Strengthening Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
This series of reports draws on lessons from the quarter century since Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) was introduced to detail how the program could better assist families in or at risk of poverty during the COVID-19-induced recession and any future economic downturns.
The first report focuses on what Congress should have done at the federal level to address immediate needs during the pandemic and recession. The second report and its accompanying fact sheet concentrate on actions that should have been taken at the state and local levels, particularly in the absence of significant federal action. The third and final report discusses how TANF would be more effective and responsive to economic crises as an anti-poverty aid program if it were turned into an automatic stabilizer.
TANF Must Be Able To Respond Faster and Stronger to Economic Crises
By reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as a strong automatic stabilizer, policymakers can keep millions of Americans out of poverty and counteract recessionary pressures.
How States Can Use TANF To Immediately Help Struggling Residents
Although more funding from Congress is desperately needed, there are many ways that states can better use TANF to deliver more aid to people struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
