TANF
Temporary Assistabce for Needy Families
TANF
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides temporary financial assistance for pregnant women and families with one or more dependent children. TANF provides financial assistance to help pay for food, shelter, utilities, and expenses other than medical.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in Illinois, often referred to as Cash Assistance, is a program administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Its purpose is to provide temporary financial assistance to pregnant women and families with dependent children to help them meet basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, and utilities.
The program offers assistance in the following areas for those who qualify.
Financial Assistance: TANF provides monthly cash payments to eligible families based on their size and income level. These payments are delivered electronically through an Illinois Link card or directly deposited into bank accounts.
Medical Assistance: Families receiving TANF also qualify for medical assistance through the Healthcare and Family Services’ Medical Assistance program, receiving a medical card to cover most medical services.
SNAP Benefits: Most TANF recipients are also eligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits (formerly known as food stamps) to help purchase food.
Support Services: Beyond financial aid, TANF aims to help families become more self-sufficient by offering a variety of support services, including:
- Education and training programs, such as GED preparation, vocational training, and even postsecondary education.
- Workshops focused on resume writing, interviewing skills, and job referrals.
- Assistance with obtaining other benefits and programs.
- Screenings for issues like substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence, along with referrals to relevant services.
- Childcare assistance to enable parents to work or participate in training.
- Help with finding stable housing and addressing homelessness.
About Progam
- Time-limited cash assistance for basic needs, such as food, clothing, housing, etc.
- Transitional services to help families become independent, such as GED preparation, vocational training, postsecondary education, vocational rehabilitation, classes in basic English, help with child care, work stipends, job retention services, etc.
- Screening for issues related to substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence, and referrals for available services to address them.
To qualify for TANF, a person must:
- Be pregnant or have a child under age 19 who lives with them. A child who is 18 must be a full-time high school student. A pregnant woman (and her husband, if he lives with her) may qualify for help, even if they don’t have any other children.
- Live in Illinois. You can be homeless and still qualify.
- Be a U.S. citizen or meet certain immigration requirements.
- Develop a plan for becoming self-sufficient and follow it.
Program Details
Duration
Time Limit: Generally, adults can receive TANF cash benefits for a maximum of 60 months (five years) in their lifetime. However, exceptions to this limit may apply in specific circumstances, such as when someone has a pending SSI application and is likely disabled, is medically unable to work, is in an intensive program addressing barriers to employment, or is approved to care for a disabled child or spouse.
Location
1200 N 13th Street, East St. Louis IL, 62205