A Message from the Director

Welcome to TANF Orientation We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. Charles P. Swindoll

Office for Family Independence (OFI) Works with people to help them find ways to support their families –Eligibility –ASPIRE –Child Support Enforcement

OFI Programs TANF TANF Parents as Scholars (PaS) Parents as Scholars (PaS) Food Supplement Food Supplement Medical Assistance Medical Assistance Emergency Assistance Emergency Assistance

How can TANF help you to meet the needs of your family today?

TANF What does TANF mean to you? TANF What does TANF mean to you? TANF is: Temporary Temporary Assistance (for) Assistance (for) Needy Needy Families Families

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

Approaching Your 60 Months You will be notified 120 days prior to reaching your 60 th month. You will be notified 120 days prior to reaching your 60 th month. You will have the opportunity to further discuss with your ASPIRE worker your options to becoming self- sufficient. You will have the opportunity to further discuss with your ASPIRE worker your options to becoming self- sufficient.

You have the RIGHT: To be treated with respect To be treated with respect To apply at any time without discrimination To apply at any time without discrimination To confidentiality To confidentiality To our decision in writing To our decision in writing To claim “Good Cause” To claim “Good Cause” To appeal if you disagree with our decision To appeal if you disagree with our decision

You have responsibilities Follow through with your Family Contract Follow through with your Family Contract Provide information and verifications timely Provide information and verifications timely Report all changes Report all changes Call us if you are unable to keep your agreement with us Call us if you are unable to keep your agreement with us To become successful To become successful

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

Opportunity What do you know about ASPIRE? ASPIRE provides opportunities and support leading to employment

Opportunities ASPIRE will give you the opportunity to: Develop YOUR plan for reaching your goal of self- support Develop YOUR plan for reaching your goal of self- support Explore the local job market Explore the local job market Develop skills to help you: Develop skills to help you: –Get ready for going to work –Find a job –Succeed on the job Finish high school Finish high school Become self-supporting Become self-supporting

Parents as Scholars (PaS) Educational Opportunity Same eligibility requirements as TANF Same eligibility requirements as TANF Same benefits as TANF for parents enrolled in a 2-4 year college program Same benefits as TANF for parents enrolled in a 2-4 year college program Tuition comes from other sources Tuition comes from other sources Talk to your ASPIRE Specialist! Talk to your ASPIRE Specialist!

What are Your Goals? What will YOU need to get started on your road to success?

ASPIRE Activities Work Goals Work Goals –On the job training –Job club –Job search –Current employment - those who currently have a job –Field training Training & Educational Needs Training & Educational Needs –High school diploma / GED programs –Short term certificate / vocational programs –PaS Program

ASPIRE Support Services Child Care Child Care Transportation Transportation Car repairs and insurance Car repairs and insurance Clothing for a job Clothing for a job Eye glasses and dental care Eye glasses and dental care Other job related services Other job related services

Other than a paycheck, how does working make your life better?

Receiving TANF only for household of 3 - Receiving TANF only for household of 3 - $485 per month Working at least 30 hours per week at $7.50 per hour = $774 per month (after taxes) Remember: Both families receive food supplement & medical help Replacing the TANF Benefit

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. Congress approved the tax credit in 1975 to offset the burden of social security taxes and to provide an incentive to work. Congress approved the tax credit in 1975 to offset the burden of social security taxes and to provide an incentive to work. When EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit. When EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit.

Every child has the right to be supported by both parents... Division of Support Enforcement & Recovery (DSER)

Role of DSER Role of DSER Locate non-TANF parent Locate non-TANF parent Establish paternity Establish paternity Establish support orders which can include medical support, child support and child care Establish support orders which can include medical support, child support and child care Enforce support orders Enforce support orders

DSER must first know where the parent responsible for paying child support is living or working DSER must first know where the parent responsible for paying child support is living or working DSER gets addresses and/or employment information from many sources DSER gets addresses and/or employment information from many sourcesYOU are often the best source of information… are often the best source of information… Locating the Non-TANF Parent

Once the parent is located paternity must be established The named father must be given notice The named father must be given notice A simple DNA test is done A simple DNA test is done Paternity can be legally established by a court order or by both parents signing a voluntary acknowledgement form Paternity can be legally established by a court order or by both parents signing a voluntary acknowledgement form How Paternity Is Established?

The child knows who his or her father is The child knows who his or her father is The child has inheritance rights if the father dies The child has inheritance rights if the father dies The child can get medical information about the father’s family history The child can get medical information about the father’s family history The child gets Social Security benefits if the father becomes disabled The child gets Social Security benefits if the father becomes disabled Benefits of Establishing Paternity

After the parent is located and paternity has been determined… A support order will be established A support order will be established Enforcement can begin and the family can get child support Enforcement can begin and the family can get child support If the parent who is supposed to pay child support does not pay DSER has many ways to enforce a child support order If the parent who is supposed to pay child support does not pay DSER has many ways to enforce a child support order Support Orders

Your Role Cooperation with DSER is required to receive TANF and Child Support. You must: –Sign over rights to child support while on TANF –Provide information about the other parent –Forward child support payments made directly to you from the other parent –Inform DSER of changes Remember: You may be excused from cooperation if Good Cause is granted.

How much child support will I get? If child support is paid on time, your family may get “Pass Through and Gap payments” If you currently receive child support, you may not continue to receive all of that support If you currently receive child support, you may not continue to receive all of that support “Pass Through” is the first $50 collected. This money is “passed through” to you “Pass Through” is the first $50 collected. This money is “passed through” to you “Gap payments” are made when more support is collected. You may get additional payments depending on how much other income you have. “Gap payments” are made when more support is collected. You may get additional payments depending on how much other income you have.

What DSER Cannot Do DSER cannot: Give legal advice Give legal advice Help w/ divorce or alimony Help w/ divorce or alimony Help w/ custody or property disputes Help w/ custody or property disputes Enforce visitation rights Enforce visitation rights

To Contact DSER The following is on the yellow card handout: DSER’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week automated telephone service You may reach a Case Review Specialist between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm Monday thru Friday Address: Case Review Unit, SHS #11, Augusta, ME Augusta, ME Fax: (207)

Success! YOU did it! What next?

Post TANF Help Transitional Services include: Transitional Services include: –Child Care –Transportation –Worker Supplement Benefit (WSB) –Transitional Food Assistance (TFA) –Medical Assistance –Non-Welfare Child Support

Help us help you…… Open and read any mail from DHHS Open and read any mail from DHHS Promptly call us if you cannot keep an appointment or complete an activity Promptly call us if you cannot keep an appointment or complete an activity Inform us of any changes in your household as they happen Inform us of any changes in your household as they happen Keep and look over the information provided today about your benefits Keep and look over the information provided today about your benefits

Benefits are paid by: Direct Deposit to your bank account Direct Deposit to your bank account Some money can be sent directly to a vendor Some money can be sent directly to a vendor Placed on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card Placed on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card –Balance printed on store receipt –Call –Swipe card in machine –Visit –Report a lost card immediately

Summary TANF provides temporary assistance while you prepare for work TANF provides temporary assistance while you prepare for work ASPIRE helps with employment, training, education and support services ASPIRE helps with employment, training, education and support services DSER helps your child receive support from his/her other parent DSER helps your child receive support from his/her other parent Transitional Services help out when working and your TANF benefits end Transitional Services help out when working and your TANF benefits end

A TANF Recipient Success Story

Thank you for attending In a few moments you will meet with your ASPIRE Specialist Be thinking about your Goals How will you use this Opportunity to become self-supporting and successful? Revised 6/20/12