menominee indian tribe of wisconsin community resource center

Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) - Services Overview

The Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides assistance to families. The Menominee Tribe has five main goals they plan to achieve through the Tribal TANF: To reduce the overall costs of public assistance by promoting work as a means of family support. To promote individual employability of TANF recipients through close collaboration and coordination between the TANF program, Job Training, the Education Department and other programs and services that the Tribe operates. To reduce generational dependency on public assistance through the development and awareness of work ethics and the value to individual families, their children and to the community. To decrease specific barriers to employment such as drug and alcohol dependence by establishing drug testing as one of the necessary eligibility requirements for TANF benefits. Promote self-esteem, independence and self sufficiency. Tribal TANF was applied for in March 2004; the Tribe submitted it's plan and received the approval through a federal award. The Tribal TANF Program began immediately setting up infrastructure, writing policies, procedures, hiring staff and of course renovating office space. The TANF program began immediately focusing on moving needy families to work and self-sufficiency, and on ensuring that welfare is a time limited transitional experience and began accepting applications on October 1, 2004. The proposed services area includes all TANF eligible residents of all races in the largely co-terminus Menominee County and Menominee Reservation, and additional Menominee trust lands in Shawano County referred to as "Middle Village". Because the Reservation and County lands are commingled within the boundaries established by Treaty in 1856 as "Menominee Reservation" and further, because of the eligible population is largely enrolled Menominee, Menominee descendants, or non-Native parents of Menominee children, we find it appropriate to serve the entire population within the stated boundaries. To be eligible for a TANF grant, an individual must sign an application; provide verification requested by the TANF program; negotiate and sign a Personal Responsibility Contract; begin work activities; and meet all other personal responsibility and financial criteria. In addition, Tribal TANF program applicants, recipients, members of the family must have established residency in the State of Wisconsin and specifically reside on the Menominee County/ Reservation service area. This means the family is present in the service area and intends to remain here.

Eligible Individuals include:   An Eligible Family is considered as: Children Children under the age of eighteen must be attending school, per the Menominee Tribal Ordinance 81-29 to be eli bible. Children must reside with a parent who exercises care and control of them. A child can be the only member of the family eligible receiving TANF benefits. Parents Parents who have an eligible or adopted child residing with them may be eligible. Pregnant Women Working pregnant women can be eligible if they do not exceed financial eligibility standards. A pregnant woman who is in her last trimester of pregnancy and is unable to work due to medical reasons my be eligible. Caretaker Relative Adult specified relative other than parents who have an eligible related child residing with them and who are responsible for the child's care may be eligible. Only one child in the family must be related to one of the following specified relatives; brother, sister, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, first cousin and persons of proceeding generations denoted by the prefixes of grand or great.   A family is an eligible individual or group of eligible individuals living in a common residence, whose income and resources are considered in determining eligibility and grant amount and who may be included in the family size. Married spouses living together with dependants in a common residence are considered as family. Adult relatives who reside together in a common residence are considered as separate families. Unrelated families living in a common residence are considered separate families. No individual may be eligible for benefits as a member of more then one family in the same month.

Eligibility will be determined after a review of all available resources (income, possessions, etc.). TANF case workers have 30 days to determine eligibility. Eligibility for TANF benefits are proposed to be set at 185% of poverty, as determined by the size of household.