Regulations and Laws

The TANF Program is administered based on various laws and regulations and governed by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. Program changes and instructions are received several ways, including Information Memoranda, Action Transmittals and the Code of Federal Regulations updates.

The following is a partial list of regulatory sources:

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was established by the Social Security Act in 1935 and Nevada implemented the program in 1955. Nevada's AFDC Program was cash assistance only until Medicaid was implemented in 1967.

The program is administered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) through state and local government agencies within certain broad federal requirements and guidelines. On August 22, 1996, President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). This law eliminated the open-ended federal entitlement program of AFDC and created a block grant for states to provide time-limited cash assistance for needy families. The new program is called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) .

The goals of TANF are to provide assistance to low-income families with children so they can be cared for in their own home, reduce dependency by promoting job preparation, reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies and encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

States had until July 1, 1997 to submit a TANF state plan and initiate block grant funding; however, states were permitted to implement the state plan grant immediately after allowing a 45-day public comment period. States which opted for early implementation must abide by the mandatory requirements of the Act. These include a 60-month lifetime time limit on receipt of benefits, increased work participation requirements, mandatory increased sanctions for failure to participate in work requirements and failure to cooperate with the Child Support Enforcement Program, and living arrangement and school attendance requirements for minor parents. Nevada implemented TANF beginning January 1, 1997.

On February 1, 1997, state welfare reform measures passed during the 1995 legislative session were implemented. These included exempting the total value of one vehicle, increasing the resource limit to $2,000 and allowing 100% and 50% earned income disregards.

Beginning January 1, 1998, optional provisions allowed to states in the federal regulations, which were adopted by the State Legislature in 1997, were implemented. These include stricter time limit and sanction penalties, assessments and the development of personal responsibility plans for all individuals receiving cash assistance, immunization of children, and creation of a diversion program.

E-Mail Food Stamps