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10-144
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
OFFICE FOR FAMILY INDEPENDENCE
Chapter 331
MAINE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE MANUAL
(TANF – TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES)
[Effective 11/30/2025 – filing 2025-231]
Introduction and General Definitions
Overview of Programs 1
General Definitions 2
Chapter I - Eligibility Process
Legal Basis 1
General Rule 1
Program Requirements 1
Confidentiality 1
Application Process 3
Minimum Requirements 3
The Interview 4
The Family Contract 5
Orientation 5
Verification and Documentation 6
Applicant Notification 8
Time and Processing Standards 8
Non-Payment Situations 10
Concurrent Assistance 10
Penalties for Convictions 11
Redetermination Process 11
Recipient Responsibilities 11
Department Responsibilities 12
Quality Control review 12
Change Process 12
Timely Reporting 12
Treatment of Changes 13
Timely/Adequate Notices 13
Timely Notices 13
Adequate Notices 14
Sixty (60) Month Benefit Limit 14
Exemptions from the Time Limit 14
Benefits Which Count Toward the Limit 15
Provisions for Extensions to the Time Limit 15
Chapter II - Eligibility Requirements (non-financial)
Age 1
Residence 1
Citizenship 1
General Rule 1
Citizens and U.S. Nationals 2
Noncitizens Potentially Eligible for Federally Funded TANF/PaS 8
Noncitizens Potentially Eligible for State Funded TANF/PaS 19
Processing Procedures 24
Social Security Numbers 29
Requirement to Provide Social Security Numbers 29
Penalties for not Providing Social Security Numbers 29
Relationship and Maintenance of Home 29
Child Must be Living with a Specified Relative 29
Relationship 29
Maintenance of a Home 30
Filing Unit 32
Mandatory Inclusion 32
Optional Inclusion 34
Establishment of Paternity and Assignment of Rights to Support 34
Requirement to Cooperate 34
Forwarding Support 34
Penalties for Noncooperation 35
ASPIRE-TANF 36
Participation Requirement 36
Exemptions 37
Sanctions 37
Good Cause 38
Good Cause Procedures 39
Chapter III - Eligibility Requirements (financial)
Assets 1
Types of assets 1
Ownership 1
Accessibility 1
Value 2
Excluded Assets 2
Assets Excluded by Federal Statute 4
Income 5
Types of Income 5
Excluded Income 6
Income Excluded by Federal Statute 8
Chapter IV - Budgeting Process
Prospective Budgeting 1
Definition 1
Income Availability 1
Best Estimate 1
Significant Income Changes 1
Non-Significant Income Changes 1
Income Disregards 1
Application of Disregards 1
Work Related Disregards 2
Step Disregard 2
Other Disregards 3
Deemed Income 3
Individuals whose income is deemed 3
Sanctioned Specified relatives 4
Sponsors of Noncitizens and their Spouses 4
Treatment of Special Income 4
Income of specified relatives and their spouses who are not parents of the dependent child. 4
Self-Employment Income 4
Income from Boarders and Roomers 5
Non-Recurring Lump Sum Income 5
Income of Sponsors of Noncitizens 6
Attributed Tips 7
Child Support Paid by the Non-Custodial Parent 7
Child Support collected by the Department 7
Income Calculation 8
Verification 8
Significant income changes 8
Income Averaging 8
Determine Gross Income 9
Apply Disregards in the following order 9
Income Eligibility Tests 9
Test for Determining Eligibility for Applications 9
Test for Determining Ongoing Eligibility 9
Calculation of Payment 10
Calculate the Basic TANF Grant 10
STEP Disregard Calculation 10
Apply the Correct Grant Amount 10
Special Need Housing Allowance (SNHA) 10
No Benefit Households 11
Rounding 11
Assistance Amount 12
Total Benefits Package 12
Total Benefit 12
Child Care Payment Direct to Provider 12
Chapter V - Transitional Benefits
Transitional Child Care 1
Definition 1
Eligibility Criteria 1
Eligibility Process 2
TCC Benefit Calculation 3
TCC Payment Issuance 4
Reporting Responsibilities 5
Redetermination 5
Termination of Benefits 6
Application for TANF/PA’s 6
Break in Assistance 6
Child Care Providers 6
Overpayments 7
Recovery of Overpayments 7
Transitional Transportation 7
Definition 7
Eligibility Criteria 9
Application Process 10
Payment Calculation 10
Payment 11
Reporting Responsibilities 11
Redetermination 11
Overpayments 12
Recovery of Overpayments 12
Chapter VI - Administrative Procedures
Fair Hearings 1
Types of Payments 8
IEVS 12
Overpayments 15
Intentional Program Violations 17
Administrative Hearings 18
Underpayments 26
Lost, Stolen, Destroyed, or Forged Checks 27
Agency Error/Emergency Situation 28
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) System 30
Chapter VII – Whole Family Economic Security Initiatives
Whole Family Economic Security Initiatives 1
General 1
Organization Qualification 1
Family Eligibility 1
Contract Requirements and Process 1
Chapter VIII - Emergency Assistance
Emergency Assistance 1
Chapter IX - Alternative Aid Assistance Program
Legal Basis 1
General Rule 1
Participants 1
Payment 1
Eligibility Requirements 1
Receipt of Alternative Aid Does Not count as Receipt of TANF 2
Prohibitions Against Duplicate Participation 2
Informing TANF Applicants 2
Chapter X - Parents as Scholars
Legal Basis 1
General Rule 1
Program Requirements 1
Participation Requirements 2
Good Cause 3
Chapter XI - Post Employment Assistance to Working Families
Working Families Supplement Benefit (WSB) 1
Appendix
Table of Percentages for First Month Payment 1
Standard of Need and Maximum Grant Allotments 2-4
Worksheet for Calculating TCC Parent Fees and Subsidy Payments 5-6
Federal Poverty Level 7
TCC Market Cap 7
Relationship 8
On October 1, 1996, the Department of Health and Human Services submitted a State Plan to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to eliminate and replace its Aid for Families with Dependent Children Program with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as authorized by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. The Department refers to its financial assistance programs under this Act as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Parents as Scholars (PaS) programs. These programs provide assistance to families while parents prepare for, accept, and retain employment which supports them. The job preparation program is referred to as ASPIRE-TANF or ASPIRE-PaS.
Federal and State statutes provide the authority for TANF/PaS. Maine statutes place the responsibility for administering these programs with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (“Department”). Within the Department, the program is administered by the Office for Family Independence (OFI).
The TANF/PaS programs are administered in a manner consistent with the objectives of the programs and respect the rights, privacy and personal dignity of the individual under the United States Constitution, the Social Security Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
(1) The TANF Program is a financial assistance program for needy families with dependent children.
(2) The PaS Program is a student financial aid program based on need limited to 2000 parents who have dependent children. (Chapter X).
Families who are otherwise eligible for the TANF program who seek one-time, short-term assistance to obtain or retain employment may elect Alternative Aid Assistance instead of TANF. Alternative Aid Assistance is described in Chapter IX.
In addition to the basic TANF/PaS programs and the one-time, short-term Alternative Aid Assistance program, the Department administers a limited program of Emergency Assistance (EA) described in Chapter VIII.