2243 Hardship Status - There is a twenty-four-month time limit to receive TANF assistance. If all TANF adults do not meet a hardship criterion, the case is to close at the end of the 24th month. To engage in client driven services sooner, hardship status is to be determined by the 12th month of TANF assistance or as it becomes known to the agency. This hardship status, which allows families to receive TANF assistance beyond the twenty-four-month time limit, is to be granted when all adult TANF recipients meet one or more of the following criteria.
NOTE: Cases which have closed after reaching the 24-month
time limit (either in Kansas or another state) can regain eligibility if they meet a hardship criterion in 1 through 4. Hardships may extend eligibility for TANF assistance to 36 months. Verification of a hardship (1 – 4) is required when reopening a case after the 24-month time limit has been reached.
Hardships may extend eligibility for TANF assistance to 36 months.
If at any time an open TANF household loses hardships 1 through 4, they may be eligible for hardship number 5.
2243.1 Non-Cooperation with Work Programs When in Hardship Status - For individuals who meet hardship status 1 - 5 and the recipient is not cooperating with Work Programs, the following applies:
TANF eligibility for the entire TANF family will cease, giving timely and adequate notice, when a non-exempt adult recipient is no longer cooperating with Work Programs and does not meet good cause. As the family is over 24- months, there is no future eligibility once the case has been closed. In addition to notifying the recipient of non-cooperation, the recipient is also to be notified that the life-time limit has expired. However, should the agency fail to specifically mention the life-time limit expiration at time of closure, eligibility cannot be re-established based upon this omission.
See also Section 3500 for work non-cooperation issues.
2243.2 Non-Cooperation
with Child Support When in Hardship Status - For individuals
in hardship status 1 - 5 who receive a penalty for failing to cooperate
with child support enforcement, the following applies:
TANF eligibility for the entire TANF family will cease, giving timely and
adequate notice, when a non-exempt adult recipient is no longer cooperating
with CSS and does not meet good cause. If the family is over 24- months,
there is no future eligibility once the case has been closed. In addition
to notifying the recipient of non-cooperation, the recipient is also to
be notified that the life-time limit has expired. However, should the
agency fail to specifically mention the life-time limit expiration at
time of closure, eligibility cannot be re-established based upon this
omission.
See also Section 3500 for work non-cooperation
issues.