CEEWB: TANF at 20

6

STATES ARE ALSO ENGAGING FAR MORE ADULTS IN WORK ACTIVITIES THAN STATED AND SHOULD RECEIVE PARTIAL CREDIT

Under the Claims Resolution Act of 2010, after a GAO report claiming either zero or very low rates of actual assigned work activities for able-bodied adults, 1 states were required to submit more extensive reports on engagement and participation in work related activities. 2 The two additional state reporting requirements measured: (1) work participation for families that currently do not meet the TANF program’s requirements to count toward state work participation rates; and (2) TANF spending in two broad categories known simply as “other non- assistance” and “authorized solely under prior law.” The reports found that states get actual TANF credit for only a fraction of those who are actually engaged in work activities. The ones for which they do not receive credit are either not meeting the required number of hours under TANF, are in an activity beyond the allowable time limit (job search, vocational education), or are participating full- or part-time in a non-core activity. While these reports have not been updated since 2011, the data is still available publicly and remains

predominantly accurate. It would be useful to update these reports to again demonstrate to policymakers that TANF clients are broadly engaged in various activities. Given the clear results in the Claims Resolution Reports, it makes good policy sense—as a way to continue to measure broad engagement in work related activities—that states should receive proportional, partial credit for anyone engaged at least one-third time in such activities. This coupled with simplifying and expanding the allowable activities under TANF, eliminating the core/non-core distinction and lessening the excessively strict work verification rules will encourage and incentivize broader engagement and positive employment outcomes. Examples of highly successful family and child intervention programs that cannot be funded through TANF or can only count on a limited basis include the Nurse Partnership Program, home visiting programs, extended vocational education, certain skill- and credential-based attainment programs, job search as a partial ongoing activity, and others.

1 The May 2010 GAO report, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Implications of Recent Legislative and Economic Changes for State Programs and Work Participation Rates (GAO-10-525), can be accessed at www.gao.gov/assets/310/305122.pdf . 2 The July 2011 Office of Family Assistance report, Engagement in Additional Work Activities and Expenditures for Other Benefits and Services, April-June 2011, can be viewed at www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/resource/cra-june2011html .