Library: Policy
340:10-22-1. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Supported Permanency Program
Revised 9-15-20
(a) Scope.The TANF SPP was developed to promote permanency for a child(ren) who is in the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) and placed with a relative(s) residing in Oklahoma, who is a paid kinship relative foster home. • 1The SPP is considered appropriate when the:
(1) child meets age requirements described on Schedule XVII of DHS Appendix C-1, Maximum Income, Resource, and Payment Standards, or has a sibling residing in the same relative foster home who meets age requirements;
(2) child(ren) in DHS custody is placed in a paid kinship foster home with a relative(s), who resides in Oklahoma and meets the specified degree of relationship, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) OAC 340:10-9-1;
(3) court finds that guardianship is the permanency plan for the child(ren);
(4) child(ren) currently resides with the relative(s) in Oklahoma and resided with the relative(s) four of the last six months;
(5) relative(s) completed all requirements to be approved as a DHS foster care home;
(6) relative(s) is willing to assume legal responsibility for the child(ren); and • 2
(7) court and, when appropriate, the child(ren), are in agreement with the plan for the relative(s) to obtain legal responsibility for the child(ren).
(b) Eligibility. • 3 Once the Child Welfare Services (CWS) specialist determines that a referral to the TANF SPP is appropriate, per (a)(1) of this Section and the transfer of legal responsibility is approved by the court, the CWS specialist refers the relative to apply for TANF SPP at the local county office within five-business days of the relative obtaining legal responsibility for the child(ren) using Form 04PP006E, Supported Permanency Referral. • 4 When the child(ren) is approved for the TANF SPP benefit, he or she is eligible for SoonerCare (Medicaid) and child care benefits, when appropriate.
(1) The child(ren)'s income is considered the same as it is for any other TANF eligible child. • 5
(2) Food benefit eligibility is dependent on the eligibility of the household.
(3) The Adult and Family Services (AFS) worker reduces the TANF SPP benefit when the child(ren) fails to meet the school attendance requirement, per OAC 340:10-13-1 or the immunization requirement, per OAC 340:10-14-1. • 6
(4) When the child(ren) leaves the home to reside elsewhere, the AFS worker closes the TANF SPP benefit for the child(ren).
(5) When, following closure, the child(ren) returns to the relative's home, the child(ren) may be eligible for TANF cash assistance but not for the TANF SPP benefit.
Revised 9-15-20
1.Refer to Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:75-6-31.4 for information regarding legal guardianships and Child Welfare Services (CWS) procedures regarding the Supported Permanency Program (SPP).
2.The transfer of legal responsibility can be completed, per OAC 340:75-6-31.4 through a:
(1) permanent care and custody transfer in a juvenile proceeding;
(2) custody transfer to a kinship guardian; or
(3) guardianship.
3.Supportive service funds described in OAC 340:10-18 are not available for child(ren) receiving SPP.
4.(a) Form 04PP006E, Supported Permanency Referral, must have the copy of the legal responsibility order and the email authorization from the CWS Permanency Planning Program Unit attached.The date legal responsibility is awarded is considered the date of application for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
(1) The Adult and Family Services (AFS) worker must contact the relative(s) within five-business days of receiving Form 04PP006E.
(2) The CW specialist advises the relative(s) to contact the AFS worker within 10-business days of the relative(s) obtaining legal responsibility when the AFS worker has not made personal contact.
(b) The AFS worker processes the TANF SPP application the same as any other "child only" case.However, the benefit amount is determined, per Oklahoma Department of Human Services Appendix C-1, Maximum Income, Resource, and Payment Standards, Schedule XVII.
(1) To identify a child receiving SPP, a "CK" benefit type is used in the Benefit Type block located on the Household tab of Family Assistance/Client Services (FACS).
(2) The Information Management System (IMS) transaction F17K is used to issue retroactive or supplemental payments. To access the F17K transaction, enter F17K space case number.
(c) The age of the child(ren) determines the amount of the cash benefit.County Worker Activity (CWA) 14 notifies the worker when the child(ren) turns 5 years 10 months and 12 years 10 months.The worker must make a change on the Financial Assistance tab of FACS on or after the day the child(ren) turns age 6 or 13 years of age for the benefit amount to recalculate correctly.When the child's birthday falls after regular roll, the change is made for the next effective date and the F17K transaction is used to issue a supplemental payment.
5.Refer to OAC 340:10-3-26for general provisions regarding income.
6.Refer to OAC 340:10-3-57(g) regarding benefit reductions due to a program violation.
