An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
This interim final rule implements the statutory changes enacted in the reauthorization of the TANF program though FY 2010 in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.
This final rule implements the Charitable Choice statutory provisions in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) as amended. The statutory and regulatory provisions apply to the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program administered by ACF. The statute and final rule establish requirements for State and local governments that administer or provide TANF services and benefits through contracts or through certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement. The requirements and protections also apply to organizations, including faith-based organizations, that provide services and benefits with TANF funds and to the beneficiaries of those services.
This document contains technical correcting amendments to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families final rule published on April 12, 1999 (64 FR 17720). The final rule implements key statutory provisions related to work, penalties, and data collection.
This Program Announcement sets forth revised standard procedures for resolving disagreements over state-submitted caseload and expenditure data used to establish the amount of a TFAG. This issuance supersedes and rescinds the original PA on this topic (see TANF-ACF-PA-99-1 dated June 18, 1999). A new PA is necessary because of a reorganization of the Office of Family Assistance and the need to clarify certain aspects of the process.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) (Pub. L. 104-193), as amended, is the welfare reform law that established the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF is a block grant program designed to make dramatic reforms to the nation's welfare system by moving recipients into work and turning welfare into a program of temporary assistance. TANF replaced the national welfare program known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and the related programs known as the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program and the Emergency Assistance (EA) program.
This final rule governs key provisions of the TANF program. It incorporates the core TANF accountability provisions, including work requirements, time limits, State penalties, and data collection and reporting requirements. It does not address other key provisions, such as the High Performance Bonus, the Bonus to Reward Decreases in Illegitimacy Ratios, the Child Poverty Rates, and the Tribal TANF program.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 eliminates AFDC's open-ended entitlement and creates a block grant for states to provide time-limited cash assistance for needy families, with work requirements for most recipients. The law also makes far-reaching changes to child care, the Child Support Enforcement Program, benefits for legal immigrants, the Food Stamp Program, and SSI for children. Modifications to the child nutrition program and reductions in the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) are also included.