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State of New Hampshire

TANF State Plan

32 New Hampshire State Plan Effective October 2023 conduct assessments and provide waivers for excused participation from mandatory work participation requirements, which can be granted for up to six months.

BES continues to work closely with the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence agency to develop the FVO policy and procedures. The agencies also share training resources to educate each other’s staff members. Training includes the nature and dynamics of sexual harassment and domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; State standards and procedures relating to the prevention of, and assistance for, individuals who are victims of sexual harassment or survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and methods of ascertaining and ensuring the confidentiality of personal information and documentation related to applicants for assistance and their children who have provided notice about their experiences of sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. BES provides information about the options available to current and potential beneficiaries.

Current policy allows TANF clients to claim good cause for non-cooperation with Child Support due to emotional/physical harm to the child or parent. With the adoption of the FVO in 2000, the definition was expanded to also include domestic violence.

Another change in policy resulting from the state's adoption of the FVO relates to "acceptable" documentation for a claim of domestic violence. If an individual lacks the required documentation for an FVO or non-cooperation with child support request, (restraining order, medical records, legal documents, statements from agency professionals, etc.), a signed sworn statement from the individual claiming the existence of the domestic violence may be accepted as documentation for all claims of domestic violence.

For the federal fiscal year 2023, BES has granted 141 FVO for excused participation from mandatory work participation requirements. Of those 141 waivers, 12 were for a Hardship Extension, without a request for waived participation.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT DEFINED

The term “sexual harassment” means hostile, intimidating, or oppressive behavior based on sex that creates an offensive work environment.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DEFINED

The term "family/domestic violence" has the same meaning as "battered or subjected to extreme cruelty," and is defined as having been subjected to any of the following: • physical acts that resulted in or threatened to result in physical injury to the individual; • sexual abuse; • sexual activity involving a dependent child; • being forced as the caretaker relative of a dependent child to engage in nonconsensual sexual acts or activities; • threats of, or attempts at, physical or sexual abuse; • mental abuse; or • neglect or deprivation of medical care.