This visual guide, developed in alignment with GAO recommendations, focuses on key TANF fraud risks organized by the type of individual potentially involved in committing fraud (e.g., beneficiary, agency employee, subrecipient, contractor) and outlines clear risk indicators, prevention strategies, and detection methods. The guide is designed to support TANF agencies in strengthening program integrity through a user-centered, accessible format that promotes transparency and accountability.

The entirety of the TANF Fraud Risk Management: Visual Resources for TANF Agencies can be accessed here: https://peerta.acf.hhs.gov/content/tanf-fraud-risk-management-visual-resources-tanf-agencies.

These visual guides support TANF agencies in proactively identifying, preventing, and mitigating fraud risks before they escalate to federal oversight. Grounded in the findings of GAO Report 25-107290, these resources address specific vulnerabilities in TANF fraud risk management and translate those insights into practical tools. By implementing these strategies, TANF agencies can strengthen program integrity, reduce inefficient spending, enhance accountability, and prevent the diversion of funds from their intended purpose, thereby upholding TANF’s core mission of assisting families in need.

This op-ed written by Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison outlines that current welfare policies focused on unconditional cash transfers are failing to lift low-income families out of poverty. Instead, he advocates for a welfare model that emphasizes work incentives, family stability, personal responsibility, and reduced dependency on government aid.

The pilot is authorized under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 and reflects the Administration’s commitment to reshaping welfare programs to encourage employment, personal responsibility, and strong, stable two-parent families. States were encouraged to propose alternative performance measures to the work participation rate that prioritize rapid employment outcomes, earnings progression, and reduced dependency on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and other welfare. 

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services selected Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, and Virginia to participate in the redesigned TANF pilot. These states were chosen from a strong applicant pool to develop models and metrics other states can replicate to help families achieve self-sufficiency. In addition to concretely tracking employment and earnings, pilot states will pursue the following strategies to reduce dependency:

• Arizona will engage directly with employers that have vacancies for in-demand, well-paying positions to directly connect TANF participants with quality, sustainable employment.
• Iowa will improve referral coordination across services, enhance the quality of information available to TANF participants through financial literacy and decision-making tools, and build partnerships with employers to create employment and matched savings opportunities.
• Nebraska, in partnership with community organizations, colleges, and businesses, will develop personalized pathways for TANF participants to strengthen connections to local jobs. Pathways will include referrals to Nebraska’s TANF-funded Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Initiative.
• Ohio will implement a personalized “well-being assessment” for TANF participants, which will include intensive case management services, financial literacy training, and support for counties to build community capacity.
• Virginia will establish Personalized Results Plans for TANF participants to build upon the success of the Career Pathway Pilot, which blends sector-based training, intensive case management, and employment engagement to support participants as they gain credentials in fields like health care and skilled trades.

The TANF pilot program officially launches on October 1, 2025.

As part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023, all states are required to submit the Secondary School Diploma or its Recognized Equivalent Attainment Rate report annually, with the first report due on November 14, 2027. This outcome measure is intended to assist federal and state policymakers to better understand the effectiveness of TANF programs in promoting successful education credential attainment. The outcome is defined as the percentage of applicable TANF recipients and exiters who, during the reporting period, attained a secondary school diploma or a recognized equivalent credential.

TANF agencies may opt to collect the data necessary for this report from their state education agency or longitudinal data system. This document contains a series of questions to begin a conversation with these data providers about the possible use of their data.

As part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023, all states are required to submit the Secondary School Diploma or its Recognized Equivalent Attainment Rate report annually, with the first report due on November 14, 2027. This outcome measure is intended to assist federal and state policymakers to better understand the effectiveness of TANF programs in promoting successful education credential attainment. States have some flexibility in determining the data sources used to create this report. However, when collecting or sharing school records, education organizations must adhere to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requirements and any additional state privacy laws.

This fact sheet provides an overview of FERPA, describes different options for collecting school records, and includes additional resources.

This webpage highlights the announcement of the new vision, mission, values, priorities, and guiding principles for the Administration of Children and Families. The webpage outlines the values and offers resources that highlight exemplary practices for each.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a 3-year extension of the form ACF-202: Caseload Reduction Report. There are substantive changes requested to the instructions and form. ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above, due October 14, 2025.

This notice outlines changes requested by ACF and the information they are requesting from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) agencies.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) requires states and territories to report secondary school attainment outcomes for TANF recipients. Although this information may be available from administrative data sources, some states or recipients may find it necessary to gather data through surveys. This resource offers helpful guidelines and tips to improve survey response rates.

Families that receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance are often in a state of crisis. They face immediate material needs, and these unmet basic needs put families at an increased risk for investigations in the child welfare system. Addressing unmet material needs among TANF participants, through providing concrete supports, can help prevent child maltreatment and ultimately keep children in their homes.

This tipsheet is intended for state, county, and Tribal TANF leaders who make program-level decisions about the types of resources and services that their programs offer to TANF participants.