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You are here:Home →Reports & Publications →Other Reports →Job Access Planning - Challenges & Approaches →Appendix A Table of Contents → Pennsylvania's Welfare Reform Plan: TANF Grant Levels
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Pennsylvania's Welfare Reform Plan: TANF Grant Levels
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TANF cash grant levels are the same as the former AFDC cash grant levels and vary by county. AFDC grants are approximately 37 percent of the federal poverty level (62 percent when adding in food stamps).
However, the earned income exclusion will allow families to earn more while still receiving assistance. A full 50 percent of a participant's earned income and childcare assistance will be "disregarded" when determining their eligibility for cash assistance.
Cash grant levels vary by family size, but not by income. A family must meet maximum income eligibility requirements. Cash grant levels for residents of Philadelphia, taking into account the 50 percent income and childcare assistance exclusion, are as follows:
- Family size of 1: $205/month
- Family size of 2: $316/month
- Family size of 3: $403/month
- Family size of 4: $497/month
- Family size of 5: $589/month
- Family size of 6: $670/month
With the earned income exclusion, a single parent with two young children may receive a total of cash grant and earned income of $14,000/year before being ineligible for assistance, compared to $10,308 under the old AFDC rules.
Child Care Assistance
Childcare subsidies are $200/month for children under age two and $175 for children over age two.
Medical Assistance
All TANF participants are eligible for Medical Assistance above and beyond the TANF grant.
Food Stamps
Food stamp assistance is provided to TANF participants above and beyond their TANF grant and varies by income level and family size. The average monthly food stamp benefits for a three-person household is $240.
As allowed under federal law, adults not eligible for TANF cash assistance can receive food stamps for three months within a three year period unless working a minimum 20 hours a week. State funded food assistance programs have not been developed to cover legal non-citizens and others excluded from the federal Food Stamp program.
Exemptions A TANF participant may be exempt from work rules if he/she is:
- The parent of a new born (up to one year);
- The parent of children under age six with no available child care;
- Ill or disabled; or,
- Under age 18.
The state reserves the right to exclude up to 20 percent of its average monthly caseload from the 60-month time limit due to hardships.
Asset limits A TANF participant may own a car of any value. The value is not considered when calculating cash benefit levels.
Penalties & Sanctions
- Participants who refuse to complete an AMR are ineligible for cash assistance.
- During the first 24 months on assistance, individuals refusing to work or perform a qualifying work activity will be ineligible to receive cash assistance (medical assistance continues) for 30 days for the first offense; 60 days for the second offense and permanently ineligible after a third offense. Children will remain eligible for the first 24 months even though a parent is sanctioned (i.e., the cash grant level would be reduced based on a smaller family size count). After the first 24 months, however, the entire family is subject to the sanctions.
- Individuals who voluntarily reduce their hours of work without good cause will have their cash grant reduced by the dollar value of the lost earnings.
- Anyone who does not accept an offer of employment will be ineligible for cash assistance.
- Individuals failing to cooperate with child support obligations will be ineligible for cash assistance or the grant will be reduced by 25 percent, whichever is higher.
- Anyone committing a welfare-related fraud is disqualified from all forms of assistance.
- An individual convicted of possession or use of drugs is ineligible for assistance until he or she has satisfied the penalty imposed by the court.
Residency Requirements
For the first 12 months residing in Pennsylvania, new residents receive their prior state's benefit levels, if lower than Pennsylvania's benefits.
General Assistance Eligibility
General Assistance is a cash grant available for certain eligible people who do not qualify for TANF assistance, specifically:
- Adults with physical or mental disabilities that prevent them from working;
- Two-parent families with children under age 13 who do not qualify for TANF;
- Children under age 18 who do not live with a relative;
- People in abuse situations for a period of nine months;
- People in drug treatment for a period of nine months; or,
- Adults caring for children not their own where no one else is available.
Benefits for legal non-citizens
Pennsylvania is following the new federal policies regarding benefits for immigrants and refugees:
- Legal non-citizens who are qualified refugees or asylees are eligible for TANF and food stamps during the first five years in the country.
- As permitted by federal law, legal non-citizens arriving to the U.S. prior to August 22, 1996, are eligible for Pennsylvania TANF. Those arriving after this date are not eligible for assistance.
Child Support Collection Efforts
To be eligible for cash assistance, individuals must fully cooperate with child support workers to identify an absent parent, establish paternity and establish a court order for child support. There is no longer a $50 child support pass-through.
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