Table of Contents | Previous | Next |
Appendix 1: Component Descriptions
The WRD and this book define a state’s TANF program as having a component when the state divides its entire caseload into mutually exclusive groups that are treated differently across more than one policy area. These groups are usually defined by more than one characteristic. Not every state uses components. For those that do, the following table describes how recipients are divided among the components, how long recipients can remain in the various components, and any interaction between the components.
| State | Name | Duration | Description | Maximum time in component1 | Interaction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | All, except JOBSTART | 11/95 - present | Nonexempt recipients. | No limit | The goal of JOBSTART is to place recipients in jobs that lead to unsubsidized employment. Those who do not reach unsubsidized employment after 6 months may receive benefits under the All, except JOBSTART component. |
| JOBSTART | 11/95 - present | Participants are randomly selected nonexempt recipients who have completed high school/GED and are not enrolled in postsecondary education. The state subsidizes employers to hire JOBSTART participants on a full-time basis. | 6 months | ||
| California | Nonexempt | 7/97 - present | Nonexempt recipients. | No limit | Recipients change components only when something happens to change their exemption status. |
| Exempt | 7/97 - present | Recipients who are (1) a parent/relative, an aided parent of anunaided child, a pregnant woman, or an adult in a Refugee Cash Assistance unit and (2) receive SSI, In-Home Support Services, State Disability Insurance, or Temporary Worker's Compensation. Also exempt are unaided nonparent caretakers. | Until recipient no longer meets exemption characteristics. | ||
| Indiana | Nonplacement track | 5/95 - 3/97 | Recipients who are not job-ready or are exempt from Work Requirements. | No limit | If a Placement Track recipient reaches the 24-month time limit and has served the 36 months of ineligibility, s/he may be placed in the Nonplacement Track. Placement Track recipients may be moved to the Nonplacement Track if they are determined unable to work under existing circumstances. |
| Placement track | 5/95 - 3/97 | Job-ready recipients. | 24 months | ||
| Massachusetts | Exempt2 | 11/95 - present | Recipient must meet one of the following exemptions: child only unit; receiving SSI; disabled; caring for a disabled child, spouse, child's other parent, recipient's parent(s), or grandparent(s); pregnant women whose child is expected to be born within 120 days; child under the age of 2 who is either in the assistance unit or would be in the assistance unit except that the child receives SSI or not in the assistance unit but is the recipient's natural or adopted child and was born before the Family Cap date; a child under 3 months old living in the home and not included in the assistance unit;teen parent under age 20 meeting living arrangement requirements and attending school; or recipient age 60 or older. This component is exempt from the reduced Need and Payment Standards, Time Limits, and Work Requirements. | Until recipients no longer meet the exemption criteria | Recipients change components only when something happens to change their exemption status. |
| Nonexempt | 11/95 - present | Nonexempt recipients. | No limit | ||
| Montana | Pathways | 2/96 - 6/01 | New applicants who do not opt for the JSP (diversion) are required to participate in Pathways. Pathways requires a family to complete a Family Investment Agreement (FIA) and limits benefits for adults to 24 months. After the time limit expires, the family enters the CSP. | 24 months | New applicants have the option of participating in JSP. If they do not choose to participate in JSP, they are placed in Pathways. If the new applicant chooses to participate in JSP and at any time needs monthly benefits, the unit is placed in Pathways. After receiving 2 years of assistance under Pathways, the unit is required to move to the Community Service Program(CSP). The unit must meet all the requirements of the CSP component to continue receiving benefits. |
| Community Service Program(CSP) | 2/96 - 6/01 | Recipients whose time limits have expired in Pathways move into CSP. CSP requires that recipients participate in CSP activities. | No limit | ||
| Job Supplement Program (JSP) | 2/96 - 6/01 | Intended to divert applicants from welfare receipt by providing support services (such as Medicaid and childcare assistance) and an employment-related cash payment. This program is completely optional and participants must still meet AFDC/TANF eligibility requirements. | n.a. | ||
| Nebraska | Time limited assistance | 11/95 - present | Units in which the adult member(s) are able to work. | No limit | Recipients change components only when something happens to change their ability to work or to change their exempt status. |
| Non-time limited assistance | 11/95 - present | Units where the adult member(s) are mentally, emotionally, or physically unable to work. Includes recipients who are one of the following: (1) ill or incapacitated; (2) caring for an ill or incapacitated household member; (3) over 60; (4) at least six months pregnant; (5) caring for a child under 6 monthsold; (6) victims of domestic violence. | Until recipients no longer meet the criteria | ||
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Employment Program (NHEP) | 3/97 - present | Units in which the adult member(s) are able to work. | No limit | Recipients change components only when something happens to change their ability to work. |
| Family Assistance Program (FAP) | 3/97 - present | FAP provides financial assistance to units with dependent children who are cared for by a parent or relative who is unable to work due to a physical or mental disability, or are cared for by a relative other than a parent who is not receiving assistance. The program also includes individuals age 60 and older. Families who have reached their sixty-month time limit and have received at least one six-month extension for caring for a disabled relative, assistance unit member, or spouse may be permanently transferred to FAP. Recipients in this component are exempt from Activities Requirements and Time Limits. | Until recipients no longer meet the criteria | ||
| New Mexico | New Mexico Works (NMW) | 10/00 - present | The NMW Program provides financial assistance for families with dependent children. | No limit | During the initial application or recertification process, the Family Assistance Analyst will screen an applicant for eligibility for the EWP. Recipients who are actively participating in NMW and who meet the requirements for EWP, shall be given first opportunity to switch programs. |
| Education Works Program (EWP) | 10/00 - present | EWP is a state-funded post-secondary educational program offered as an alternative to the New Mexico Works program. The eligibility criteria for the Educational Works and the New Mexico Works Programs are the same except for the following: applicants for EWP must be in good standing with the NMW Program (meaning the applicant has no activities, child support, or reporting sanctions), the applicant must provide proof of enrollment in a two or four year post-secondary education program, and the applicant must apply for all financial aid available. | 24 months | ||
| North Carolina | Work First Active | 7/96 - 11/99 | Counties are responsible for assigning individuals to components. Most individuals who are not exempt from activities requirements are assigned to the Work First Active component. This component specifically includes the following individuals: (1) an individual who has been sanctioned for noncooperation with Child Support; (2) at least one parent in all Unemployed Parent families; (3) a Work First Active participant who has transferred from another county; (4) an individual whose family has been granted an extension for Work First Assistance; (5) a caretaker who is employed at least 30 hours per week regardless of the age of the youngest child; and (6) a caretaker whose youngest child is age 5 or older. | 24 months | Recipients are generally placed in Work First Active, unless they are exempt or waiting for an activity assignment. Once the unit becomes nonexempt or is assigned to an activity, they move to Work First Active. |
| Work First Preparatory | 7/96 - 11/99 | Individuals are assigned to Work First Preparatory when they are subject to activities requirements and are waiting to begin active participation. | Based on county resources, assignment to Work First Preparatory should be for a limited time. | ||
| Pre-Work First | 7/96 - 11/99 | Individuals who are exempt from activities requirements (whether temporarily or permanently) are placed in Pre-Work First. | Until recipients no longer meet the exemption criteria. | ||
| Oregon | All, except JOBS Plus | 1/96 - present | Recipients not participating in the JOBS Plus program. | No limit | * |
| JOBS Plus | 1/96 - present | Recipients volunteer for the JOBS Plus program, which provides recipients with on-the-job training while paying their benefits as wages from a work-site assignment. | * | ||
| South Carolina | All, except STAR | 10/03 - present | TANF recipients with no health barriers to participation in work activities. | No limit | Recipients change components only when something happens to change their ability to work. |
| STAR (A) | 10/03 - present | STAR is a state funded program that serves TANF eligible individuals who face health related barriers to participation in work activities. Category (A) includes recipients who experience a disability severe enough to prevent full-time participation in the work program but not to the extent that all work and training activities are prevented. It also includes two-parent families where only one parent is severely disabled or caring for a disabled family member. This component is exempt from Time Limits. | Until recipients no longer meet the exemption criteria | ||
| STAR (B) | 10/03 - present | Recipients who experience a permanent or total disability severe enough to prevent most full or part-time employment or training activities. This component is exempt from Work Requirements and Time Limits. | Until recipients no longer meet the exemption criteria | ||
| STAR (C) | 10/03 - present | Recipients are those who are responsible for the care of a disabled family member, precluding full-time participation in the work program for 30 days or more. This component is exempt from Work Requirements and Time Limits. | Until recipients no longer meet the exemption criteria | ||
| Virginia | Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare Program (VIEW) | 7/95 - present | All nonexempt recipients that are required to participate in work-related activities. | 24 months | Recipients change components only when something happens to change their ability to work. |
| All, except VIEW | 7/95 - present | Recipients who are exempt from VIEW. Recipients are placed in this component as a result of being exempt from Work Requirements. | No limit | ||
| Wisconsin | W-2 Transitions | 3/97 - present | Individuals who have been determined not ready for unsubsidized employment and unable to participate in other employment positions for reasons such as an individual's incapacitation or the need to remain in the home to care for another family member who is incapacitated or disabled. | 24 months | Recipients should always be placed at the highest level of employment participation possible. Therefore, recipients move between components as appropriate. Timelimits may be extended on a case-by-case basis. |
| Community Service Jobs (CSJ) | 3/97 - present | Individuals who are not ready for immediate regular employment, particularly where attempts to place a participant in an unsubsidized job or Trial Job have failed. | 24 months | ||
| Trial Jobs | 3/97 - present | Individuals who are job ready but are not able to obtain an unsubsidized job. | 24 months | ||
| Unsubsidized Employment (UE) | 1/98 - present | Individuals who are employed at the time of application or who have a strong employment history and skills. Includes individuals who are capable of obtaining employment, are currently in an unsubsidized job, or were previously assigned to a subsidized employment position. These recipients are not subject to either federal or W-2 timelimits. Individuals in this component do not receive cash benefits, but case management and some support services are available. | No limit |
Source: The Urban Institute's Welfare Rules Database, funded by DHHS/ACF and DHHS/ASPE. Note: Only those states that have clearly delineated components are included in this table. Where "No Limit" is listed for "Maximum Amount of Time in Component," it is assumed that units in this component are bound by state time limits. See tables IV.C.1 and IV.C.2 for information on the maximum amount of time recipients are allowed to receive assistance in the state. * Data not obtained. 1 For more information on work exemptions and time limit exemptions, see tables III.B.1, IV.C.3, and IV.C.4 or for more detail, see the Welfare Rules Database. 2 In Massachusetts, the exempt component comprises the majority of the caseload. |
| Table of Contents | Previous | Next |