After the legislature passed the first increase for Mississippians enrolled in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, recipients will now see their benefits increase by $90 beginning today—three months ahead of the originally published timeline of July 2021.
With the increase, families of three will see their benefits increase from the current level of $170 per month to $260 per month. Additionally, retroactive TANF payments have been issued for the month of April to bring the total for the month up from $170 to $260.
“I’m very grateful to the Legislature and the Governor for approving and signing the bill authorizing this historic increase,” said Robert G. “Bob” Anderson, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. “Therefore, I felt it was critical to get this increase to the people who need it as quickly as possible.”
Prior to the passage of SB 2759, individual TANF disbursements in Mississippi had not seen an increase since 1999.
To be eligible for TANF, a family must have a dependent under the age of 18 and be residents of the state of Mississippi. The gross monthly income limit for a family of three is currently $680. Other requirements for TANF assistance include:
- Cooperation with Child Support is a requirement of receiving TANF benefits.
- Cooperation with the TANF Work Program (TWP) is a requirement of receiving TANF unless the adult in the family meets an exemption.
- Registering with Mississippi Works and completion of the Substance Abuse Screening Inventory are required for TANF application approval.
- TANF benefits and TANF Work Program Supportive Service payments are issued to a Mississippi Debit MasterCard® Card. Paper checks are not issued.
To apply for TANF, you must submit a TANF application to the Department of Human Services office in the county where you live. The application is available online or you may request an application by phone, in person, or by mail from the county office.
For more information on the TANF program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, visit https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/economic-assistance/tanf/.
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