Tribal TANF (TTANF)

Nevada has its first Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF) program

• TTANF Service Area
• TTANF Eligible Population
• TTANF Approach-Important Aspects

When Congress amended the Social Security Act in 1996 and replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program by enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act federally recognized tribes were provided an opportunity to administer and operate a Tribal TANF program separate from State TANF.

In late 2001, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, headquartered in Gardnerville, with land jurisdictions in Carson City and Douglas counties, served notice to federal authorities of their intent to operate a Tribal TANF program (implementing Phase III of their approved and operating Tribal TANF program with Northern California counties) in Nevada. The Tribe became the first to express interest in administering its own Tribal TANF program.

In a meeting held September 1, 2005, the Division and Tribe reached mutual agreement on the base amount of funding that will be reduced from the State’s TANF Block Grant to fund the Tribe’s Tribal Family Assistance Grant (TFAG).

With approval of the Tribe’s FAG effective November 1, 2005, the State’s TANF block grant will be reduced an amount less one month in FFY 2006. In FFY 2007 and each year thereafter, the State’s grant will be reduced by the full amount agreed upon.

Further administrative arrangements, agreements, and information exchanges are being considered culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the parties.

TTANF Service Area

The Tribe will operate and provide Tribal TANF program assistance to eligible Washoe Tribal members or descendants of Washoe Tribal members and their families residing within its tribal reservation and colony jurisdictions of Dresslerville, Carson Colony, and Stewart Communities, and near reservation areas of Douglas County and the County of Carson City.

TTANF Eligible Population

The Tribe’s service area population will include eligible enrolled Washoe Tribal member families residing in the approved areas. There will be a caseload transition of eligible tribal TANF recipients, currently participating in the State’s TANF program, to the Washoe Tribe’s TTANF program, if they so desire.

TTANF Approach-Important Aspects

• • TTANF assistance is defined by the Tribe’s approved Plan which is separate and apart from Nevada’s TANF State Plan.
  • Participation in the Tribal TANF program is an option of eligible Tribal TANF recipient/ members.
  • Eligible families cannot receive State and Tribal TANF simultaneously.
  • An eligible Tribal TANF recipient may choose to return to State TANF, depending upon meeting program eligibility requirements at the time.
  • Eligible Tribal TANF recipients’ case status will continue in the Division’s client data base system with respect to Child Care, Medicaid, Child Support, Food Stamps, and/or Energy Assistance. Changes in this process may be further defined in agreements established between the Tribe and the Division.
  • Balance of remaining federal 60-month time limits will transition with each eligible Washoe Tribal TANF recipient.

We stand with the Tribe and applaud the efforts and commitment that each group put forth to achieve the establishment of the first Tribal TANF Program in Nevada.

We look forward to a continued working relationship with the Tribe and pledge our support, cooperation and assistance in whatever way needed to ensure the successful operation of the Tribe’s TANF Program for eligible Washoe Tribal families.