Temporary Family Assistance (TFA)

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Temporary Family Assistance (TFA)


Program Overview


The Temporary Family Assistance Program (TFA) provides monthly cash and job assistance to eligible families in Connecticut to support basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. The program provides help to families with minor children or pregnant women so they can meet their basic needs and maintain their independence.

 

 

Read More About TFA

 

mother and son

TFA benefits are provided through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that is used like an ATM card. Benefits can also be directly deposited into a bank account.

For families with an adult who can work, there is a 21-month time limit for receiving TFA help in Connecticut. Families without an adult who can work do not have to meet the time limit if they qualify for an exemption. There is also the option to apply for extensions. Recipients cannot receive more than 60 months of TFA in a lifetime, including benefits received from other states. Eligibility is based on income and assets. Recipients of TFA are allowed to work and receive benefits at the same time if their income remains below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

All employable adults must participate in Jobs First Employment Services (JFES). JFES is a job skills program through the Department of Labor. It helps TFA recipients work towards employment and self-sufficiency. During the first JFES appointment, the JFES case manager provides recipients with an individualized employment plan. The employment plan may include job search assistance, job skills training and education, and other services like transportation and childcare assistance.


Eligibility


To be eligible for TFA, you must must live in Connecticut, have very little or no income, and be supporting a child or children. In some cases, a pregnant woman may qualify if she has no other means of support and meets other eligibility factors. 

 

Who is eligible?

  • Families with dependent children up to age 18.
  • Families with dependent children who are 18 years of age if the child is a full-time student in high school or vocational school.
  • A child or children in the household who live with a related adult or an adult who has filed for guardianship through probate court. Many TFA-eligible households are grandparents that have established a relationship to the minor child(ren).


Other requirements: 

 

  • Applicants must be citizens or qualified non-citizens.
  • Adult recipients who can work must participate in Jobs First Employment Services activities through the Department of Labor.
  • Custodial parents must provide information to help in collecting child support from a parent who is not living in the home.

 

Income limits: 

 

  • Income limits are very low and change every year based on the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Eligibility for TFA is set at 55% of the FPL.
  • Income from a non-parent relative or guardian does not count when the relative or guardian does not receive TFA for themselves. This applies when grandparents are caring for grandchildren.
  • Active TFA-eligible households can earn up to the FPL and remain eligible.

 

Asset limit:

  • The household asset limit is $3,000.
  • One vehicle is excluded if the total value, minus any payments owed, is under $9,500. If the vehicle is used to transport a household member with a disability it does not count as an asset.
  • The value of all other vehicles after the first vehicle counts toward the $3,000 asset limit.
  • The value of home property for the primary residence is not counted.
  • Assets of a non-parent relative or guardian are not counted when the relative or guardian does not receive TFA for themselves.

Documents and Information You Need to Apply


TFA applications require an interview over the phone. The purpose of the interview is to review, discuss, and explain all information listed on the application. Staff members will also explain the program rules and requirements and answer any of the applicant’s questions.

A service needs assessment interview will also need to be conducted with each employable adult in order to enroll them into the JFES program.

 

You may be asked to provide the following: 

  • Proof of identity (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
  • Social security numbers for everyone in your household applying for TFA
  • Proof of gross wages, before taxes are subtracted, for anyone in your household who works (pay stubs, letter from employer, etc.)
  • Income tax documents if anyone is self-employed
  • Proof of other income (pension, VA benefits, child support paid directly to you)
  • Proof of assets (bank accounts, stocks, bonds, real property, vehicle loans, etc.)
  • Proof of shelter costs and any housing subsidies (lease, section 8 or housing letter, rent receipt, etc.)
  • Proof of citizenship or non-citizen status.
  • Proof of relationship between household members (birth certificates, probate court documents, guardianship, etc.)
  • Information about child support owed from a parent who is not living in the home
  • Medical statement from a medical provider if a medical exemption is requested
 
How to Apply

Need Help?

 

DSS field offices are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays). The DSS Client Information Line & Benefits Center phone line can be reached by calling 1-855-6-CONNECT (1-855-626-6632). Phones are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 


Need Help or an Accommodation?

Visit a DSS field office where a worker can help you fill out forms, get documentation, make medical appointments, and get medical documentation to prove a disability. 

People who are deaf or hard of hearing and have a TDD/TTY device can contact DSS at 1-800-842-4524.  

Persons who are blind or visually impaired can contact DSS at 1-860-424-5040.

Locations 


DSS field offices are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 8-4:30 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays). 

See a full list of DSS field offices here.

 

Learn More About Applying for TFA

 

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