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201.1 TANF MANUAL 07/24 Page 3

6. TANF Payment Reduction - The worker must reduce the TANF payment for failure to comply with the immunization requirement. However, the worker must first identify and remove any barriers to accessing immunizations over which the agency has control before imposing a penalty. Note: A penalty for failure to comply with the immunization requirement can only be applied at redetermination. The payment must not be reduced at any other time during the certification period for failure to comply with this requirement.

Failure to comply with the immunization requirement shall result in a reduction of the monthly TANF amount by:

a. Fifty dollars for one child who fails to meet the immunization requirement; and

b. Twenty-five dollars for each additional child who fails to meet the immunization requirement.

c. The worker must impose this reduction until the caretaker/- relative provides verification to the local department of social services that the child is in compliance with the immunization requirement. Upon receipt of verification that a child has received all required verifications, the worker must take action to end the payment reduction by the month following the month in which the verification was received, if administratively possible.

Example: Ms. I is approved for TANF in January and is notified of the immunization requirement at that time. At the redetermination in December, Ms. I has not obtained any immunizations for her three children, John, Tom, and Mike. The payment is reduced for January by $100 ($50+$25+$25). In March she provides verification that John has received all immunizations. The payment reduction is changed to $75 ($50+$25) for April. In May, Ms. I provides verification that Mike is immunized. The payment reduction is changed to $50 for June. In July, Ms. I provides verification that Tom has received required immunizations. The payment reduction is removed for August.

d. If this reduction results in a TANF amount of zero, the local agency must consider the assistance unit TANF recipients with no payment.

7. Agency Responsibilities - The local agency has the responsibility of:

a. Providing assistance to the TANF recipient in obtaining verification from providers if necessary and administratively feasible. (Note: The Code of Virginia Section 32.1-46 states "A physician or local health department administering a vaccine required by this sections shall provide to the person who presents the child for immunizations a certificate which shall state the diseases for which the child has been immunized, the numbers of doses given, the dates when administered and any further immunizations indicated.")

b. Notifying applicants and recipients of the immunization requirements.

TANF Transmittal 78