TANF Spending on Total Non-assistance Spending

This figure shows trends in TANF spending on Total Non-assistance Spending from FY 2015-2022 by region.

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TANF Spending on Total Non-assistance Spending, FYs 2015-2022

Note: Total state TANF spending includes both expenditures and transfers for federal TANF funds and expenditures of state maintenance of effort funds, as reported by states in Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Form ACF-196R. While TANF’s authorizing legislation provides states $16.5 billion in fixed federal TANF funding, state spending may vary from year to year as states spend different amounts of maintenance of effort funds, receive and spend federal Contingency Funds, and spend unspent federal funds carried over from previous years or retain these funds for future use.

Definitions

Total non-assistance Spending: This is the sum of the following Form ACF-196R categories:

Child Welfare Non-assistance: This is the sum of two Form ACF-196R categories:

Child Welfare or Foster Care Services Authorized Solely Under Prior Law: Services provided to children and their families involved in the state's child welfare system, authorized solely under section 404(a)(2) of the Social Security Act and referenced in a state's former Aid to Families with Dependent Children or Emergency Assistance plan.

Child Welfare Services: Services designed to strengthen families so that children can be cared for in their own homes, including family counseling, parenting skills classes, and case management. Services and activities designed to promote and support successful adoptions. Other services provided to children and families involved in or at risk of being involved in the child welfare system.

Work, Education, and Training Activities: Payments to employers or third parties to cover the costs of employee wages, benefits, supervision, or training, job search assistance, and job readiness services. Expenditures on education and training activities, including secondary education, job skills training, and post-secondary education.

Refundable Tax Credits: This is the sum of two Form ACF-196R categories:

Refundable Earned Income Tax Credits: Refundable portion of state or local earned income tax credits (EITC) paid to families that are consistent with TANF regulations.

Non-EITC Refundable State Tax Credits: Refundable portion of other tax credits provided under state or local law that are consistent with TANF regulations.

Pre-K: Pre-kindergarten or kindergarten education programs, expansion of Head Start programs, or other school readiness programs.

Other Non-assistance: This is the sum of 10 Form ACF-196R categories:

Juvenile Justice Services Authorized Solely Under Prior Law: Juvenile justice services provided to children, youth, and families, authorized solely under section 404(a)(2) of the Social Security Act and referenced in a state's former Aid to Families with Dependent Children or Emergency Assistance plan.

Emergency Services Authorized Solely Under Prior Law: Other services authorized solely under section 404(a)(2) of the Social Security Act and referenced in a state's former Aid to Families with Dependent Children or Emergency Assistance plan.

Financial Education and Asset Development: Programs and initiatives designed to support the development and protection of assets including contributions to Individual Development Accounts, financial education services, tax credit outreach campaigns and tax filing assistance programs, and credit and debt management counseling.

Non-Recurrent Short Term Benefits: Short-term payments to families to deal with a specific crisis situation or period of need, such as emergency housing, short-term utilities payments, and back-to-school payments.

Supportive Services: Services such as domestic violence services, and health, mental health, substance abuse and disability services, housing counseling services, and other family supports.

Services for Children and Youth: Programs designed to support and enrich the development and improve the life-skills and educational attainment of children and youth. This may include after-school programs and mentoring or tutoring programs.

Prevention of Out-of-Wedlock Pregnancies: Programs that provide sex education or abstinence education to pre-teens and teens and education and family planning services to individuals, couples, and families to reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

Fatherhood and Two-Parent Family Formation and Maintenance Programs: Programs that promote responsible fatherhood or encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families, such as parent and marriage skills workshops and public advertising campaigns.

Home Visiting Programs: Programs where nurses, social workers, or other professional provide services to families in their homes, such as providing information and guidance around maternal health and child health and development and connecting families to necessary resources and services.

Other: Non-assistance activities not otherwise enumerated. States including expenditures on this line must provide a description of the specific benefits and services provided and the target population in their submission of Form ACF-196R Part 2.