TANF is a needs-based program for families with children under age 18 (or under age 19 if the child is in high school) who need financial support because of:

• the death of a parent;
• a parent is absent from the home; or
• the physical or mental incapacity or unemployment of a parent.

Families with serious financial needs may qualify for TANF monthly payments.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) application process has two components:

1. The work component is handled by employment specialists at Department of Social Services (DSS) offices in reservation areas or Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR) Local Offices.
   
   
2. The eligibility component is handled by caseworkers at local DSS offices.

TANF is a work program. You begin the application process with an employment specialist, unless you are not required to participate in a work program. You are not required to participate if you meet one of the following conditions:

• You are a dependent child under 16 years old or a full-time student in high school.
• You are a parent taking care of a baby who is under 12 weeks old. (This only applies to one parent per household.)
• You are approved to receive Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments from the Social Security Administration.
• You are a veteran who has 100 percent disability and are approved to receive disability payments from the Veteran’s Administration.

An adult TANF recipient may not receive TANF benefits for more than 60 months (five years). The 60 months do not have to be consecutive months in a row and are not limited to assistance in South Dakota but may be from any other state.

During this 60-month lifetime limit, recipients are required to participate in work activities.

If you are participating in the TANF Parent Work program, an Employment Specialist will work with you to reach your employment goals. To help you gain employment, the TANF Parent Work program can help you with work related needs such as:

• Work clothing,
• Transportation including car insurance,
• Vehicle repairs,
• Tools,
• Relocation expenses, and
• GED testing fees.

Time Limits for Benefits

An adult TANF recipient may not receive TANF benefits for more than 60 months (five years). The 60 months do not have to be consecutive months in a row and are not limited to assistance in South Dakota, but may be from any other state.

During this 60-month life time limit, recipients are required to participate in work activities. Adult TANF recipients are expected to become self-sufficient within this time limit.

Penalties for Failing to Cooperate

If you do not follow the TANF Work Program rules you will be penalized, which may affect your monthly payments as well as your TANF eligibility.

See the Work Requirements for more information.

A Personal Responsibility Agreement (PRA) is a written and signed agreement between you and the TANF program. You agree that:

• TANF assistance is temporary.
• TANF is a work program.
• It is your responsibility to find and keep work.
• You will accept responsibility for yourself and your children.
• You will follow all program conditions such as developing a work plan, keeping appointments, participating in a work activity, completing and submitting time sheets, and making sure your children attend school.
• TANF benefits are intended to assist individuals and their families in meeting their basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, utilities, household items, and personal care items.
• TANF benefits are NOT to be used for alcohol, illegal drugs, gambling, or other purposes not intended to meet basic needs.

Your employment specialist will work with you to develop your own Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP). You should think of this plan as a guide to help you become self-sufficient and employed. Your plan shows your strengths and skills and outlines ways for you to reach your work goals. Your plan will specify your work activity and how many hours you are required to participate.

Your PRP is a very important document. It contains:

• Job and employment choices you are interested in working.
• A summary of your strengths and skills.
• The required number of hours of work participation.
• Objectives and related actions to meet employment goals and become self-sufficient.
• Your signature and employment specialist’s signature and date.

Some general guidelines for preparing a PRP are:

1. A PRP should focus on employment.
   
   
2. The PRP has to be flexible and needs to be revised as circumstances change.
   
   
3. PRP objectives must be realistic -- a series of small achievements that can be accomplished, as opposed to a large goal that can seem overwhelming.

Preparing a Personal Responsibility Plan:

One of the first steps your employment specialist will do is complete an assessment or evaluation of your job skills and strengths. The employment specialist will also identify any problems you may have with transportation or child care. The assessment covers the following areas:

TANF participants are required to work in allowable work activities a minimum of 30 hours each week. If you have a child under six years old, your weekly minimum requirement is 20 hours.

A Personal Responsibility Agreement is a written and signed agreement between you and the TANF Program. You must agree to the following:

• TANF assistance is temporary.
• TANF is a work program.
• It is your responsibility to find and keep work.
  
• You will accept responsibility for yourself and your children.
  
• You will follow all program conditions such as developing a work plan, keeping appointments, participating in a work activity, completing and submitting time sheets, and making sure your children attend school.
  

Your Personal Responsibility Plan will tell you what work activities you have and how many hours you must work. It is very important that you follow the activities you’ve outlined in your Personal Responsibility Plan.

South Dakota Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a temporary public assistance program administered by the Department of Social Services and the Department of Labor and Regulation. The main focus of the TANF Work Program is to help families to help themselves move from welfare to work by:

• promoting family responsibility and accountability and
• encouraging self-sufficiency through work.

If you are receiving TANF and you are the custodial parent of a minor child whose other parent does not live in your home, you are automatically referred for child support services. You will not have to pay a fee or fill out an application. Child support services will continue to be provided after benefits are terminated unless the custodial parent declines continued services.

If you are not receiving assistance, you can apply for child support services by contacting any Division of Child Support (DCS) office or by calling 605.773.3641. You will have to fill out an application and pay a $5 fee.

TANF participants are required to work in allowable work activities a minimum of 30 hours each week. If you have a child under six years old, your weekly minimum requirement is 20 hours.…

The TANF payment standard when there is a parent in the home who is included in the TANF benefit depends on whether the family is in an independent or shared living arrangement. When the parent has the sole responsibility for all shelter costs, it is considered an independent living arrangement. When the parent is not solely responsible for the shelter costs, it is considered a shared living arrangement.

Figure shown is the monthly maximum; the actual benefit amount may differ depending on your family situation.

The TANF program is a work program. You are not required to participate in the TANF Parent Work program if you meet one of the following conditions:

• You are a caretaker relative for a child not your own and are not receiving TANF benefits for your own child.
• You are a dependent child under 16 years old or a full-time student in high school.
• You are a parent taking care of a baby who is under 12 weeks old. (This only applies to one parent per household.)
• You are approved to receive Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments from the Social Security Administration.
• You are a veteran who has 100 percent disability and are approved to receive disability payments from the Veteran’s Administration.

If you do not meet any of the above conditions, you are required to work with an Employment Specialist.

The TANF payment standard when a parent is not in the home depends on whether the child receiving TANF was placed in the home by a child placement agency. If the child was placed by the Department of Social Services, a licensed child placement agency, or a tribal or BIA social services agency under a court order, it is considered agency-placed. If the child was not placed by a child placement agency, it is considered not agency-placed.

Figure shown is the monthly maximum; the actual benefit amount may differ depending on your family situation.

The TANF Caretaker Relative does not require you to meet with an Employment Specialist. However, if you also applied for your own child(ren), you are required to work with an Employment Specialist. If you are unsure, contact your local DSS office.

The TANF Parent Work program has offices located in communities throughout South Dakota.

TANF payments will be received electronically. Recipients may choose to have their payments deposited directly into their checking or savings account, or they may choose to receive the Way2Go card.