50 States: TANF Block Grant, Cash Assistance for Needy Families - Essay Sample

Introduction

The 50 states of the United States of America and the District of Columbia have the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant to fund the cash assistance packages for the needy families with children. Such cash assistance gets aimed at financing the essential services necessary for daily living hence raising the standards of living. The federal government and the states have designated roles to play for a successful TANF implementation (Falk, 2014). For instance, while the federal government rules describe the persons eligible for the grant, the states have the discretion to determine the eligibility criteria as well as the amounts of the cash benefits each beneficiary receives. As such, some differences arise among the states and the federal terms. The paper focusses on the TANF programs in the states of New Jersey and New York and compares them to the federal rules.

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To begin with, the maximum monthly benefit for a family of three with no income is $424 and $770 in New Jersey and New York, respectively, and nil by the federal government. These figures give the limit for the amounts that each beneficiary family can obtain from TANF. Next, the maximum monthly earnings to gain eligibility offer the value of the income that can make a family be considered as needy hence enrolled in the program. While the federal government has no limit to such earnings, the state of New Jersey has $635 while that of New York has $859. Further, the TANF to poverty ratio represents the percentage of the low-income families that are beneficiaries of TANF (Falk, 2014). The state of New Jersey has 39.9%, while that of New York has 54.0% ratings on this account. Lastly, the share of TANF spending on basic assistance rating indicates the fraction of the combined TANF and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that TANF accounts for. For this parameter, the state of New Jersey has 26.6%, while that of New York has 48.4%.

From the figures mentioned above, it can get concluded that the TANF program is more generous in New York than in New Jersey. Although the maximum earning limit to be eligible for TANF is higher in New York than New Jersey, a more significant percentage of the poor people in New York are beneficiaries of the grant. Besides, the maximum TANF benefit amount that a beneficiary can obtain is higher in New York than in New Jersey. Notably, such differences have specific clear, distinct impacts on the lives of low-income families in the states. For instance, the low-income family in New York might afford additional essential services than the ones in New Jersey because of the higher TANF coverage in the state as well as the maximum amount of benefit possible (Falk, 2014). Finally, the differences also distinguish the states in terms of their values, ideologies, and perspectives. The states are considerate about the welfare of their more impoverished populations in terms of access to services and meeting their basic needs.

In summary, the TANF program gives needy families a great reprieve. Therefore, both the federal and the state governments should make deliberate efforts towards strengthening it. Recommendations like the aligning of the maximum TANF benefit amount to the state inflation rates of the time and additional investment towards the assistance of the senior members of the needy families gain stable employments should get considered. Such will not only enable families to meet their needs adequately but also get employment hence supporting themselves to ensure the program's sustainability.

Reference

Falk, G. (2014). Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State TANF Cash assistance Programs. Congressional Research Service.