a message from the director

A Message from the A Message from the DirectorDirector

Welcome toWelcome toTANF OrientationTANF Orientation

We are all faced with a series of great We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.impossible situations.

Charles P. SwindollCharles P. Swindoll

Office for Family Independence Office for Family Independence (OFI)(OFI)

Works with people to help them find Works with people to help them find ways to support their familiesways to support their families

– EligibilityEligibility– ASPIREASPIRE– Child Support EnforcementChild Support Enforcement

OFI ProgramsOFI Programs

TANFTANF Parents as ScholarsParents as Scholars ( (PaSPaS)) Food SupplementFood Supplement Medical AssistanceMedical Assistance Emergency AssistanceEmergency Assistance

How can TANF help you to How can TANF help you to meet the needs of your meet the needs of your

family today?family today?

TANFTANF

What does TANF mean to you?What does TANF mean to you?

TANF is:TANF is: TTemporaryemporary AAssistancessistance (for)(for) NNeedyeedy FFamiliesamilies

TANF Time LimitsTANF Time Limits

Federal and state law has Federal and state law has placed a lifetime limit on placed a lifetime limit on receipt of TANF cash receipt of TANF cash assistance for families of assistance for families of 60 months or 5 years. 60 months or 5 years.

Approaching Your 60 Approaching Your 60 MonthsMonths

You will be notified 120 days You will be notified 120 days prior to reaching your 60prior to reaching your 60thth month.month.

You will have the opportunity to You will have the opportunity to further discuss with your ASPIRE further discuss with your ASPIRE worker your options to becoming worker your options to becoming self-sufficient.self-sufficient.

You have the RIGHT:You have the RIGHT:

To be treated with respect To be treated with respect To apply at any time without discriminationTo apply at any time without discrimination To confidentialityTo confidentiality To our decision in writingTo our decision in writing To claim “Good Cause”To claim “Good Cause” To appeal if you disagree with our decisionTo appeal if you disagree with our decision

You have responsibilitiesYou have responsibilities

Follow through with your Family ContractFollow through with your Family Contract Provide information and verifications Provide information and verifications

timelytimely Report all changesReport all changes Call us if you are unable to keep your Call us if you are unable to keep your

agreement with usagreement with us To become successfulTo become successful

What is Good Cause?What is Good Cause?

Good Cause is our decision that you Good Cause is our decision that you had a good reason for not doing had a good reason for not doing (or postponing) something that your (or postponing) something that your worker asked you to do.worker asked you to do.

OpportunityOpportunity

What do you know about ASPIRE?What do you know about ASPIRE?ASPIRE provides opportunities and support ASPIRE provides opportunities and support

leading to employmentleading to employment

OpportunitiesOpportunities ASPIRE will give you the opportunity to:ASPIRE will give you the opportunity to:

Develop Develop YOUR YOUR plan for reaching your goal of self-plan for reaching your goal of self-supportsupport

Explore the local job marketExplore the local job market Develop skills to help you:Develop skills to help you:

– Get ready for going to workGet ready for going to work– Find a jobFind a job– Succeed on the jobSucceed on the job

Finish high schoolFinish high school Become self-supportingBecome self-supporting

Parents as Scholars Parents as Scholars (PaS)(PaS)

Educational OpportunityEducational Opportunity

Same eligibility Same eligibility requirements as TANF requirements as TANF

Same benefits as TANF Same benefits as TANF for parents enrolled in a for parents enrolled in a 2-4 year college program2-4 year college program

Tuition comes from other Tuition comes from other sourcessources

Talk to your ASPIRE Talk to your ASPIRE Specialist!Specialist!

What are Your Goals?What are Your Goals?

What will What will YOUYOU need to get started need to get started on your road to success?on your road to success?

ASPIRE ActivitiesASPIRE Activities Work GoalsWork Goals

– On the job trainingOn the job training– Job clubJob club– Job searchJob search– Current employment - those who currently have a jobCurrent employment - those who currently have a job– Field trainingField training

Training & Educational NeedsTraining & Educational Needs– High school diploma / GED programsHigh school diploma / GED programs– Short term certificate / vocational programsShort term certificate / vocational programs– PaS ProgramPaS Program

ASPIRE Support ServicesASPIRE Support Services

Child CareChild Care TransportationTransportation Car repairs and insuranceCar repairs and insurance Clothing for a jobClothing for a job Eye glasses and dental careEye glasses and dental care Other job related servicesOther job related services

Other than a paycheck, how does working make your life

better?

ReceivingReceiving TANF only for household of 3 -TANF only for household of 3 -$485$485 per month per month

Working at least 30 hours per week at Working at least 30 hours per week at $7.50 per hour = $774 per month (after $7.50 per hour = $774 per month (after taxes) taxes)

Remember: Remember:

Both families receive food supplement & medical helpBoth families receive food supplement & medical help

Replacing the TANF BenefitReplacing the TANF Benefit

Earned Income Tax Earned Income Tax CreditCredit(EITC)(EITC)

EITC is a refundable federal income tax EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families.individuals and families.

Congress approved the tax credit in 1975 Congress approved the tax credit in 1975 to offset the burden of social security to offset the burden of social security taxes and to provide an incentive to work.taxes and to provide an incentive to work.

When EITC exceeds the amount of taxes When EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit.who claim and qualify for the credit.

Every child has the right to be Every child has the right to be supported by both parents...supported by both parents...

Division of Support Enforcement & Recovery

(DSER)

Role of DSERRole of DSER

Locate non-TANF parentLocate non-TANF parent Establish paternityEstablish paternity Establish support orders Establish support orders

which can include which can include medical support, child medical support, child support and child caresupport and child care

Enforce support ordersEnforce support orders

DSER must first know where the parent responsible DSER must first know where the parent responsible for paying child support is living or workingfor paying child support is living or working

DSER gets addresses and/or employment DSER gets addresses and/or employment information from many sourcesinformation from many sources

YOUYOU are often the best source of information…are often the best source of information…

Locating the Non-TANF Locating the Non-TANF ParentParent

Once the parent is located paternity must Once the parent is located paternity must be establishedbe established

The named father must be given noticeThe named father must be given notice A simple DNA test is doneA simple DNA test is done Paternity can be legally established by Paternity can be legally established by

a court order or by both parents signing a court order or by both parents signing a voluntary acknowledgement forma voluntary acknowledgement form

How Paternity Is How Paternity Is Established?Established?

The child knows who his or her father isThe child knows who his or her father is The child has inheritance rights if the The child has inheritance rights if the

father diesfather dies The child can get medical information The child can get medical information

about the father’s family historyabout the father’s family history The child gets Social Security benefits if The child gets Social Security benefits if

the father becomes disabledthe father becomes disabled

Benefits of Establishing Benefits of Establishing PaternityPaternity

After the parent is located and paternity After the parent is located and paternity has been determined…has been determined…

A support order will be establishedA support order will be established

Enforcement can begin and the family can Enforcement can begin and the family can get child supportget child support

If the parent who is supposed to pay child If the parent who is supposed to pay child support does not pay DSER has many ways support does not pay DSER has many ways to enforce a child support orderto enforce a child support order

Support OrdersSupport Orders

Your RoleYour RoleCooperation with DSER is required to Cooperation with DSER is required to

receive TANF and Child Support.receive TANF and Child Support. You must:You must:

– Sign over rights to child support while on TANFSign over rights to child support while on TANF– Provide information about the other parentProvide information about the other parent– Forward child support payments made directly Forward child support payments made directly

to you from the other parentto you from the other parent– Inform DSER of changesInform DSER of changes

Remember: You may be excused from cooperation if Remember: You may be excused from cooperation if Good CauseGood Cause is granted. is granted.

How much child support will I get?How much child support will I get?If child support is paid on time, your family may get If child support is paid on time, your family may get “Pass Through and Gap payments”“Pass Through and Gap payments”

If you currently receive child support, you may not If you currently receive child support, you may not continue to receive all of that supportcontinue to receive all of that support

““Pass Through”Pass Through” is the first $50 collected. This money is is the first $50 collected. This money is “passed through” to you“passed through” to you

““Gap payments”Gap payments” are made when more support is are made when more support is collected. You collected. You maymay get additional payments depending on get additional payments depending on how much other income you have.how much other income you have.

What DSER Cannot DoWhat DSER Cannot Do

DSER cannot:DSER cannot:

Give legal adviceGive legal advice Help w/ divorce or alimonyHelp w/ divorce or alimony Help w/ custody or property disputesHelp w/ custody or property disputes Enforce visitation rightsEnforce visitation rights

To Contact DSERTo Contact DSERThe following is on the yellow card The following is on the yellow card handout:handout:

1-800-371-71791-800-371-7179DSER’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekDSER’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

automated telephone serviceautomated telephone serviceYou may reach a Case Review Specialist between You may reach a Case Review Specialist between

10:00 am and 3:00 pm Monday thru Friday10:00 am and 3:00 pm Monday thru FridayAddressAddress: Case Review Unit, SHS #11,: Case Review Unit, SHS #11, Augusta, ME 04333Augusta, ME 04333FaxFax: (207) 287-2334: (207) 287-2334E-mailE-mail: Case.Review@maine.gov: Case.Review@maine.gov

Success!Success!

YOUYOU did it! did it!What next?What next?

Post TANF HelpPost TANF Help Transitional Services include:Transitional Services include:

– Child CareChild Care– TransportationTransportation– Worker Supplement Benefit (WSB)Worker Supplement Benefit (WSB)– Transitional Food Assistance (TFA)Transitional Food Assistance (TFA)– Medical AssistanceMedical Assistance– Non-Welfare Child SupportNon-Welfare Child Support

Help us help you……Help us help you…… Open and read any mail from DHHSOpen and read any mail from DHHS Promptly call us if you cannot keep an Promptly call us if you cannot keep an

appointment or complete an activityappointment or complete an activity Inform us of any changes in your household Inform us of any changes in your household

as they happenas they happen Keep and look over the information provided Keep and look over the information provided

today about your benefitstoday about your benefits

Benefits are paid by:Benefits are paid by: Direct Deposit to your bank accountDirect Deposit to your bank account Some money can be sent directly to a vendorSome money can be sent directly to a vendor Placed on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)Placed on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)

card card

– Balance printed on store receipt Balance printed on store receipt – Call 1-800-477-7428 Call 1-800-477-7428 – Swipe card in machineSwipe card in machine– Visit Visit www.PineTreeCard.com– Report a lost card immediatelyReport a lost card immediately

SummarySummary TANF provides temporary assistance TANF provides temporary assistance

while you prepare for workwhile you prepare for work ASPIRE helps with employment, training, ASPIRE helps with employment, training,

education and support serviceseducation and support services DSER helps your child receive support DSER helps your child receive support

from his/her other parentfrom his/her other parent Transitional Services help out when Transitional Services help out when

working and your TANF benefits endworking and your TANF benefits end

A TANF Recipient Success A TANF Recipient Success StoryStory

Thank you for attendingThank you for attending

In a few moments you will meet with your In a few moments you will meet with your ASPIRE SpecialistASPIRE Specialist

Be thinking about your Be thinking about your GoalsGoals

How will you use this How will you use this OpportunityOpportunity to become to become self-supporting and successful?self-supporting and successful?

Revised 6/20/12Revised 6/20/12