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

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which, if not resolved, could result in the family needing regular ongoing assistance. The Diversion Assistance payment will not exceed $1,500 or the financial need resulting from the crisis, whichever is less. Diversion Assistance, which is available to both applicant and recipient families, is not a supplement to regular assistance but is in place of it.

Eligibility requirements for Diversion Assistance are as follows: • The parent must be living with his or her natural or adopted children. • The family has not received a Diversion Assistance payment in the past 12 months. • The Diversion Assistance amount will alleviate the crisis. • The parent is currently employed but having a problem which jeopardizes the employment or has been promised a job but needs help in order to accept the job. • The family's income would qualify the family for TANF as a recipient household. (When calculating eligibility for Diversion Assistance the family is given the $30 plus 1/3 disregard, if applicable, and the family's net income is compared to the Standard of Need.). • The family's resources would qualify for TANF.

The Diversion Assistance payment may be used for items and/or services, such as but not limited to: • Transportation (such as vehicle repairs, tires, insurance, driver's license fee, gas). • Clothing such as uniforms or other specialized clothing and footwear or other employment-related apparel. • Tools and equipment. • Medical expenses not covered by Medicaid (e.g., eye glasses). • Union dues, special fees, licenses or certificates. • Up-front costs of employment such as agency fees and testing fees. • Unpaid childcare expenses which, if they remain unpaid, preclude the provision of future child care. • Relocation expenses for verified employment in another county or state. These expenses may include moving equipment rental, gas, and lodging for the days of the move and the first month's rent, rental and utility deposit.

Diversion Assistance payments will be made to a third party vendor, not the parent. When the parent receives Diversion Assistance (s)he agrees to forego TANF cash assistance as follows: • 1 month for $0 through $500.99 of Diversion Assistance. • 2 months for $501 through $1,000.99 of Diversion Assistance. • 3 months for $1,001 through $1,500 of Diversion Assistance.