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Delaware’s TANF State Plan 10-1-2017 to 9-30-2020

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provide requested information necessary to establish continued eligibility will be closed.

As part of the verification process for continuing eligibility, the person will provide verification that (s)he has carried out the elements of the individual Contract of Mutual Responsibility.

Benefit Delivery: Direct Payments and Vouchers

Currently, Delaware uses check issuance as the payment method for TANF. Delaware is exploring other options including direct deposit, debit cards, and electronic benefit transfer. Any or all of these methods will be utilized for the issuance of TANF benefits if they become fiscally and technically viable.

Delaware directly pays for center-based child care authorized for TANF participants, when the center agrees to accept the Delaware child care reimbursement rate. Some caretakers, however, receive vouchers to self-arrange and pay for their child care. Delaware will reimburse these caretakers, up to the rates published in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) plan, for the cost of child care provided by licensed and license-exempt child care providers

Statewideness

All definitions and determinations of need are applied on a statewide basis.

Program Type

Depending on circumstances, families are placed in either the time- limited TANF program or the non-time-limited TANF program.

Delaware's time-limited TANF program has an employment focus. Participants are expected to meet immediate work requirements in order to receive benefits.

Delaware uses State non-maintenance of effort funds to provide benefits to recipients in a solely state funded two-parent program.

TANF eligible families that include a parent or head-of-household who has presented approved documentation that they are unable to work because of a medical disability will be enrolled in the non-time limited program. These clients may receive benefits through either a solely state funded program or the TANF program. Delaware will use