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I. INTRODUCTION Alaska enacted a statute in 1996 that provides for a comprehensive family assistance program known as the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP). ATAP replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. In the same year, the federal government enacted the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 that provides for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. ATAP is funded through a combination of state funds and the federal TANF block grant. This State Plan (the Plan) describes how Alaska's Department of Health (the Department) and Division of Public Assistance (the Division) will operate ATAP and other TANF funded services. The Congressional intent of the TANF block grant was to increase the flexibility of states to fund a variety of services for needy families. Alaska has taken advantage of this opportunity to use TANF funds for services that promote parental responsibility, work, reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies and encourage the formation of two-parent families. 1. GOALS The overarching goals of ATAP is to move Alaskans from welfare jobs so they can support their families and also to maintain a safety net for those truly in need. 1.1 CENTRAL PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE ALASKA TOWARD THIS GOAL Emphasize Work Alaska places a strong emphasis on work and job readiness by adhering to the Work First philosophy that employment is both the goal and the expectation for ATAP recipients. Alaska is committed to creating job opportunities for recipients in public and private sectors and emphasizing work. Promote Responsibility Alaska encourages family self-sufficiency and stability through several initiatives promoting individual responsibility. This includes planning for self-support, actively pursuing child support, and prevention of unplanned and out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Set Limits Alaska limits ATAP payments to 60 months for most families and reduces benefits for two-parent families during the summer when work opportunities increase. The state disqualifies the entire assistance unit if a parent refuses or quits a job and penalizes the assistance unit if a parent fails, without good cause, to participate in work and other self- sufficiency activities or fails to cooperate with child support enforcement. Maintain a Safety Net Alaska maintains a safety net for needy children and encourages families to care for their children in their own home. The State recognizes that there are ATAP recipients for Alaska TANF State Plan P lan Effective December 31, 2025 1 | P a g e