477 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families The 477 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) department is funded by the State of Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (under the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance). Services are primarily designed to assist low-income families with dependent children to become self-sufficient. The department provides case management, monthly cash assistance, supportive services, and other services to eligible families within Southeast Alaska (with the exception of Metlakatla which is located on the Annette Islands Reserve). Additionally, the TANF department provides adult-not-included benefits to families with a disabled parent or other non-needy caretaker relative. There are four main purposes that guide TANF’s day-to-day activities:
Káatdaa Jesse Parr Manager
“Helping families in need to achieve self-sufficiency while emphasizing work activities, education, responsibility and family stability."
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Provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives; End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work and marriage; Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
2020 Highlights Provided $2,808,817 in direct vendor payments and cash assistance to TANFeligible families while TANF staff primarily worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Partnered with Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority (THRHA) to provide joint trainings to low-income families in Southeast Alaska communities under the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Coordinated with the newly formed Tribal Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) for the usage of CARES Act funding to purchase and safely distribute over 2,000 Chromebooks and backpacks to children and youth to support virtual learning during the 2020-2021 school year. Juneau Tlingit & Haida Community Council, Mendenhall Mall, OfficeMax, Sealaska Heritage Institute, SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, THRHA, and nearly every department within the Tribe contributed to this project for a safe back-to-school supply distribution. Partnered with the Cultural Heritage & Education department to support and bolster educational services not available in the traditional school system. Provided supplement benefits to clients to encourage safe work activity participation during pandemic.
