticut

0.0

0.8

Delaware

0.6

7.8

District of Columbia

0.2

32.8

Florida

17.1

0.0

Georgia

23.8

40.9

Hawaii

15.6

225.8

Idaho

0.0

20.0

Illinois

0.0

0.0

Indiana

46.3

109.5

Iowa

3.8

0.5

Kansas

0.4

67.9

Kentucky

0.0

66.5

Louisiana

7.9

0.0

Maine

5.6

141.1

Maryland

0.0

0.0

Massachusetts

0.0

0.0

Michigan

0.0

116.8

Minnesota

0.0

59.3

Mississippi

0.0

23.6

Missouri

0.0

0.3

Montana

10.3

13.1

Nebraska

0.0

64.2

Nevada

23.7

0.0

New Hampshire

0.0

57.5

New Jersey

22.7

35.0

New Mexico

52.9

38.3

New York

121.4

519.5

North Carolina

41.7

0.0

North Dakota

0.0

9.7

Ohio

462.7

29.4

Oklahoma

76.3

0.0

Oregon

0.0

50.3

Pennsylvania

63.3

427.0

Rhode Island

0.0

11.1

South Carolina

0.0

0.0

South Dakota

0.0

22.5

Tennessee

0.0

517.8

Texas

190.0

1.3

Utah

0.0

79.2

Vermont

0.0

0.0

Virginia

8.0

122.0

Washington

0.0

65.1

West Virginia

0.0

57.4

Wisconsin

167.1

33.2

Wyoming

2.6

22.8

Total

1,771.0

3,303.1

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Table B-4. Number of Families, Recipients, Children, and Adults Receiving TANF Assistance by State, September 2018 State Families Recipients Children Adults Alabama 8,182 18,425 15,032 3,393 Alaska 2,571 6,815 4,732 2,083 Arizona 7,372 15,106 12,084 3,022 Arkansas 2,859 6,357 4,767 1,590 California 409,043 1,331,457 940,730 390,727 Colorado 12,502 32,692 22,727 9,965 Congressional Research Service 25 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs State Families Recipients Children Adults Connecticut 8,964 18,713 13,545 5,168 Delaware 3,761 10,450 6,272 4,178 District of Columbia 5,840 16,632 12,546 4,086 Florida 41,469 65,627 56,117 9,510 Georgia 10,484 20,246 18,353 1,893 Guam 491 1,083 929 154 Hawaii 4,274 11,653 8,294 3,359 Idaho 2,046 2,996 2,912 84 Il inois 11,048 21,810 19,689 2,121 Indiana 6,048 12,053 10,982 1,071 Iowa 9,650 23,295 17,746 5,549 Kansas 4,360 4,359 2,619 1,740 Kentucky 18,774 37,748 32,695 5,053 Louisiana 5,402 13,292 11,007 2,285 Maine 17,367 57,543 35,301 22,242 Maryland 17,352 42,996 32,025 10,971 Massachusetts 50,270 124,630 85,801 38,829 Michigan 12,338 30,453 24,978 5,475 Minnesota 16,973 40,370 31,246 9,124 Mississippi 4,040 7,907 6,399 1,508 Missouri 10,761 24,687 19,063 5,624 Montana 3,691 9,156 7,010 2,146 Nebraska 4,832 11,945 9,954 1,991 Nevada 9,023 22,836 17,191 5,645 New Hampshire 5,257 12,575 9,081 3,494 New Jersey 10,326 23,089 18,000 5,089 New Mexico 10,632 26,529 20,122 6,407 New York 122,363 313,143 221,544 91,599 North Carolina 14,574 25,263 22,791 2,472 North Dakota 984 2,453 2,072 381 Ohio 42,549 75,664 69,415 6,249 Oklahoma 6,176 13,696 11,958 1,738 Oregon 40,932 120,311 77,812 42,499 Pennsylvania 45,022 111,572 83,045 28,527 Puerto Rico 4,992 13,559 8,411 5,148 Rhode Island 4,197 9,954 7,274 2,680 South Carolina 8,314 18,326 15,449 2,877 Congressional Research Service 26 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs State Families Recipients Children Adults South Dakota 2,952 5,944 5,489 455 Tennessee 20,951 45,131 36,178 8,953 Texas 26,109 56,501 49,307 7,194 Utah 3,546 8,438 6,290 2,148 Vermont 2,918 6,599 4,703 1,896 Virgin Islands 160 496 334 162 Virginia 20,513 35,157 27,510 7,647 Washington 37,270 88,286 60,717 27,569 West Virginia 6,572 12,845 10,768 2,077 Wisconsin 15,740 34,089 28,275 5,814 Wyoming 499 1,142 882 260 Totals 1,175,335 3,104,094 2,280,173 823,921 Assistance by State, September 2018

State

Families

Recipients

Children

Adults

Alabama

8,182

18,425

15,032

3,393

Alaska

2,571

6,815

4,732

2,083

Arizona

7,372

15,106

12,084

3,022

Arkansas

2,859

6,357

4,767

1,590

California

409,043

1,331,457

940,730

390,727

Colorado

12,502

32,692

22,727

9,965

Connecticut

8,964

18,713

13,545

5,168

Delaware

3,761

10,450

6,272

4,178

District of Columbia

5,840

16,632

12,546

4,086

Florida

41,469

65,627

56,117

9,510

Georgia

10,484

20,246

18,353

1,893

Guam

491

1,083

929

154

Hawaii

4,274

11,653

8,294

3,359

Idaho

2,046

2,996

2,912

84

Illinois

11,048

21,810

19,689

2,121

Indiana

6,048

12,053

10,982

1,071

Iowa

9,650

23,295

17,746

5,549

Kansas

4,360

4,359

2,619

1,740

Kentucky

18,774

37,748

32,695

5,053

Louisiana

5,402

13,292

11,007

2,285

Maine

17,367

57,543

35,301

22,242

Maryland

17,352

42,996

32,025

10,971

Massachusetts

50,270

124,630

85,801

38,829

Michigan

12,338

30,453

24,978

5,475

Minnesota

16,973

40,370

31,246

9,124

Mississippi

4,040

7,907

6,399

1,508

Missouri

10,761

24,687

19,063

5,624

Montana

3,691

9,156

7,010

2,146

Nebraska

4,832

11,945

9,954

1,991

Nevada

9,023

22,836

17,191

5,645

New Hampshire

5,257

12,575

9,081

3,494

New Jersey

10,326

23,089

18,000

5,089

New Mexico

10,632

26,529

20,122

6,407

New York

122,363

313,143

221,544

91,599

North Carolina

14,574

25,263

22,791

2,472

North Dakota

984

2,453

2,072

381

Ohio

42,549

75,664

69,415

6,249

Oklahoma

6,176

13,696

11,958

1,738

Oregon

40,932

120,311

77,812

42,499

Pennsylvania

45,022

111,572

83,045

28,527

Puerto Rico

4,992

13,559

8,411

5,148

Rhode Island

4,197

9,954

7,274

2,680

South Carolina

8,314

18,326

15,449

2,877

South Dakota

2,952

5,944

5,489

455

Tennessee

20,951

45,131

36,178

8,953

Texas

26,109

56,501

49,307

7,194

Utah

3,546

8,438

6,290

2,148

Vermont

2,918

6,599

4,703

1,896

Virgin Islands

160

496

334

162

Virginia

20,513

35,157

27,510

7,647

Washington

37,270

88,286

60,717

27,569

West Virginia

6,572

12,845

10,768

2,077

Wisconsin

15,740

34,089

28,275

5,814

Wyoming

499

1,142

882

260

Totals

1,175,335

3,104,094

2,280,173

823,921

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Notes: TANF cash assistance caseload includes families receiving assistance in state-funded programs counted toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement.

Table B-5. Number of Needy Families with Children Receiving Assistance by  State, September of Selected Years Percentage Change to 2018 from State 1994 2010 2017 2018 1994 2010 2017 Alabama 48,752 23,052 9,326 8,182 -83.2 -64.5 -12.3 Alaska 12,450 3,507 3,093 2,571 -79.3 -26.7 -16.9 Arizona 72,728 18,774 8,222 7,372 -89.9 -60.7 -10.3 Arkansas 25,298 8,469 3,072 2,859 -88.7 -66.2 -6.9 California 916,795 590,121 511,311 409,043 -55.4 -30.7 -20.0 Colorado 40,544 11,707 16,646 12,502 -69.2 6.8 -24.9 Connecticut 60,336 16,848 9,798 8,964 -85.1 -46.8 -8.5 Delaware 11,408 5,508 3,873 3,761 -67.0 -31.7 -2.9 District of Columbia 27,320 8,547 3,124 5,840 -78.6 -31.7 86.9 Florida 239,702 57,742 45,027 41,469 -82.7 -28.2 -7.9 Georgia 141,596 20,133 10,399 10,484 -92.6 -47.9 0.8 Guam 2,089 1,276 541 491 -76.5 -61.5 -9.2 Hawaii 21,312 9,953 4,937 4,274 -79.9 -57.1 -13.4 Idaho 8,635 1,820 1,928 2,046 -76.3 12.4 6.1 Il inois 241,290 24,337 12,613 11,048 -95.4 -54.6 -12.4 Indiana 72,654 36,062 6,962 6,048 -91.7 -83.2 -13.1 Congressional Research Service 27 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Percentage Change to 2018 from State 1994 2010 2017 2018 1994 2010 2017 Iowa 39,137 21,548 10,694 9,650 -75.3 -55.2 -9.8 Kansas 29,524 15,554 4,462 4,360 -85.2 -72.0 -2.3 Kentucky 78,720 30,875 20,785 18,774 -76.2 -39.2 -9.7 Louisiana 84,162 10,849 5,521 5,402 -93.6 -50.2 -2.2 Maine 22,322 15,377 18,452 17,367 -22.2 12.9 -5.9 Maryland 80,266 25,110 18,611 17,352 -78.4 -30.9 -6.8 Massachusetts 108,985 49,836 51,196 50,270 -53.9 0.9 -1.8 Michigan 215,873 67,241 13,846 12,338 -94.3 -81.7 -10.9 Minnesota 59,987 24,574 18,519 16,973 -71.7 -30.9 -8.3 Mississippi 55,232 11,895 4,891 4,040 -92.7 -66.0 -17.4 Missouri 91,875 39,262 12,452 10,761 -88.3 -72.6 -13.6 Montana 11,416 3,686 4,517 3,691 -67.7 0.1 -18.3 Nebraska 15,435 8,702 5,262 4,832 -68.7 -44.5 -8.2 Nevada 14,620 10,612 9,828 9,023 -38.3 -15.0 -8.2 New Hampshire 11,398 6,175 4,884 5,257 -53.9 -14.9 7.6 New Jersey 122,376 34,516 12,640 10,326 -91.6 -70.1 -18.3 New Mexico 34,535 21,223 11,066 10,632 -69.2 -49.9 -3.9 New York 461,751 154,936 132,675 122,363 -73.5 -21.0 -7.8 North Carolina 129,258 23,705 16,108 14,574 -88.7 -38.5 -9.5 North Dakota 5,410 1,996 1,105 984 -81.8 -50.7 -11.0 Ohio 244,099 105,140 54,161 42,549 -82.6 -59.5 -21.4 Oklahoma 46,572 9,388 6,797 6,176 -86.7 -34.2 -9.1 Oregon 40,504 31,751 43,754 40,932 1.1 28.9 -6.4 Pennsylvania 212,457 53,274 50,615 45,022 -78.8 -15.5 -11.1 Puerto Rico 57,337 13,371 7,000 4,992 -91.3 -62.7 -28.7 Rhode Island 22,776 6,758 4,466 4,197 -81.6 -37.9 -6.0 South Carolina 50,430 19,347 8,672 8,314 -83.5 -57.0 -4.1 South Dakota 6,601 3,291 3,030 2,952 -55.3 -10.3 -2.6 Tennessee 109,678 62,714 24,562 20,951 -80.9 -66.6 -14.7 Texas 284,973 51,931 28,839 26,109 -90.8 -49.7 -9.5 Utah 17,505 6,646 4,013 3,546 -79.7 -46.6 -11.6 Vermont 9,761 3,256 3,371 2,918 -70.1 -10.4 -13.4 Virgin Islands 1,146 537 197 160 -86.0 -70.2 -18.8 Virginia 74,257 37,448 22,232 20,513 -72.4 -45.2 -7.7 Washington 101,542 70,200 35,284 37,270 -63.3 -46.9 5.6 West Virginia 40,279 10,496 7,113 6,572 -83.7 -37.4 -7.6 Congressional Research Service 28 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Percentage Change to 2018 from State 1994 2010 2017 2018 1994 2010 2017 Wisconsin 75,086 24,746 16,318 15,740 -79.0 -36.4 -3.5 Wyoming 5,351 318 513 499 -90.7 56.9 -2.7 Totals 5,015,545 1,926,140 1,349,323 1,175,335 -76.6 -39.0 -12.9 Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Notes: Data for Puerto Rico are unavailable for September 2017. Total change excludes data for Puerto Rico for all years. Caseload data for 2000 through 2017 include those families in Separate State Programs with expenditures countable toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement. Table B-6. TANF Assistance Families by Number of Parents by State: September 2018 Percentage of Total Families Total Single Two No Fami- Single Two No Total State Parent Parent Parent lies Parent Parent Parent Families Alabama 3,272 42 4,868 8,182 40.0% 0.5% 59.5% 100.0% Alaska 1,510 252 809 2,571 58.7 9.8 31.5 100.0 Arizona 2,718 114 4,540 7,372 36.9 1.5 61.6 100.0 Arkansas 1,462 59 1,338 2,859 51.1 2.1 46.8 100.0 California 251,231 27,704 130,108 409,043 61.4 6.8 31.8 100.0 Colorado 9,331 0 3,171 12,502 74.6 0.0 25.4 100.0 Connecticut 2,942 0 6,022 8,964 32.8 0.0 67.2 100.0 Delaware 994 9 2,758 3,761 26.4 0.2 73.3 100.0 District of Columbia 4,086 0 1,754 5,840 70.0 0.0 30.0 100.0 Florida 5,287 215 35,967 41,469 12.7 0.5 86.7 100.0 Georgia 1,982 0 8,502 10,484 18.9 0.0 81.1 100.0 Guam 86 27 378 491 17.5 5.5 77.0 100.0 Hawaii 2,577 611 1,086 4,274 60.3 14.3 25.4 100.0 Idaho 84 0 1,962 2,046 4.1 0.0 95.9 100.0 Il inois 2,199 0 8,849 11,048 19.9 0.0 80.1 100.0 Indiana 1,366 40 4,642 6,048 22.6 0.7 76.8 100.0 Iowa 4,682 390 4,578 9,650 48.5 4.0 47.4 100.0 Kansas 1,806 206 2,348 4,360 41.4 4.7 53.9 100.0 Kentucky 4,308 382 14,084 18,774 22.9 2.0 75.0 100.0 Congressional Research Service 29 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Percentage of Total Families Total Single Two No Fami- Single Two No Total State Parent Parent Parent lies Parent Parent Parent Families Louisiana 2,268 0 3,134 5,402 42.0 0.0 58.0 100.0 Maine 9,178 6,529 1,660 17,367 52.8 37.6 9.6 100.0 Maryland 10,651 281 6,420 17,352 61.4 1.6 37.0 100.0 Massachusetts 34,435 3,029 12,806 50,270 68.5 6.0 25.5 100.0 Michigan 4,646 0 7,692 12,338 37.7 0.0 62.3 100.0 Minnesota 9,185 0 7,788 16,973 54.1 0.0 45.9 100.0 Mississippi 1,481 0 2,559 4,040 36.7 0.0 63.3 100.0 Missouri 6,301 0 4,460 10,761 58.6 0.0 41.4 100.0 Montana 1,792 282 1,617 3,691 48.6 7.6 43.8 100.0 Nebraska 1,984 0 2,848 4,832 41.1 0.0 58.9 100.0 Nevada 4,161 680 4,182 9,023 46.1 7.5 46.3 100.0 New Hampshire 3,304 37 1,916 5,257 62.8 0.7 36.4 100.0 New Jersey 5,745 59 4,522 10,326 55.6 0.6 43.8 100.0 New Mexico 5,057 675 4,900 10,632 47.6 6.3 46.1 100.0 New York 77,545 2,508 42,310 122,363 63.4 2.0 34.6 100.0 North Carolina 1,772 24 12,778 14,574 12.2 0.2 87.7 100.0 North Dakota 381 0 603 984 38.7 0.0 61.3 100.0 Ohio 5,322 345 36,882 42,549 12.5 0.8 86.7 100.0 Oklahoma 1,738 0 4,438 6,176 28.1 0.0 71.9 100.0 Oregon 27,855 6,521 6,556 40,932 68.1 15.9 16.0 100.0 Pennsylvania 27,889 471 16,662 45,022 61.9 1.0 37.0 100.0 Puerto Rico 4,490 251 251 4,992 89.9 5.0 5.0 100.0 Rhode Island 2,959 164 1,074 4,197 70.5 3.9 25.6 100.0 South Carolina 2,877 0 5,437 8,314 34.6 0.0 65.4 100.0 South Dakota 455 0 2,497 2,952 15.4 0.0 84.6 100.0 Tennessee 8,052 224 12,675 20,951 38.4 1.1 60.5 100.0 Texas 7,194 0 18,915 26,109 27.6 0.0 72.4 100.0 Utah 1,564 0 1,982 3,546 44.1 0.0 55.9 100.0 Vermont 1,322 277 1,319 2,918 45.3 9.5 45.2 100.0 Virgin Islands 131 0 29 160 81.9 0.0 18.1 100.0 Virginia 11,114 0 9,399 20,513 54.2 0.0 45.8 100.0 Washington 17,561 7,313 12,396 37,270 47.1 19.6 33.3 100.0 West Virginia 1,572 0 5,000 6,572 23.9 0.0 76.1 100.0 Wisconsin 4,956 192 10,592 15,740 31.5 1.2 67.3 100.0 Congressional Research Service 30 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Percentage of Total Families Total Single Two No Fami- Single Two No Total State Parent Parent Parent lies Parent Parent Parent Families Wyoming 223 19 257 499 44.7 3.8 51.5 100.0 Totals 609,083 59,932 506,320 1,175,335 51.8 5.1 43.1 100.0 Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Notes: TANF cash assistance caseload includes families receiving assistance in state-funded programs counted toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement. Congressional Research Service 31 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs Author Information Gene Falk Specialist in Social Policy Acknowledgments September of Selected Years

 

Percentage Change to 2018 from

State

1994

2010

2017

2018

1994

2010

2017

Alabama

48,752

23,052

9,326

8,182

-83.2

-64.5

-12.3

Alaska

12,450

3,507

3,093

2,571

-79.3

-26.7

-16.9

Arizona

72,728

18,774

8,222

7,372

-89.9

-60.7

-10.3

Arkansas

25,298

8,469

3,072

2,859

-88.7

-66.2

-6.9

California

916,795

590,121

511,311

409,043

-55.4

-30.7

-20.0

Colorado

40,544

11,707

16,646

12,502

-69.2

6.8

-24.9

Connecticut

60,336

16,848

9,798

8,964

-85.1

-46.8

-8.5

Delaware

11,408

5,508

3,873

3,761

-67.0

-31.7

-2.9

District of Columbia

27,320

8,547

3,124

5,840

-78.6

-31.7

86.9

Florida

239,702

57,742

45,027

41,469

-82.7

-28.2

-7.9

Georgia

141,596

20,133

10,399

10,484

-92.6

-47.9

0.8

Guam

2,089

1,276

541

491

-76.5

-61.5

-9.2

Hawaii

21,312

9,953

4,937

4,274

-79.9

-57.1

-13.4

Idaho

8,635

1,820

1,928

2,046

-76.3

12.4

6.1

Illinois

241,290

24,337

12,613

11,048

-95.4

-54.6

-12.4

Indiana

72,654

36,062

6,962

6,048

-91.7

-83.2

-13.1

Iowa

39,137

21,548

10,694

9,650

-75.3

-55.2

-9.8

Kansas

29,524

15,554

4,462

4,360

-85.2

-72.0

-2.3

Kentucky

78,720

30,875

20,785

18,774

-76.2

-39.2

-9.7

Louisiana

84,162

10,849

5,521

5,402

-93.6

-50.2

-2.2

Maine

22,322

15,377

18,452

17,367

-22.2

12.9

-5.9

Maryland

80,266

25,110

18,611

17,352

-78.4

-30.9

-6.8

Massachusetts

108,985

49,836

51,196

50,270

-53.9

0.9

-1.8

Michigan

215,873

67,241

13,846

12,338

-94.3

-81.7

-10.9

Minnesota

59,987

24,574

18,519

16,973

-71.7

-30.9

-8.3

Mississippi

55,232

11,895

4,891

4,040

-92.7

-66.0

-17.4

Missouri

91,875

39,262

12,452

10,761

-88.3

-72.6

-13.6

Montana

11,416

3,686

4,517

3,691

-67.7

0.1

-18.3

Nebraska

15,435

8,702

5,262

4,832

-68.7

-44.5

-8.2

Nevada

14,620

10,612

9,828

9,023

-38.3

-15.0

-8.2

New Hampshire

11,398

6,175

4,884

5,257

-53.9

-14.9

7.6

New Jersey

122,376

34,516

12,640

10,326

-91.6

-70.1

-18.3

New Mexico

34,535

21,223

11,066

10,632

-69.2

-49.9

-3.9

New York

461,751

154,936

132,675

122,363

-73.5

-21.0

-7.8

North Carolina

129,258

23,705

16,108

14,574

-88.7

-38.5

-9.5

North Dakota

5,410

1,996

1,105

984

-81.8

-50.7

-11.0

Ohio

244,099

105,140

54,161

42,549

-82.6

-59.5

-21.4

Oklahoma

46,572

9,388

6,797

6,176

-86.7

-34.2

-9.1

Oregon

40,504

31,751

43,754

40,932

1.1

28.9

-6.4

Pennsylvania

212,457

53,274

50,615

45,022

-78.8

-15.5

-11.1

Puerto Rico

57,337

13,371

7,000

4,992

-91.3

-62.7

-28.7

Rhode Island

22,776

6,758

4,466

4,197

-81.6

-37.9

-6.0

South Carolina

50,430

19,347

8,672

8,314

-83.5

-57.0

-4.1

South Dakota

6,601

3,291

3,030

2,952

-55.3

-10.3

-2.6

Tennessee

109,678

62,714

24,562

20,951

-80.9

-66.6

-14.7

Texas

284,973

51,931

28,839

26,109

-90.8

-49.7

-9.5

Utah

17,505

6,646

4,013

3,546

-79.7

-46.6

-11.6

Vermont

9,761

3,256

3,371

2,918

-70.1

-10.4

-13.4

Virgin Islands

1,146

537

197

160

-86.0

-70.2

-18.8

Virginia

74,257

37,448

22,232

20,513

-72.4

-45.2

-7.7

Washington

101,542

70,200

35,284

37,270

-63.3

-46.9

5.6

West Virginia

40,279

10,496

7,113

6,572

-83.7

-37.4

-7.6

Wisconsin

75,086

24,746

16,318

15,740

-79.0

-36.4

-3.5

Wyoming

5,351

318

513

499

-90.7

56.9

-2.7

Totals

5,015,545

1,926,140

1,349,323

1,175,335

-76.6

-39.0

-12.9

Table B-6. TANF Assistance Families by Number of Parents by State: September 2018

 

 

 

 

 

Percentage of Total Families

State

Single Parent

Two Parent

No Parent

Total Fami-lies

Single Parent

Two Parent

No Parent

Total Families

Alabama

3,272

42

4,868

8,182

40.0%

0.5%

59.5%

100.0%

Alaska

1,510

252

809

2,571

58.7

9.8

31.5

100.0

Arizona

2,718

114

4,540

7,372

36.9

1.5

61.6

100.0

Arkansas

1,462

59

1,338

2,859

51.1

2.1

46.8

100.0

California

251,231

27,704

130,108

409,043

61.4

6.8

31.8

100.0

Colorado

9,331

0

3,171

12,502

74.6

0.0

25.4

100.0

Connecticut

2,942

0

6,022

8,964

32.8

0.0

67.2

100.0

Delaware

994

9

2,758

3,761

26.4

0.2

73.3

100.0

District of Columbia

4,086

0

1,754

5,840

70.0

0.0

30.0

100.0

Florida

5,287

215

35,967

41,469

12.7

0.5

86.7

100.0

Georgia

1,982

0

8,502

10,484

18.9

0.0

81.1

100.0

Guam

86

27

378

491

17.5

5.5

77.0

100.0

Hawaii

2,577

611

1,086

4,274

60.3

14.3

25.4

100.0

Idaho

84

0

1,962

2,046

4.1

0.0

95.9

100.0

Illinois

2,199

0

8,849

11,048

19.9

0.0

80.1

100.0

Indiana

1,366

40

4,642

6,048

22.6

0.7

76.8

100.0

Iowa

4,682

390

4,578

9,650

48.5

4.0

47.4

100.0

Kansas

1,806

206

2,348

4,360

41.4

4.7

53.9

100.0

Kentucky

4,308

382

14,084

18,774

22.9

2.0

75.0

100.0

Louisiana

2,268

0

3,134

5,402

42.0

0.0

58.0

100.0

Maine

9,178

6,529

1,660

17,367

52.8

37.6

9.6

100.0

Maryland

10,651

281

6,420

17,352

61.4

1.6

37.0

100.0

Massachusetts

34,435

3,029

12,806

50,270

68.5

6.0

25.5

100.0

Michigan

4,646

0

7,692

12,338

37.7

0.0

62.3

100.0

Minnesota

9,185

0

7,788

16,973

54.1

0.0

45.9

100.0

Mississippi

1,481

0

2,559

4,040

36.7

0.0

63.3

100.0

Missouri

6,301

0

4,460

10,761

58.6

0.0

41.4

100.0

Montana

1,792

282

1,617

3,691

48.6

7.6

43.8

100.0

Nebraska

1,984

0

2,848

4,832

41.1

0.0

58.9

100.0

Nevada

4,161

680

4,182

9,023

46.1

7.5

46.3

100.0

New Hampshire

3,304

37

1,916

5,257

62.8

0.7

36.4

100.0

New Jersey

5,745

59

4,522

10,326

55.6

0.6

43.8

100.0

New Mexico

5,057

675

4,900

10,632

47.6

6.3

46.1

100.0

New York

77,545

2,508

42,310

122,363

63.4

2.0

34.6

100.0

North Carolina

1,772

24

12,778

14,574

12.2

0.2

87.7

100.0

North Dakota

381

0

603

984

38.7

0.0

61.3

100.0

Ohio

5,322

345

36,882

42,549

12.5

0.8

86.7

100.0

Oklahoma

1,738

0

4,438

6,176

28.1

0.0

71.9

100.0

Oregon

27,855

6,521

6,556

40,932

68.1

15.9

16.0

100.0

Pennsylvania

27,889

471

16,662

45,022

61.9

1.0

37.0

100.0

Puerto Rico

4,490

251

251

4,992

89.9

5.0

5.0

100.0

Rhode Island

2,959

164

1,074

4,197

70.5

3.9

25.6

100.0

South Carolina

2,877

0

5,437

8,314

34.6

0.0

65.4

100.0

South Dakota

455

0

2,497

2,952

15.4

0.0

84.6

100.0

Tennessee

8,052

224

12,675

20,951

38.4

1.1

60.5

100.0

Texas

7,194

0

18,915

26,109

27.6

0.0

72.4

100.0

Utah

1,564

0

1,982

3,546

44.1

0.0

55.9

100.0

Vermont

1,322

277

1,319

2,918

45.3

9.5

45.2

100.0

Virgin Islands

131

0

29

160

81.9

0.0

18.1

100.0

Virginia

11,114

0

9,399

20,513

54.2

0.0

45.8

100.0

Washington

17,561

7,313

12,396

37,270

47.1

19.6

33.3

100.0

West Virginia

1,572

0

5,000

6,572

23.9

0.0

76.1

100.0

Wisconsin

4,956

192

10,592

15,740

31.5

1.2

67.3

100.0

Wyoming

223

19

257

499

44.7

3.8

51.5

100.0

Totals

609,083

59,932

506,320

1,175,335

51.8

5.1

43.1

100.0


Author Contact Information

Gene Falk, Specialist in Social Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Acknowledgments

Jameson Carter and Mariam Ghavalyan updated the information in this report. Karen Lynch contributed to the discussion of the TANF funding lapse and legislation to fund TANF in FY2019. Amber Wilhelm produced this report'’s data visualizations. Disclaimer This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material. Congressional Research Service RL32760 · VERSION 179 · UPDATED 32 s data visualizations.

Footnotes

1.

The definition of TANF assistance is not in statute. However, because the statutory language has most TANF requirements triggered by a family receiving "assistance," the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations define assistance at 45 C.F.R. §260.31.

2.

States are not required to report to the federal government their cash assistance benefit amounts in either the TANF state plan (under Section 402 of the Social Security Act) or in annual program reports (under Section 411 of the Social Security Act). The benefit amounts shown are from the "Welfare Rules Database," maintained by the Urban Institute and funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

3.

Some states vary their benefit amounts for other family types such as two-parent families or "child-only" cases. States also vary their benefits by other factors such as housing costs and substate geography.

4.

In 2017, the HHS poverty guidelines for the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia for a family of three was $1,702 per month. Higher poverty lines applied in Alaska ($2,126 per month for a family of three) and Hawaii ($1,933 per month for a family of three).

5.

Families without a work-eligible individual are excluded from the participation rate calculation. It excludes families where the parent is a nonrecipient (for example, disabled receiving Supplemental Security Income or an ineligible noncitizen) or the children in the family are being cared for by a nonparent relative (e.g., grandparent, aunt, uncle) who does not receive assistance on his or her behalf.

6.

See CRS In Focus IF10856, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Work Requirements.