Program Integrity Office Hours September 2026: Closing Long-Term Out-of-State EBT (CLOSE)
On August 6, 2026, the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance issued IM-26-02: Anti-fraud Best Practice—Closing Long-term Out-of-State EBT (CLOSE). OFA is recommending that states adopt the CLOSE process as a best practice for meeting an existing statutory obligation: ensuring Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds are spent only on eligible, resident families and are safeguarded against fraud, as required under PRWORA and Section 408(a) of the Social Security Act.
OFA will host an Office Hours session on September 15 at 2:00 p.m. ET to give TANF programs an opportunity to learn more about this recommended practice, including:
- An overview of the CLOSE process and its core components;
- A review of the foundational statute and existing policy behind it;
- Clarity on what is, and isn't, being asked of states;
- State examples of CLOSE-related practices already in place;
- Lessons learned and implementation considerations; and
- Facilitated peer exchange and discussion.
If you have questions related to this topic you would like addressed during the session, please email us at: starinfo@blhtech.com.