OHIO - ODJFS Online

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IOCreating

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2006STATE FISCAL YEAR

OHIO’S TANF PROGRAM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction.........................................1Family Safety Net ................................3Employment and Advancement .......5Support and Prevention .....................7Program Enhancements ..................13TANF Expenditures .........................15

FROM THE DEpuTy DIRECTOR

Throughout State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2006, Ohio’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program continued to support Ohio’s low-income families in many significant ways. As in previous years, the TANF program has been successful in providing a safety net as well as creating opportunities for individuals and families to become more self-reliant. The year also saw new approaches, including:

• A TANF demonstration program that awarded almost $40 million to 41 projects across the state;

• The Employment Retention Incentive program that encourages and rewards job continuation; and

• The Kinship Permanency Program, developed to promote a permanent commitment by kinship caregivers for minor children who are unable to safely remain in their own homes due to a judicial ruling that they are abused, neglected, dependent, or unruly.

This report provides an overview of Ohio’s TANF program for SFY 2006 (July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006), including data on Ohio’s TANF expenditures and participation. It also highlights the success of a few of the many Ohio families assisted by the program.

The coming year will present new challenges for the TANF program, as we continue to implement and assess the impact of changes contained in the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which included the reauthorization of the TANF program. There is also continuing emphasis on program performance and accountability, which will improve performance of ODJFS, County Departments of Job and Family Services and service providers throughout the TANF system.

The successful transition of TANF families to greater self-sufficiency would not be possible without Ohio’s 88 County Departments of Job and Family Services and the many organizations they work with in their communities. We thank them for their delivery of these vital services and for their ongoing efforts to improve and enhance the TANF program.

Thank you for your interest.

Jeanne Carroll Deputy Director, Office of Family Stability Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) January 2007

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INTRODuCTIONOhio’s TANF program provides a comprehensive package of safety net and support services for low-income families. In doing so, TANF creates value for all Ohioans by assuring financial security, improving the lives of individuals and families, increasing incomes in local communities, and helping to mitigate the impact of negative events.

Since Congress enacted the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in 1996 (reauthorized in 2006), the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services through the County Job and Family Services agencies has worked to achieve the four TANF purposes:

n Provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives.

n End needy parents’ dependence on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work and marriage.

n Reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numeric goals for decreased incidence of these pregnancies.

n Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

The TANF program in Ohio is comprised of two core programs, Ohio Works First (OWF) and the Prevention, Retention, and Contingency Program (PRC). The OWF component provides time-limited cash assistance to eligible families. The PRC program, state-supervised and county-administered, requires local County Departments of Job and Family Services to provide benefits and services needed to overcome immediate barriers to achieving or maintaining self-sufficiency and personal responsibility. In addition, TANF provides funds for child care and other programs as authorized by the Ohio General Assembly or Governor’s Executive Order that meet one or more TANF purposes.

Since 1996, the TANF program has undergone a dramatic shift in focus. As reflected in Figure 1, there has been a substantial decline in the proportion of TANF dollars directed toward ongoing cash assistance and a corresponding increase in supportive services targeted for workforce development, child care and family stability. The OWF or cash assistance caseload has declined from nearly 522,000 individuals in January 1996 to 175,000 in June 2006. Despite this reduction, many families remain in need of services to support their transition to greater self-sufficiency. These services may include employment support and training, child care, transportation assistance, disaster aid and other social services to increase family stability.

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This annual report provides financial and performance information for Ohio’s TANF program in SFY 2006 (July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006). The following report reflects the TANF program’s comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of low-income Ohioans by discussing four primary service areas:

Family Safety NetThe TANF program provides a “safety net” of temporary assistance to help families overcome unforeseen events such as a loss of employment, divorce or natural disaster. Time-limited cash assistance is available through Ohio Works First. Families who experience losses due to floods, storms or other emergencies can receive several kinds of emergency help including housing repair, food and clothing.

Employment and AdvancementThe TANF program supports employment and wage gain by providing education and training, job search, child care, transportation assistance and other post-employment support services. Program work requirements encourage career advancement after an initial job placement by offering additional education and training.

Support and preventionMany working families struggle to make ends meet due to low-wage jobs or unforeseen crises. To help meet these challenges, Ohio’s County Departments of Job and Family Services offer short-term assistance such as car repairs and have expanded access to the Food Stamp program, Medicaid and the child support program. Additional supportive services are available through collaborating agencies. Examples include domestic violence programs providing emergency shelter and relocation, family preservation and family reunification programs, pregnancy prevention and early childhood development.

program EnhancementsDuring the year, a number of enhancements were made to the TANF program. The ODJFS has adopted performance standards and worked with County Departments of Job and Family Services to implement strategies to help ensure that services are delivered effectively. Progress in such areas as participant job entry rate, work participation and child care participation is monitored quarterly.

The year also saw ODJFS implement two new initiatives, the TANF demonstration program and the Employment Retention Incentive program. The Department also began to address the changes contained in the federal reauthorization of TANF, which occurred on February 8, 2006.

Figure 1. Shifting Focus of TANF Strategies from Federal Fiscal Year 1996 to FFY 2005 1

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900Expenditure in millions

$844 million$368 million

$320 million


$100 million


$350 million


$221 million

FFY 2005 ExpendituresFFY 2000 ExpendituresFFY 1996 Expenditures

Ongoing Cash Assistance

Workforce Development

Family Stability

Child Care

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ACF 196 Report1 Most current data available.

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FAMILy SAFETy NETFor families facing circumstances that prevent or threaten their self-sufficiency, TANF offers a safety net of cash assistance and other supports. Unemployment, limited education or skills, divorce, separation or other unforeseen crises are just several obstacles that can affect a family’s stability. The TANF program provides a variety of benefits and services to ensure that vulnerable families have the resources they need to be safe, regain stability and move toward greater independence.

Ohio Works First (OWF) Cash AssistanceOWF provides time-limited cash assistance to families while requiring parents to work or search for work as a part of their self-sufficiency contract. Ohio limits cash assistance to 36 months unless the family qualifies for a “hardship” extension. A family may also apply for a “good cause” extension after a 24-month waiting period following 36 months of eligibility. Ongoing OWF cash assistance is provided to child-only cases where the child’s parent, legal guardian or custodian or other specified relative is not eligible for OWF. In SFY 2006, Ohio served approximately 180,000 cash assistance participants per month, about 11,000 fewer than the monthly average in SFY 2005. A typical family of three received a maximum of $410 per month in OWF cash assistance in SFY 2006.

OWF emphasizes three goals: self-sufficiency, personal responsibility and employment. County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS) agencies throughout the state work to help OWF participants build the skills and experiences they need to reach economic independence and provide a healthy, safe and stable environment for their families. While the adult-headed OWF caseload has declined significantly, the child-only caseload has remained about the same or slightly higher. From January 2000 to June 2006, the adult-headed caseload dropped from 63,318 to 35,021 cases, with the child-only cases increasing from 37,728 to 42,825. As a percentage, child-only cases have grown from 37 percent of the total OWF caseload to 55 percent over this time period.

Disaster AssistanceFor families who have sustained losses resulting from state-declared natural disasters (for example, floods, tornadoes and snow and ice storms), county departments of job and family services provide benefits such as housing repairs, food, clothing, furniture and cooking utensils. In SFY 2006, Ohio invested $1.9 million to provide disaster assistance services to an average of 726 individuals per month.

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Ryan and Kim, a young married couple in Licking County, were facing tough times. Not only were they homeless and unemployed, but Kim was pregnant. They turned to Licking CDJFS for help. A caseworker discovered that Ryan was a non-reader and referred him to an employment support specialist. The couple received transportation assistance for job search and help locating affordable housing. Eventually Ryan secured a job with Licking/Knox Goodwill Industries and the couple found an apartment subsidized by PRC funds and financial assistance from the Coalition for Care. Ryan has worked hard and retained his job for nine months. He rides his bike to work each day and has earned high praise from his employer. Although Ryan and Kim continue to receive Food Stamps and medical card support, they are able to maintain their apartment with Ryan’s earned wages and are on track to becoming fully self-sufficient. They recently welcomed their new baby with optimism and great hope.

Table 1. Family Safety Net

Source: ODJFS TANF WRT Report

Participants Yearly Expenditures TANF Expenditure Categories (Avg. per month) (in millions)

OWF 180,324 $341.7

Disaster Assistance 726 $1.9

SFY 2006 Total 181,050 $343.6

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A major goal of the TANF program is to help low-income Ohioans prepare for and find employment, and increase their incomes once they are employed. To accomplish this goal, the TANF program provides services that range from training for job entry, to job placement and job retention, to provision of child care – all as a means of enabling parents to work.

Job Entry and Earnings GainThe TANF program enables individuals to enter the workforce by providing training in specific skills, assistance in finding employment and reinforcement of the concept of self-sufficiency. In recent years, Ohio has been a national leader in helping unemployed or marginally employed parents find jobs and increase earnings. Moreover, such success in the workforce is significant given that Ohio’s unemployment rate remained significantly above the national unemployment rate during this period.

Work participation Most adults in assistance groups receiving TANF cash assistance (i.e., OWF) are required to participate in an activity that satisfies the federal definition of work. The number of required hours varies by assistance group composition and age of child (See Figure 2).

Figure 3 shows the extent to which Ohio exceeded the federal All-Family Work Participation requirement in the last four federal fiscal years. In FFY 2006, Ohio’s All-Family Work Participation rate continued to be above the federal requirement of 50 percent.

Work SupportsTANF funds both publicly and privately delivered services that benefit families and enhance community and economic development. With local employers as partners, work support strategies can help reduce employee turnover and produce earnings gains. TANF expenditures for training,

EMpLOyMENT AND ADVANCEMENT

Jane, the mother of a 16-year-old and sole breadwinner in her household, was receiving OWF assistance, Food Stamps and Medicaid when she signed a self sufficiency agreement with the Greene County Department of Job and Family Services and attended a job readiness program. She entered the Work Experience Program (WEP), and soon the company hired Jane for a full-time position, making her eligible for a $100 dollar job retention bonus from PRC. Jane continued working and received a $200 bonus after three months and a $300 bonus after six. She has maintained her job for eleven months, making $11.53 an hour, and no longer relies on cash assistance to support her family. Greene CDJFS’s Prevention, Retention, and Contingency program (PRC) creates incentives for clients to obtain and keep employment, helping reduce reliance on public assistance. Over 100 GCDJFS clients received bonuses during 2006.

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employment and work support totaled $40.5 million in SFY 2006. The number of participants averaged 8,600 each month (see Table 2).

Child CareTo ensure that they can continue to work or participate in training programs, many parents need child care. Ohio’s 88 CDJFS agencies determine eligibility for TANF child care assistance and help parents locate certified child care homes or licensed centers. In SFY 2006, as Table 2 shows, TANF expenditures for child care totaled $217.8 million. A monthly average of more than 87,000 children received TANF-funded child care services.

Transportation AssistanceThe TANF program also helps people overcome problems with transportation in order to retain their jobs. County Departments of Job and Family Services provide a variety of transportation assistance services including fuel vouchers, public transportation vouchers and assistance with car repairs to help with transportation to and from work and help offset the high cost of gas. Statewide in SFY 2006, TANF transportation programs expended $10 million and assisted an average of more than 5,500 persons per month.

The Lucas County Department of Job and Family Services offers clients a chance to learn marketable job skills through a contract with the nonprofit Toledo Restaurant Training Center. The innovative partnership operates a full-service restaurant called Café in the Park, where students learn about food preparation and careers in the hospitality industry. Through hands-on training and actual food-service experience, students gain valuable skills and confidence. Over thirty LCJFS clients enrolled in the training during 2006. The goal of the intensive eight-week training is to place students in jobs that pay a minimum of $8.00 per hour.

Figure 2. Components of the All Family Federal Participation Rate

Family Federal Hours Required Per Week

Single‑ParentFamily WithChildunderSix.............................20 NoChildunderSix................................30

Two‑ParentFamily WorkingParents...................................35 WorkingParentswith FederallyFundedChildCare.................55

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Source: ODJFS, Office of Research, Assessment and Accountability

Figure 3. Federal All-Family Work Participation

Year Through June 2006

63.3% 64.9%

58.3%

OhioFederal Participation Rate Requirement (50%)70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0FFY 2003 FFY 2004 FFY 2005 FFY 2006

55.2%

Participants YearlyExpendituresTANFExpenditureCategories (Avg.permonth) (inmillions)

ChildCare 87,266 $217.8

Training,EmploymentandWorkSupport 8,600 $40.5

TransportationAssistance 5,544 $10.0

SFY 2006 Total 101,410 $268.3

Table 2. Employment and Advancement


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Unforeseen events such as job loss or a medical emergency can present significant challenges to vulnerable families moving toward self-sufficiency. This section describes support and prevention services provided through both TANF funded and non-TANF funded programs. These programs are designed to strengthen and preserve families as well as help them avoid or overcome situations that might lead to crisis.

Non-TANF Family Supports• Food Stamps and Nutrition Assistance Ohio Works First participants, as well as former

participants and others with gross incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, are eligible for Food Stamps. The Food Stamp program is an essential support for families as they move up the career ladder from minimum-wage jobs. As the number of OWF cash assistance participants has declined, Food Stamp participation has increased. In June 2006, 1,132,867 Ohioans received Food Stamps compared to 669,450 in December 1999. In SFY 2006 a typical family of three was eligible for a maximum monthly allotment of $399 in Food Stamp benefits. Statewide, by the end of SFY 2006, 99 percent of eligible families with children participated in the Food Stamp program.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) addresses the nutritional needs of eligible households through the distribution of government commodities. ODJFS partners with foodbanks and their networks of food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. TEFAP food is incorporated into the package of food available to clients at the local sites. In SFY 2006, this partnership enabled the

distribution of approximately 18 million pounds of TEFAP commodities.

• Child Support As a condition of receiving OWF cash assistance,

TANF requires OWF participants to cooperate with child support enforcement efforts. The TANF program provides services to encourage non-custodial parents to become better parents and help them find and retain employment.

• Medicaid The Medicaid program supports Ohioans by

ensuring that they have access to quality medical care. Many working Ohioans lack access to affordable health care coverage through their employers. Participants who leave OWF may have up to one year of Medicaid eligibility to help them transition from cash assistance. Some families also may continue Medicaid eligibility for their children through the Healthy Start and Healthy Families programs. Medicaid participation in Ohio increased from about 1.07 million in December 1999 to about 1.76 million in June 2006, with children accounting for the majority of the increase. In 2006, 81.8 percent of families leaving OWF retained Medicaid benefits.

Table 3 shows the decline in OWF participation and the increases in Food Stamp and Medicaid participation between the months of December 1999 and June 2006.

SuppORT AND pREVENTION


Table 3. OWF, Medicaid and Food Stamp Program Participants

Programs December 1999 June 2006 Participants Participants

OWF 259,838 174,924

FoodStamps 669,450 1,132,867

Medicaid 1,070,994 1,758,782

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Figure 4 illustrates these trends, showing how participation rates changed by six-month increments from December 1999 through June 2006.

TANF Services to Assist FamiliesThe TANF program provides services designed to strengthen and sustain families and help them overcome unexpected obstacles to greater independence. This category includes the following programs:

• Short-Term Assistance Families sometimes need short-term assistance

to cope with specific crisis situations or episodes of hardship or need. These services (e.g., heating assistance, home or car repairs, provision of clothing) are designed to help families resolve one-time urgent problems or challenges that, if not addressed, could result in the family needing long-term public assistance.

Often, self-sufficiency begins with meeting basic clothing and shelter needs. In SFY 2006, more than 19,200 individuals throughout the state were provided clothing and shelter assistance through the TANF program. The State also supplemented the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), administered by the Ohio Department of Development. An additional $70.3 million of TANF funds assisting 250,000 families.

• Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Under a transfer of TANF dollars to Title XX,

supplemental food support is provided through foodbanks and associated pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. In SFY 2006, $5.5 million supported the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. Through the association, 12 regional foodbanks distributed 20.5 million pounds of non-perishable and Ohio-grown agricultural products to approximately 2,000 local foodbank facilities for distribution to eligible households. All 88 counties were covered by the program, and a total of 3.9 million households with minor children benefited from this assistance.

• Substance Abuse Treatment For families who struggle with addiction,

the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services administers a treatment and counseling program supported with TANF dollars. It provides prevention, treatment and mentoring services to families with dependent children and incomes less than 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline. TANF provided $5.2 million to the program in SFY 2006.

Figure 4. Percent Change in OWF, Medicaid and Food Stamp Program Participants January 2000 through June 2006

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• Domestic Violence Victims of abuse face a significant barrier to

achieving self-sufficiency. Domestic violence programs provide emergency shelter as well as relocation and supportive services for those who have experienced domestic violence.

• Family Preservation / Adoption Support Services

Family preservation services provide counseling, intervention, case management and parent education services for families experiencing crises so severe that children are at imminent risk of removal from their homes. Services are aimed at addressing the underlying issues or problems. An average of 10,238 participants each month received family preservation services in SFY 2006.

TANF provides post-adoption services in the effort to promote permanency for children. Expenditures for family preservation and adoption support services totaled nearly $31.4 million dollars in SFY 2006.

• Child Care Services Child care services are a critical support to

families as they transition to employment. These services are described in the “Employment and Advancement” section of this report.

• Family Reunification Reunification services provide counseling and

support to families with children in foster care when there is a good prospect for successful reunification with their primary families. Examples of services include supervised visitation, mental health and substance abuse counseling, home management instruction, stress management and training in parenting skills.

• Kinship Care/Kinship Navigator These services provide information, referral

and support for relatives acting as caregivers, legal guardians or court-ordered legal custodians responsible for the day-to-day care of minor children. Services may include identifying kinship caregivers, facilitating access to services and referrals for legal services, child care, support groups and parenting education classes. Participation averaged 1,470 individuals a month during SFY 2006.

Life was hard for Tina, a Licking County single mother who was struggling to make ends meet. Her young child was removed from the home because of the family’s financial problems, and Tina was involved in an abusive relationship. Her life began to improve when Tina went to live at New Beginnings, the local domestic violence shelter. There she found out about services available through the Licking CDJFS. Licking CDJFS staff helped her find a job and pay for a car and insurance. After three months of stable employment, Tina was reunited with her child. She credits Licking CDJFS and community partners like Goodwill Industries for putting her securely on the path to self-sufficiency.

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• Visitation/Mediation These services link trained monitors with

individuals who require supervised visits with minor children. These programs also may provide mediation services to facilitate discussions between parties and help in settlement decisions.

• Access to Better Care (ABC) Initiative TANF dollars help support the ABC Initiative

led by the Ohio Department of Mental Health. This program provides prevention and early intervention for youth at risk of developing behavioral and mental health disorders, recognizing that failure to provide children with adequate substance abuse prevention or mental health services can result in larger problems and costs in the future.

• Ohio Strengthening Families Initiative The Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and

Community Initiatives administered $9.9 million in TANF funds to support faith-based and community-based organizations that are working to reduce Ohio’s out-of-wedlock birth rate and promote healthy marriages. With long-term goals of improving children’s well-being and reducing childhood poverty, the initiative focuses on three populations: vulnerable youth, ex-offenders and their families during re-entry, and couples seeking a healthy marriage. The allocation includes funds for demonstration programs and faith-based initiatives focused on improving family support services.

TANF Services to Assist Children and youthTANF supports additional programs designed to nurture and protect children and youth, and to help young people become responsible adults. Examples include:

• Help Me Grow The Help Me Grow program, a collaborative

effort with the Ohio Department of Health, promotes health, learning and child development for children up to three years of age. Counties receive a separate allocation to share Help Me Grow services, including welcome-home visits to share information on infant care with parents of newborns, Early Start services for at-risk children to promote child health and development, early intervention to identify developmental delays and community outreach to expand enrollment.

In SFY 2006, the TANF investment in the health and well-being of young children through Help Me Grow provided an average of 23,382 families per month with services. Expenditures for the program totaled $41.1 million in the fiscal year.

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• Early Learning Initiative The Early Learning Initiative (ELI) program,

co-administered by the Ohio Department of Education, focuses on early childhood education and development. The program provides eligible 3- to 5-year-olds with activities and opportunities designed to improve their cognitive abilities and prepare them for kindergarten. TANF funds expended for ELI during SFY 2006 totaled $61.6 million. Participation totaled 6,767 youngsters during the year.

• Before- and After-School Programs Youth education and support services are

designed to help school-age children develop to their fullest potential. These programs include before- and after-school activities as well as family and youth intervention services such as counseling, tutoring and self-esteem building. The Ohio Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs has been operating the “For Kids’ Sake Ohio” program since 2001. Seventeen Boys and Girls Club organizations provide after-school programs that protect at-risk children and enable youth to become responsible adults. The “For Kids’ Sake Ohio” program provides educational, youth development and career development services to TANF-eligible children in adult-supervised, safe and structured environments while their adult family member works or participates in work preparation activities.

• Reducing Out-of-Wedlock Births/Teen Pregnancy

One goal of TANF is to “reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numeric goals for decreased incidence of these pregnancies.” PRC-funded out-of-wedlock pregnancy prevention programs provide family planning, education and support services for TANF-eligible families. An average of more than 7,332 individuals per month received services in SFY 2006. TANF spending for these programs totaled $4.2 million for the year.

• Youth Workforce Development The TANF program is required to participate with

the Workforce Investment Act system to provide education and support services to help school-age children develop to their fullest potential and grow into healthy, educated, responsible and productive adults. Programs include such services as career planning and job search assistance. The program served an average of 869 young people per month. TANF expenditures totaled $2.7 million for the fiscal year.

Participation numbers and expenditures for these programs and services are given in Table 4.

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Table 4. Support/Prevention

TANF Expenditure Categories Participants Yearly Expenditures (in millions)

Short‑TermAssistance 19,253/mo.avg. $27.7

SupplementalNutritionAssistance 3.9m.HH/yr.total $5.5

SubstanceAbuseTreatmentandMentoring(ODADAS) 7,332/yr.total $5.2

HomeEnergyAssistanceProgram 250,000/yr.total $70.3

DomesticViolence 319/mo.avg. $1.1

FamilyPreservation/AdoptionSupportServices 10,238/mo.avg.* $31.4

FamilyReunificationServices 338/mo.avg. $1.7

FamilyandYouthIntervention 5,574/mo.avg. $7.5

KinshipCare/NavigatorServices 1,470/mo.avg. $1.1

KinshipPermanencyIncentive 723/6mos.total $0.5

Visitation/MediationServices 675/mo.avg. $0.3

HelpMeGrow 23,382/mo.avg. $41.1

EarlyLearningInitiative 6,767/yr.total $61.6

Before‑andAfter‑SchoolPrograms 3,912/mo.avg. $3.4

Out‑of‑WedlockPregnancyPrevention 7,332/mo.avg. $4.2

YouthWorkforceDevelopment 869/mo.avg. $2.7

Total n/a $265.3

*Family Preservation participants only.


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Continuous Improvement AssistanceIn January 2006, ODJFS implemented rules to assure improved outcomes for TANF program participants and enhanced operational effectiveness for TANF programs delivered by the County Departments of Job and Family Services. The rules implemented performance measures, standards, and goals and created a performance management system for continuous improvement. Office of Family Stability staff provided assistance to CDJFS agencies for the development of over 140 continuous improvement plans for five TANF performance measures. The plans are designed to help county agencies implement institutional changes that will result in ongoing improvements in performance and outcomes.

One performance measure included in the initial rules was “Continuing Medical,” which determines the percentage of families leaving cash assistance who continue to receive Medicaid. Families whose cash assistance is ending are informed of the importance and availability of extended Medicaid coverage, and eligibility is explored for all family members. As shown in Figure 5, 82 percent of those leaving cash assistance continue to receive Medicaid coverage.

Another performance measure assesses the percentage of low-income families with children who

receive Food Stamps. Ohio provides Food Stamps to support families with children as they move toward self-sufficiency, and ODJFS has worked with CDJFS agencies to develop strategies to maintain and improve performance on this measure. Counties in Ohio have dramatically increased Food Stamp participation among low-income families with children from 65 percent of eligible families to 99 percent of eligible families over the last five years.

New program InitiativesIn SFY 2006, ODJFS also developed new TANF programs and began addressing federal changes contained in the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005.

• TANF Demonstration Program To encourage program innovation, ODJFS

initiated the TANF Demonstration Program. Projects were selected through a request for application process that resulted in the selection of 41 proposals. Almost $40 million was awarded to CDJFS agencies and regional or state organizations for the implementation of projects focusing on assisting those TANF-eligible individuals facing multiple barriers to achieving and maintaining employment and self-sufficiency. Based on project experience and an independent evaluation, approaches will be identified for potential continuation or expansion.

pROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS

In an effort to continuously improve work participation levels, the Preble County Department of Job and Family Services has dedicated a full time worker to assist OWF work-required participants. The PCDJFS employment counselor’s goal is to enhance work participation outcomes by helping clients become self-sufficient, making the best use of their resources, and determining if they require more job training. The full-time position allows the counselor to build relationships with clients. “When you get to know them, they are more comfortable opening up and letting you know what their obstacles are.”

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• Employment Retention Incentive Also in SFY 2006, ODJFS developed and

prepared for the implementation of the Employment Retention Incentive. This $8.6 million program will provide incentive of up to $1,000 for families who are working and remain employed after leaving OWF during their first year of employment.

• Kinship Permanency Incentive (KPI) The KPI program, supported with $10 million

allocated from TANF for each year of the biennium, is designed to promote a permanent commitment by kinship caregivers for minor children who are unable to safely remain in their own homes due to a judicial ruling that they are abused, neglected, dependent or unruly. KPI provides time-limited incentive payments to eligible caregivers who accept legal custody or legal guardianship of kin children after

July 1, 2005. The program provides eligible families an initial payment of $1,000 per child to defray the initial costs of assuming the child’s care. Families continuing to meet eligibility requirements may receive additional $500 payments at six-month intervals up to a maximum of $3,500 within 36 months.

• Deficit Reduction Act The federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 made

a number of changes in the TANF program that required ODJFS action in SFY 2006. The act added more specific definitions and expectations related to work participation requirements, resulting in extensive communication and training activities with local County Departments of Job and Family Services, as well as amendments to administrative rules and statute. The impact of these changes will continue into SFY 2007 and beyond, and will serve to re-focus TANF on moving OWF participants into meaningful employment.

Figure 6. Family Food Stamp Benefit Performance Measure

Source: Data is from the ODJFS Business Intelligence Channel (BIC) Food Stamp Participation Outcome Management Report and the U.S. Census Bureau’s decennial Release SF3.

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Figure 5. Continuing Medical Benefits Performance Measure

Source: Data is from the ODJFS Business Intelligence Channel (BIC) Continuing Medicaid Benefits report.

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During SFY 2006, TANF appropriations were expended on TANF services through five expenditure categories: OWF, Child Care, Employment and Family Support Services, Title XX Transfer and Administrative Costs. Expenditures are those reported by ODJFS in the ACF 196 report, the official financial report for the TANF program, which is filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

TANF EXpENDITuRES

* Administrative costs are state and county expenditures associated with the administration of the TANF program and as reported to the federal government. Information system costs are not included.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ACF 196 Report

Table 5. SFY 06 Ohio TANF Expenditures

Expenditure Yearly ExpendituresCategory (in millions) Percent

OWF 343.6 32%

ChildCare 217.8 21%

EmploymentandFamilySupportServices 318.4 30%

TitleXX 56.1 5%

AdministrativeCosts* 121.8 12%

Total $1,057.7 100.0%

Figure 7. SFY 06 Ohio TANF Expenditures

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ACF 196 Report

Child Care21%

Title XX5%

OWF32%

Administrative Costs*12%

Employment & Family Support Services30%

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Table 6. Employment and Family Support Services Expenditures - SFY 2006

TANF Expenditure Category Yearly Expenditures (in millions) Percent of Total Expenditures

HomeEnergyAssistanceProgram $70.3 22.1

EarlyLearningInitiative $61.6 19.3

HelpMeGrow $41.1 12.9

Training,EmploymentandWorkSupport $40.5 12.7

FamilyPreservation/AdoptionSupportServices $31.4 9.9

Short‑TermAssistance $27.7 8.7

TransportationAssistance $10.0 3.1

FamilyandYouthIntervention $7.5 2.4

SupplementalNutritionAssistance $5.5 1.7

SubstanceAbuseTreatmentandMentoring $5.2 1.6

Out‑of‑WedlockPregnancyPrevention $4.2 1.3

Before‑andAfter‑SchoolPrograms $3.4 1.1

YouthWorkforceDevelopment $2.7 0.8

DisasterAssistance $1.9 0.6

FamilyReunificationServices $1.7 0.5

KinshipCare/NavigatorServices $1.1 0.3

DomesticViolence $1.1 0.3

OtherWorkRelatedServices $0.7 0.2

KinshipPermanencyIncentive $0.5 0.2

Visitation/MediationServices $0.3 0.1

Total $318.4 100 1

1 Total percentage is rounded to equal 100%.Source: ODJFS TANF WRT Report

PreparedbyTheOhioDepartmentofJobandFamilyServices

OfficeofFamilyStabilityincooperationwiththeInstituteforLocalGovernmentAdministrationandRuralDevelopmentat

OhioUniversity’sVoinovichCenterforLeadershipandPublicAffairsFindthisreportonlineatwww.jfs.ohio.gov/0001infocenter.stm#reports/

Documents

OHIO - ODJFS Online