FY 2016 Appropriation

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a yearly federal grant that provides multiple services to unemployed and underemployed families with dependent children. The federal grant must be spent within the four TANF purposes: 1) assisting needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes, 2) reducing the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage, 3) preventing out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and 4) encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. Authority is derived from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) Public Law 104-193 and 45 CFR 260 et al.

Funding History
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $55,030,000 from all sources for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. This is an 11.5 percent reduction from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $11,250,000 from the General/Education Funds, a change of 0 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Supplemental Fed Funds Adj - Workforce Services$0$7,196,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$7,196,000Federal Funds
Supplemental Federal Funds Request The FY 2015 supplemental federal funds request of $14,438,600 for the Department of Workforce Services was inadvertently excluded from the "Federal Funds Department of Workforce Services" Issue Brief. As a result, the supplemental request was not included in the Social Services Subcommittee motion #1C which authorized the use of federal funds for the department. The FY 2015 supplemental federal funds amount was included on page 4 of the "Workforce Services TANF Funds" Issue Brief which was reviewed by the Social Services Subcommittee during the base budget review. In addition, the department's planned increase in TANF spending for FY 2015 has been discussed several times in interim subcommittee meetings. We respectfully request the Executive Appropriations Committee consider a motion authorizing the use of the supplemental federal funds for FY 2015 for the Department of Workforce Services. The breakout for the supplemental federal funds request is shown below. Detail Breakout To Department of Workforce Services - Operations and Policy (NJBA) From Federal Funds 14,438,600 Schedule of Programs: Eligibility Services (NJP) 5,054,000 Refugee Assistance (NJG) 2,188,600 Temporary Assistance to Needy Facilities (NJF) 7,196,000
Weber County Youth Impact - TANF Funding$0$35,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$35,000Federal Funds
The Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee passed the following, motion: "Increase the authorization for TANF funding for the Weber County Youth Impact Program by $5,000 (from the current $25,000 up to $30,000) for both FY 2015 and FY 2016 and include the increased authorization of $5,000 in the FY 2015 supplemental appropriations bill and the FY 2016 new supplemental appropriations bill."
Staff Analysis

During the 2014 General Session of the Legislature, the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) indicated to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee that it had $107 million in excess TANF spending authority. In response, the Legislature authorized $17.3 million in additional uses for TANF funding and directed DWS, through intent language, to: 1) Insure that the funding for these programs is dependent upon the availability of and qualification for TANF federal funds; 2) Prepare proposed performance measures for all TANF federal fund increases and give this information to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) by June 30, 2014; 3) Make efforts to use TANF funding to increase services to families in need statewide; and 4) Pursue TANF funding for items identified by the Legislature as possible candidates for meeting TANF purposes;

States can use TANF funds on benefits, services, or activities that achieve the 4 TANF goals. DWS determines the eligibility of programs for TANF funding. The $107 million in excess TANF authority is due to the cumulative effect of the TANF block grant funds received from the federal government being more than DWS used in some years. The Legislature will need to determine how much of the excess TANF funding it wishes to appropriate and for what purposes.

For the most recent completed fiscal year, the following information represents the purposes for which the money was used:

TANF Detailed Purposes

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Report September 2014

Update on the use of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families funds

TANF Service Definitions

New Outcomes TANF

TANF Grant Award List by Recipient and Cities

Caseload Reduction Credit

Caseload Reduction Credit

Participation Rates

Participation Rates

Positive Case Closure Rate

Positive Case Closure Rate

Total Work Requirement Rate

Total Work Requirement Rate

TANF provides cash assistance (using the Family Employment Program or FEP). The Family Employment Program offers financial assistance and help finding employment for low-income parents who are supporting children living in the same household.

Eligibility and Requirements: Assistance is available for the following people, based on income and assets:

  • single parents with children under age 18 living with them;
  • pregnant women in their third trimester;
  • two-parent families with children under age 18 living with them; and
  • children being cared for by relatives who are not the parents (under certain circumstances).

Every participating parent works with an employment counselor to write an employment plan with activities that will assist the parent in reaching the goal of supporting the family without assistance. A parent must perform the activities in the employment plan for 30 hours per week (or 20 hours per week if the parent has a child under age 6).

Amounts and Restrictions: Monthly cash assistance is based on household size. For example:

  • $399 for a household of two;
  • pregnant women in their third trimester;
  • $498 for a household of three; and
  • $583 for a household of four.

The maximum lifetime duration of the benefit is 36 months.

Scope and Cost of Program: For FY 2013, 25,004 individuals and 10,168 households were assisted by FEP. FEP benefits are funded by federal TANF grants.

Other related TANF funded services that are not considered cash assistance include: TANF - Non FEP training assistance for eligible parents to assist in tuition help for training in occupations in demand; after school programs for children designed to enhance learning and stability in school; and various contracted services that support the economic service areas (local offices) to enhance services in local areas to support work and wage progression for both FEP families and other low-income families needing employment assistance. In general, in order to receive services, a recipient must: 1) be a citizen or eligible alien such as a refugees, 2) live in Utah, 3) have dependent children or be a dependent child, and 4) meet low income criteria.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 84

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code the Legislature intends that up to $3,100,000 of the appropriations provided for the Operation and Policy line item in Item 30 of Chapter 13 Laws of Utah 2014 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to computer equipment and software and one-time projects associated with addressing client services due to caseload growth or refugee services.


HB0003: Item 84

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code the Legislature intends that up to $2,500,000 of the appropriations provided for the Operation and Policy line item in Item 75 of Chapter 282 Laws of Utah 2014 for the Special Administrative Expense Account not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any non-lapsing funds is limited to employment development projects and activities or one-time projects associated with client services.


SB0002: Item 77

All General Funds appropriated to the Department of Workforce Services - Operations and Policy line item are contingent upon expenditures from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1, 111th United States Congress) not exceeding amounts appropriated from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in all appropriation bills passed for Fiscal Year 2016. If expenditures in the Operations and Policy line item from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act exceed amounts appropriated to the Operations and Policy line item from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in Fiscal Year 2016, the Division of Finance shall reduce the General Fund allocations to the Operations and Policy line item by one dollar for every one dollar in Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expenditures that exceed Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriations.


SB0002: Item 77

The Legislature intends the Department of Workforce Services and the Administrative Offices of the Courts provide a report to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst no later than September 1, 2015. The report shall include, at a minimum: 1) a summary of efforts to improve coordination between the Drug Court program and DWS' Workforce Development Division in order to improve Drug Court success, 2) data indicating the success of the efforts including the implementation and reporting on measures of post program recidivism, and 3) any identified savings or additional funding of drug court recipients as a result of improved coordination efforts.


SB0002: Item 77

The Legislature intends that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriation provided for the Operations and Policy line item is limited to one-time projects associated with Unemployment Insurance modernization.


SB0003: Item 17

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $2,000,000 of savings above $7,392,800 from savings from Savings from Higher Federal Match Rate not lapse at the close of FY 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to upgrading technology and phone systems to voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) in FY 2016.


SB0003: Item 17

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $350,000 of savings above $753,500 from savings from Affordable Care Act Mandatory Changes not lapse at the close of FY 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to upgrading technology and phone systems to voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) in FY 2016.


SB0003: Item 17

The Legislature intends that the $100,000 in Beginning Nonlapsing provided to the Department of Workforce Services - Operations and Policy line item is dependent upon up to $100,000 funds not otherwise designated as nonlapsing to the Workforce Services - Housing and Community Development line item being retained as nonlapsing in FY 2015.


SB0003: Item 17

The $5,000 in federal funds appropriated for the Weber County Youth Impact program in Department of Workforce Services in the Operations and Policy line item is dependent upon the availability of and qualification for the the Weber County Youth Impact program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families federal funds.


SB0003: Item 17

The $30,000 in federal funds appropriated for the Weber County Youth Impact program in Department of Workforce Services in the Operations and Policy line item is dependent upon the availability of and qualification for the the Weber County Youth Impact program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families federal funds.


SB0003: Item 125

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $2,000,000 of savings above $7,392,800 from savings from Savings from Higher Federal Match Rate not lapse at the close of FY 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to upgrading technology and phone systems to voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) in FY 2016.


SB0003: Item 125

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $350,000 of savings above $753,500 from savings from Affordable Care Act Mandatory Changes not lapse at the close of FY 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to upgrading technology and phone systems to voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) in FY 2016.


SB0003: Item 125

The Legislature intends that the $100,000 in Beginning Nonlapsing provided to the Department of Workforce Services - Operations and Policy line item is dependent upon up to $100,000 funds not otherwise designated as nonlapsing to the Workforce Services - Housing and Community Development line item being retained as nonlapsing in FY 2015.


SB0003: Item 125

The $5,000 in federal funds appropriated for the Weber County Youth Impact program in Department of Workforce Services in the Operations and Policy line item is dependent upon the availability of and qualification for the the Weber County Youth Impact program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families federal funds.


SB0003: Item 125

The $30,000 in federal funds appropriated for the Weber County Youth Impact program in Department of Workforce Services in the Operations and Policy line item is dependent upon the availability of and qualification for the the Weber County Youth Impact program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families federal funds.


SB0007S01: Item 8

The Legislature intends the Department of Workforce Services provide to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst no later than September 1, 2015 a detailed report on its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reserve amount including the current balance and any uses of the reserve since the 2015 General Session or planned and projected uses of the reserve in the future.


SB0007S01: Item 8

The Legislature intends that the Department of Workforce Services report on the following performance measures for the Operations and Policy line item: (1) Labor Exchange - Total job placements (Target = 50,000 placements per calendar quarter), (2) TANF Recipients - positive closure rate (Target = 70% per calendar month), and (3) Eligibility Services - internal review compliance accuracy (Target = 95%) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.


SB0007S01: Item 20

The Legislature intends the Department of Workforce Services provide to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst no later than September 1, 2015 a detailed report on its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reserve amount including the current balance and any uses of the reserve since the 2015 General Session or planned and projected uses of the reserve in the future.


SB0007S01: Item 20

The Legislature intends that the Department of Workforce Services report on the following performance measures for the Operations and Policy line item: (1) Labor Exchange - Total job placements (Target = 50,000 placements per calendar quarter), (2) TANF Recipients - positive closure rate (Target = 70% per calendar month), and (3) Eligibility Services - internal review compliance accuracy (Target = 95%) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.


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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.