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TANF POLICY MANUAL

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10.2 Federal Time Limit The federal TANF requirement has a five-year (60 months) time limit on all families containing an adult in the BG, with a 20% limit on those families who can be extended beyond the five years.

A. Months in which the recipient is disqualified due to non-citizen status, fleeing felon, drug conviction, or misrepresenting residence does not count toward the federal time limits. Sanctioned individuals in an open case count toward federal time limits.

B. Any TANF assistance paid in another state must be counted towards the TANF time limit.

C. A minor parent, under the age of 18, in an adult's case may apply for benefits independently even though the adult's cash benefits terminated due to time limits. The federal time limit starts when the minor parent begins receiving his/her own TANF benefits, turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes first.

D. Individuals or BGs may be under one or both time limits simultaneously, and may lose eligibility based on either state or federal time limits, whichever occurs first. When a family is ineligible for TANF cash benefits due to federal time limits, use the closure code of "FL" on CHIP screen AFED.

E. Any month in which a family cap voucher or transportation is paid to an unemployed TANF family not receiving TANF benefits due to less than 10 dollars, counts toward the federal time limit only. The following tracking codes must be used:

1. Use tracking code "TO" on CHIP screen FITL when the case is open but zero benefits were issued and transportation assistance was provided.

2. Use tracking code "FC" on CHIP screen FITL when the case was open but zero benefits were issued and a family cap voucher was provided.

Federal Hardship Exceptions TANF legislation allows for up to 20% of the State TANF caseload to be extended beyond the federal 60 months, due to hardship or if the family includes an individual who has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty.

If one or more of the following criteria are met, an extension beyond the 60th month should be given:

A. A family member is a victim of family/domestic violence. In order to be eligible for this extension, a TANF family member must be in a program supervised by a recognized Domestic Violence Advocate. (CHIP extension code "HV")

B. The family has an open case with Child Welfare Services. (CHIP extension code "HA")

C. As a result of the Family Plan, an adult BG member is active in a recognized substance abuse treatment program. (CHIP extension code "HA")