WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) this week introduced legislation to improve case management coordination for individuals and families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
“Our safety net is essential to helping people who fall on hard times get back on their feet, but too often it becomes a web that traps people in a cycle of poverty,” Congresswoman Walorski said. “One key to breaking that cycle is to treat TANF recipients like individuals – not numbers on a spreadsheet – and case management is critical to helping people find opportunities to succeed. As we work on commonsense reforms that make a real difference in people’s lives, this bill will give individuals and families a better chance to build a bridge from poverty to prosperity.”
BACKGROUND
Individuals who apply for TANF assistance often receive benefits and services through other programs, and in many cases they must meet with multiple caseworkers and visit different offices to satisfy the requirements of each program. By improving coordination among programs, this legislation would streamline assistance and better help recipients find jobs and become self-sufficient.
H.R. 1476, the Coordinating Assistance for TANF Recipients Act, would set aside $300 million for states to test methods of coordinating case management between multiple programs. Each project would be evaluated to determine whether the coordinated case management project was effective in helping welfare recipients move to work.
Earlier this year, the House passed bipartisan legislation to extend TANF through June while Congress works toward reforms and a long-term renewal of the safety net program.
Walorski represents the 2nd Congressional District of Indiana, serving as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. She is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Worker & Family Support.
