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2022), most states have experienced a reduction in the number of families receiving assistance since FY 2015, though the magnitude of the changes varied by state. The TANF program in Pennsylvania is designed to provide short-term assistance to families when the support of one or both parents is interrupted. It also provides supplemental support when family income from employment and other sources is not sufficient to meet basic needs. It is not intended to provide long-term support or become a way of life. Families undergo assessments of skills, employability and are required to engage in activities that enhance self-sufficiency and ensure the well-being of their children. The provisions of the TANF program are intended to meet one or more of the following basic purposes of this program as articulated in the federal statute and regulation:  Provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives;  End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;  Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and  Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. Pennsylvania’s TANF program does not discriminate on basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex. Additionally, no person will be denied TANF services and benefits as the result of the inability or limited ability to communicate in the English language. III. Program Goals The primary goal of Pennsylvania’s TANF program is to provide support to families as they make the transition from dependence on public assistance to self-sufficiency and, finally, to long-term self-support. The following goals provide the framework on which the program is designed: Promote Personal Responsibility Pennsylvania’s TANF program is based on the principle that public assistance should provide temporary cash assistance to families and individuals, providing basic support that enables them to move to self-sufficiency. Inherent in this belief is the notion that the TANF recipient must be personally responsible for taking the necessary steps to end their dependence on a cash assistance benefit. Ensure Participation in Work or Work-related Activities As a result of the federal TANF Reauthorization legislation and to improve work participation rates (WPRs), Pennsylvania requires every adult, minor head of household