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Iowa’s TANF State Plan

19 Program. Expenditures in their entirety may be claimed as MOE pursuant to 45 CFR 263.5(a).

Child care assistance under this program is provided to FIP families without regard to their employment status. Child care for unemployed FIP families is considered to be “assistance” in accordance with 45 CFR 260.31. For purposes of determining work participation rates under 45 CFR Part 261 – ENSURING THAT RECIPIENTS WORK, including the calculation of any caseload reduction credit, because these families must be receiving FIP and included in any TANF caseload count for these purposes, these families are excluded from any Separate State Program caseload count, so they are not counted twice.

In addition to meeting all FIP criteria, the child must be under age 13 (under age 19 if a child has special needs).

Iowa may use state expenditures for child care assistance that are counted as MOE for both TANF and the CCDF, and thus subject to the cap at 409(a)(7)(B)(iv) of Title IV-A of the Social Security Act. Iowa may use additional state child care expenditures that are not claimed as match or MOE for the CCDF or any other federal program, as MOE for TANF.

 State Child Care Assistance for Working Non-FIP Families: This program provides state funding for the child care needs of working non-FIP families, excluding protective child care. State expenditures that can be claimed as MOE are subject to the limits under 45 CFR 263.5(b).

Family eligibility criteria:  Working or a combination of work and school, for a minimum of 32 hours/week (28 hours/week if the family has a special needs child) or full-time education/training enrollment;  Gross monthly income less than or equal to 160% of the federal poverty level (FPL) based on family size for basic care or 200% of FPL for special needs care for initial eligibility and less than or equal to 225% of FPL based on family size for continued eligibility; and  Must cooperate with the Iowa HHS’ quality control review unit and with investigations conducted by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.

Child eligibility criteria:  Under age 13 (under age 19 if child has special needs);  Citizen or a qualified alien; and  Live in Iowa.

 TANF Transfer to Child Care Development Fund (CCDF): Iowa transfers TANF funds to the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) as authorized by section 404(d)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act.

 TANF Child Care Assistance for Working FIP Families: This program provides direct TANF funding for the child care needs of working FIP families, excluding two-parent FIP families.

In addition to meeting all FIP criteria, the child must be under age 13 (under age 19 if a child has special needs).