2004 TANF Task Force Annual Report

2004 Activities

The TANF Task Force focused its efforts on the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The General Accounting Office has determined that approximately 44 percent of TANF recipients still left on the rolls have a disability or have a child or adult relative with a disability.  Other studies make clear that many who have left the rolls, often due to sanctions, have barriers to compliance, including health issues of the parent or a child in the family.  A large proportion of TANF recipients with disabilities have barriers to employment and are struggling to obtain employment before losing their TANF benefits.  The TANF Task Force has worked to include provisions in the reauthorization that will assist people with disabilities find and maintain employment.

The House passed a TANF reauthorization bill that reflected the Administration’s priorities and goals. The House-passed bill has a number of provisions that are of substantial concern to the Task Force members.  Not only does it offer inadequate opportunities for people with disabilities to receive the services and supports they may require to successfully transition into the workforce, it increases the likelihood that they will lose existing supports and services. The Senate Finance Committee reported out a bill in September of 2003 with a vote along partisan lines. That bill includes some improvements sought by the Task Force, including a provision allowing states to count as work activity the time a parent spends caring for a child or adult relative with a disability, some improvement in the period during which participation in rehabilitative services can count as work activity, and very modest pre-sanction protections. The full Senate began consideration of the bill in March, 2004 but it was pulled from the floor after failing to win a procedural vote to close off debate.  Temporary extensions have kept the programs operating.  The most recent extension expires March 31, 2005.

The CCD TANF Task Force focused primarily on the Senate because it appeared there was a greater chance of achieving a favorable outcome and making an impact. The Task Force:

• Increased awareness among Senate staff of the prevalence of people with disabilities that are on TANF caseloads and the services and supports that are required to help them maximize their potential to achieve self-sufficiency.
• Supported the amendment S. Amendment 2965, which was based on the Pathways to Independence Act and introduced by Sen. Smith (R-OR) and Sen. Jeffords (I-VT), which was to be offered during floor consideration by Sen. Smith (R-OR) and Sen. Jeffords (I-VT).  The amendment would allow states to count participation in rehabilitative activities beyond six months, so long as the individual participates in at least one-half the required core work activity hours and would also encourage states to work collaboratively with other agencies that have expertise in identifying disabilities and developing appropriate service plans to address those disabilities provide state flexibility.  Co-sponsors of the amendment included Senators Collins (R-ME), Chafee (R-RI), and Rockefeller (D-WV).  No action was taken on the amendment because action on the underlying bill halted.

Goals and Priorities

The Task Force’s goals for 2005 include:

• Working to ensure that the disability provisions are included in the Senate bill when it is introduced in the 109^th Congress, or if needed, at a later stage, and that the provisions become law.  Develop strategy with current supporters on how to best accomplish this goal.
• Continuing to educate Members of Congress about these issues and seeking additional support for the provisions in the House and Senate. 
• Educate and involve members of the House Disability Caucus in efforts to improve provisions in the House bill for members of the disability community.
• Developing and implementing a strategy to defeat harmful provisions that may arise as these issues are debated in Congress.

For more information contact the co-chairs:  Kirsten Beronio, National Mental Health Association, Sharon McDonald National Coalition to End Homelessness, Cynthia Woodside National Association of Social Workers and Julie Ward, The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy Disability Policy Collaboration.