Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program is sponsored by District of Columbia Department of Human Services (DHS). Provides cash benefits to needy families with dependent children to assist with various expenses, including housing.

Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) | dhs Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Update: Changes to stabilize TANF begin October 2027 Beginning October 1, 2027 , the District will implement changes to stabilize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to ensure it remains sustainable and responsive to families’ needs.

These changes are designed to improve long-term stability while continuing to support eligible households effectively. End benefits for 60-month+ households: the District will begin to align the program with the federal structure by ending benefits for households that have received TANF for more than 60 months.

Increase the failure-to-work sanction: the District will renew the focus on engaging in work activities by increasing the failure-to-work sanction from 6% to 25% for work-eligible families. For more information about the changes, hardship policy, and what you should do right now to prepare, please visit our TANF Program Update webpage .

The District’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides cash assistance to families in need, along with a suite of services to facilitate their path to success. Families enrolled in the District’s TANF program may receive benefits so long as they are income-eligible and have a child in the home.

TANF also offers access to a variety of supportive services that can be bundled together to meet individual needs. DHS employs a two-generation approach to reaching and serving families so that children and parents can grow together.

Click here to Apply for TANF Through the TANF program, customers gain access to supportive services, including but not limited to: TANF Employment and Education Program (TEP) – provides coaching towards education and employment goals, but can also coach parents on goals they have for their child(ren) and families Child Care Subsidy – allows parents to enroll their child(ren) in quality childcare, including before and aftercare Behavioral, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Support – connects customers to the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) to obtain counseling to cope and manage behavioral, mental, emotional, or substance abuse issues for parents or their child(ren) Tuition Assistance Program Initiative for TANF (TAPIT) – financial assistance to enroll in post-secondary educational programs or professional certificate and/or licensing programs To be eligible for TANF services, you must be: A resident of the District of Columbia Either pregnant or responsible for a child under 19 years of age A U.S. citizen, legal alien, or permanent resident Meet income requirements based on household size (see Income Requirement table below) Complete orientation and assessment through the Office of Work Opportunity (OWO) Develop an Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) If you are approved for TANF, unless you are exempt, you must engage with a service provider and maintain compliance with your IRP.

Some customers enrolled in the TANF program may seek an exemption from work requirements. Examples of exemption reasons include but are not limited to: Having a child under age one Experiencing domestic violence Having a physical disability that limits work Income Requirements at Application The maximum income a family can have per application and still qualify for TANF depends on the family size and childcare costs.

The maximum income a family can have, based on household size is below. (Once on TANF, families can earn more, and continue to qualify for benefits).

Income Limits and Maximum Monthly TANF Benefit Amounts Effective October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026 Maximum Monthly Benefit for Cash Programs Maximum Monthly Earnings at Application If a family has childcare costs, there is a maximum monthly income limit increase of $175 per child age 2 or over and $200 per child under the age of two.

Resources are things like bank accounts, money market funds, certificates of deposit, and stocks and bonds. For households that have a resource limit, households may have $3,000 in countable resources. If the household includes a person who is age 60 or older, the resources limit is $4,500.

If you apply for TANF, the District will review your information and determine whether you meet the resource requirements TANF Employment and Education Program_ One Pager. pdf DHS Work Requirement Sanctions. pdf DC TANF State Plan_Oct-2023.

pdf TANF self attestation Form - Amharic TAN self attestation Form - Chinese TANF self attestation Form - English TANF self attestation Form - French TANF self attestation Form - Spanish 8:15 am to 4:45 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:15 am to 7 pm on Wednesday Homeless Services Hotline: (202) 399-7093 Public Benefits Call Center: (202) 727-5355 General: [email protected] | (202) 671-4200 Email: https://dhs-asks. dc.

gov/ 64 New York Avenue, NE, 6th Floor, Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4:45 pm, except District holidays