TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF)
The Southern region of the United States has been historically disadvantaged in the areas of health care, human services and education due to higher levels of poverty, lower educational attainment and a rural environment where service delivery is more difficult. In addition, significant population growth further disadvantages the region as resources in many programs are not adequate to keep pace with the rate of growth. One such program is Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
Congress created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in 1996. At the same time, Congress created the TANF Supplemental Grant program in recognition of the fact that some states would require additional resources to augment their basic TANF block grant allocations. TANF is up for reauthorization at the end of FY2010; however, the Supplemental Grants program will expire on September 30, 2008.
Southern Governors recently sent a letter to Senate and House leaders expressing support for extending the TANF Supplemental Grants program through FY 2010, and requesting their consideration to expand the program so that it could benefit those states that currently have lower than average TANF resources per poor child, but have not previously received TANF Supplemental Grants.