Congress passed the Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government operating until December 3 but not with any extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Fund. Last minute efforts to pass a standalone bill that would have provided $500 million of TANF funds for three months of funding did not succeed either. Any expenditure that states incur after Thursday, September 30, 2010 for subsidized employment, non-recurring short benefit, or basic assistance will not be reimbursed by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The impact for states is varied. Some states will find other funds to sustain subsidized employment programs, others have curtailed the amount of activity in recent weeks, and other states’ activities will end on September 30, as the federal fiscal year ends. Supporters and advocates for continuation of the TANF Emergency Fund are holding out hope that upon the return to Congress in November, the issue was will be addressed and extend.
The continuing resolution did include significant funding for ongoing programs, generally at the base level established for FY 2010, However, two ACF programs received increases, while the TANF Contingency Fund (Regular) was reduced. The legislation contains the following:
- TANF Contingency Fund was reduced from $2 billion to $506 million in FY 2011 and $613 million in FY 2012.
- Promoting Safe and Stable Families was increased by $20 million to $365 million in 2011.
- Court Improvement funding was increased from $10 million in 2010 to $30 million in 2012.
About Kay Casey
Kay Casey has over 20 years of experience in federal and state child welfare policy and programs, having worked for the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Florida Department of Children and Families prior to joining PCG. She is responsible for the review and assessment of fiscal processing systems that impact a state’s ability to identify, document, and report expenditures for federal reporting purposes accompanied with the programmatic impact on the state’s system of care.
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