TANF-ACF-PI-2006-01 (Reporting on TANF Work Measures after Enactment of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA))

Publication Date: March 15, 2006
Current as of:

To:

State agencies administering the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and other interested parties.

Subject:

Reporting on TANF Work Measures after Enactment of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA)

References:

TANF-ACF-PI-2004-01 and TANF-PI-2002-01

Purpose:

The purpose of this Program Instruction is to advise State agencies that the DRA eliminated the funding for the High Performance Bonus (HPB) but also to request that States continue to submit data necessary to calculate the work measures previously reported under HPB.

Background:

The TANF program was reauthorized under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.  The statute eliminated the funding for the HPB under section 403 (a)(4).  Nevertheless the Department is required under section 413(d) to annually rank State performance in moving TANF recipients into private sector employment.  We are, therefore, requesting that States continue to transmit monthly files of adult TANF recipients necessary to calculate the work measures performance data.  To the extent States do not provide the requested information; we will extract the matching information from the TANF Data Report.  This may result in calculation of the work performance measures based on sample data which would provide us less precise information on States performance.

Action:

We are requesting that States collect monthly data on TANF adult recipients for FY 2005 and electronically transmit it to ACF on a quarterly basis.  States that have separate TANF-MOE files on these programs are also requested to transmit similar files on these programs.

Effective Date:

Immediate

Submission Dates:

Quarters 1 and 2
(October – December 2004) and (January – March 2005) - April 15, 2006

Quarters 3 and 4

(April – June 2005) and (July – September 2005) - June 1, 2006

Submittal specifications remain the same.  Reporting requirements and the layout for transmitting the necessary data are described in TANF –ACF PI- 2001-1 dated February 7, 2002.  In order to meet the requirements of the 1974 Privacy Act (5 USC section 552a).  States must transmit these files using either “Connect Direct” or “File Transfer Protocol” (FTP).  States that use FTP can download a software program that will encrypt the SSNs of recipients.

Inquiries:

Inquiries should be directed to the appropriate Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regional Administrator.

/s/

Sidonie Squier, Director
Office of Family Assistance