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Iowa’s TANF State Plan: Attachments Substantive Changes in State Plan

This TANF State Plan is submitted as a “new” Plan for purposes of renewing the state’s eligibility for federal funding under part A, Title IV, of the Social Security Act. Substantive changes to the prior TANF State Plan are identified below. Minor editorial and organizational changes that have been made are not listed.

1. The Kinship Caregiver Payment Program (KCP) aims to keep children in the safe care of kin and fictive kin. The goal is to provide early financial support to kinship caregivers to meet the needs of the child, increase placement stability, and to provide equitable financial support to kinship caregivers to what licensed foster parents receive. Iowa uses TANF in the form of a Non-Recurrent Short-Term Benefit (NRST) for its Kinship Caregiver Payment Program. This program is designed to address a specific crisis or episode of need; is not intended to meet recurrent or ongoing needs; and will not extend beyond four months. TANF funds are only used to fund children that meet US Citizenship requirements; meet Iowa’s definition of “Child” as defined in Iowa Code &234.1(2); and meet all TANF NRST requirements.

2. The Family Housing Preservation Program allows parents and their children to remain together while the parent receives skills training, counseling, and life skill development in a supportive living environment. The focus of the family-based housing program expands beyond individual recovery and stabilization to include prevention of child maltreatment, family preservation and reunification, and family self-sufficiency. Parents and children reside in a safe, supervised living situation and receive wraparound services. The Family Housing Preservation Program utilizes TANF funds for families with an open child welfare case that have a housing need. Services provided include housing; individual, family, and group therapy; case management; parenting education; and diagnostic evaluations.