PALawHelp.org

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Legal Information

This section of PALawHelp.org has information and resources about issues relating to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families in Pennsylvania.

• COMPASS - Apply for Public Benefits and Services from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

  Pennsylvania residents can apply for a variety of programs offered by the PA Department of Human Services, including public assistance, food stamps, health care coverage, energy assistance and other social service programs at this site Content Detail

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  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Application for Social Services (COMPASS)

• Agreement of Mutual Responsibility

  Information from Northwestern Legal Services on the Agreement of Mutual Responsibility (AMR). How you can make your AMR work for you, defining goals, and what to do if your caseworker does not agree with your AMR. Read More

  By:

  Northwestern Legal Services

• A Guide to Public Benefits

  Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. provides this guide to some programs that are funded by the government to provide help to individuals and families during times of need. Read More

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  Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc.

• Benefits Available from the Welfare Office for Low Income Persons

  A Summary of Benefits available through your County Assistance Office from Neighborhood Legal Services Association. Content Detail

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  Neighborhood Legal Services Association

• Benefits.gov

  Benefits.gov is a free, online confidential tool that helps you find government benefits you may be eligible to receive. Content Detail

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  Benefits.gov, a partnership of many Federal agencies and organizations

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Cash Assistance

  Information on Cash Assistance programs administered by the PA Department of Human Services. Content Detail

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  Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

• Cash Assistance - What You Need to Know

  Information from Northwestern Legal Services regarding cash assistance and important information you should be aware of such as time limits, work requirements, special rules, and income and resource rules. Read More

  By:

  Northwestern Legal Services

• Child Care Works Subsidized Child Care Program

  Information from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services about Child Care Works, Pennsylvania's plan for improving the quality and increasing the availability of safe, affordable child care for Pennsylvania's working families. Content Detail

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  Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

• Different Doors for Child Care Subsidies

  Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works program provides child care subsidies through three different programs. This is information from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia on child care eligibility for people under the various programs that fit different sets of circumstances. Read More

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  Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

• How to Appeal a Welfare Decision

  Information from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia for public benefit recipients on how to appeal decisions made by the Department of Public Welfare regarding their benefits. Read More

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  Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

• How to Get Child Care and Other Supportive Services When Your Family Gets Food Stamps, But Not Cash

  Families that get SNAP (food stamps), but not cash assistance ("SNAP-only" households) can get many of same special allowances for supportive services (SPALs) to attend school or job skills training that cash assistance families get. This fact sheet from the Community Justice Project contains information on obtaining supportive services from the County Assistance Office if your household only receives Food Stamp Benefits Read More

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  Community Justice Project

• Impact of Criminal Record on Public Benefits in Pennsylvania

  Chart from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia outlining the effect on the eligibility for public benefits for people with criminal records. Read More

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  Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

• Limited Income? Ideas for Stretching Your Dollars

  This packet from Northwestern Legal Services provides many ideas to northwestern PA residents on how to stretch your limited dollars, focusing on 8 areas of your life: Food, Clothing, Housing, Utilities, Money, Medical, Education, and Children. [PDF] Content Detail

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  Northwestern Legal Services

• Public Benefits in PA (Audio-MP3) audio

  Episode of Northwestern Legal Services' "Access to Justice" Radio show broadcast on JET 1400 AM in Erie, PA on 8/9/07. Information on Pennsylvania Public Benefits, including General Assistance, Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) and Food stamps. (20:34) Read More

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  Northwestern Legal Services

• Qualifying for TANF (Audio-MP3) audio

  6/2/2008: Northwestern Legal Services provides information about qualifying requirements of Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) benefits in Pennsylvania, an overview of citizenship and non-citizenship requirements, how the benefits are processed, and time limitation periods that apply. Audio recording with written transcript. Read More

  By:

  Northwestern Legal Services

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

  Russian / Pусский