New Jersey is establishing a food bank benefit consisting of a three day supply of groceries with TANF funds for families whose income is below 250% of the State's poverty level. Their concerns are that the benefit not be considered assistance, and that monitoring of usage to preclude recurrent use will present an administrative burden that will discourage contractors from joining the program. The non-recurrent, short-term benefit exclusion to the definition of assistance requires that the benefit is not intended to meet recurrent needs. This implies that a State should monitor usage. We are advising the State that they could develop guidelines recommending notification to the appropriate State agency if the contractor notices that the family is using the food bank on an on-going basis. The State has requested to know what practices other states have developed to define, monitor and resolve recurrent usage of food bank benefits that are classified as non-assistance. Please provide the names of states with such food bank programs, a State contact person, and a brief description of how recurrent usage is defined, monitored and resolved. Results of survey will be provided.

A representative from ASPE would like to identify any States that have developed statute procedures or written policies for reducing or suspending state child support debt when parents marry or re-marry. Washington and Vermont have taken steps to help parents who marry or re-marry handle any state child support debt that might have accumulated while they were not living together.

A representative from the Nevada Office of Community Services would like to know how other State TANF Agencies are serving individuals with disabilities.

• What criteria are the states using to define -disability- or incapacity?
• What are the implications for such a determination?
• How do they screen for disabled individuals?
• What assessments are the States doing?
• Who is doing the assessments?
• A name of a Contact person and phone number would be helpful.

In what ways are State using volunteers to serve clients?

What States have an easy to use on-line Policy and Procedures Manual? Is it a main frame system, internet or other?

What States pass-through child support funds directly to the family? Please describe the process and the amount of the passthrough.

Do you know of states that have developed data sharing agreements with Workforce Investment Boards, and/or are exercising their ability to share certain NCP data, per the "Welfare-to-Work and Child Support Amendments of 1999" (PL. 106-113)?

What is the average (target) caseload size for staff overseeing the work activities? Please also describe the rationale for determining the caseload size.

A family is comprised of a mother, who is the head of household (but is not eligible for TANF assistance because she is receiving SSI), her live-in boyfriend (to whom she is not married), and their child in common. Do the months for which this family receives assistance count towards the time limit?

What are States doing to promote/support the institution of marriage? Please provide information on supportive services, such as marriage counseling, courses of instruction, paring older couples with younger couples, and money management.