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North Carolina

49 a maximum duration of 364 days. Child Protective Services and related Child Welfare Services may be provided without regard to family income.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY Same-sex marriage is constitutional in all states. The definition of “spouse,” includes a legally married individual regardless of gender.

USE OF FUNDS

Federal funds will be used in accordance with federal law and regulations. TANF funds will be used to meet the four purposes of TANF specified in the P.L. 104-193. Federal, state, and county TANF funds will be invested in activities to support achievement of specified outcome measures. These activities include but are not limited to, enhanced training for State and local staff, automation, employer incentives, family planning services, substance use treatment, child care, transportation, and other activities promoting self-sufficiency for families. In addition, federal TANF funds will be used for the services previously included in the AFDC-Emergency Assistance (EA) plan as specified in Appendix F.

Federal TANF funds may be spent as follows and in accordance with federal law and regulations.

• Work First cash assistance and Work First Services. • Child care and early education. • Supportive services, including, but not limited to: work-related expenses and transportation. Educational activities intended to increase self-sufficiency, job training, and work, excluding any expenditure for public education in the state except expenditures that involve the provision of services or assistance to a member of an eligible family that is not generally available to other people. • Administrative costs (which may not exceed 15% of the total funds spent for purposes under Title I of the federal block grant) are defined as costs associated with office directors, policy, fiscal, budget, personnel, purchasing, legal, clerical support, and direct, indirect, and allocated costs in support of these positions. Program supervisors, program clerical staff, and support costs of program staff are services costs rather than administrative costs. Staff time spent solely on determining financial eligibility, including evaluating assets, is counted as administrative. • Case management staff and services, including outreach and follow-up activities. • Expansion of child support efforts, including fatherhood initiatives, and training for eligible non-custodial parents. TANF funds or MOE will be used to fund a concentrated plan to increase the level of child support collections for eligible families. • Cost-sharing requirements under the Job Access program under Section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (P.L. 105-178). • Automation • Other uses that reasonably can be expected to enable families to care for children in their homes; promote job preparation, work, and marriage; that prevent or reduce the incidence of out of wedlock pregnancies; and encourage parents to marry and remain married.