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TANF POLICY MANUAL

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Chapter 23 State Programs

23.1 State Programs The TANF program is increasingly faced with the challenge of meeting the needs of “hard to serve” clients with multiple barriers to employment. A number of these clients have significant mental and/or physical disabilities that prevent them from fulfilling the mandated work requirements of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The severity of personal and/or family problems effect the chances of employment for individuals in the program.

South Carolina will operate a State Program, outside of the TANF program, for Two-Parent families and individuals who are physically or mentally disabled. Operating a program with total state expenditures allows the flexibility needed to tailor employment-related services to the circumstances of recipients, rather than simply pursuing strategies that count toward the federal participation rate.

The DSS CARES, Challenging Adults through Rehabilitation, Education and Services Program is designed to serve TANF eligible individuals who face a health-related problem expected to last 90 days or more that prevents their ability to participate in the TANF work program. The incapacity may be physical or mental, and must be verified by a physician or other health professional.

The Two-Parent Program serves TANF families that contain two or more parents in the TANF benefit group, as well as cases when parents are sanctioned or disqualified. The participation requirements are designed to meet the needs of recipients and to assist in achieving self-sufficiency.

Although the following households may contain two parents in the family, they will be excluded from the Two-Parent program:

A. A benefit group that contains an SSI parent B. A benefit group that contains an ineligible non-citizen parent

Chapter 23