12/08/2023
Action Memo
Summary
- This memo provides information to the FCRCs on TANF Crisis Assistance and to introduce new functionality for processing Crisis Assistance requests in IES.
- Crisis Assistance may be provided to a family receiving or determined eligible to receive TANF who also demonstrates an immediate need under certain circumstances. Crisis circumstances include fire, flood or other natural disaster, eviction, or court order to leave house, domestic and/or sexual violence, lost or stolen cash.
- Workers are reminded of the availability of Crisis Assistance to active TANF families and to individuals determined eligible to receive TANF assistance. Crisis Assistance provides, but is not limited to, rent, food, clothing, household supplies, and essential household furnishings.
- Although stolen EBT TANF benefits are not authorized for replacement at this time, Crisis Assistance does cover food or needed clothing because of lost or stolen cash.
- The Crisis Assistance - Details page continues to be available in the driver flow when caseworkers answer "Yes" to the question, "Is the Family currently in need of crisis assistance?"
- The IES driver flow was modified to allow crisis information to be entered while processing the TANF application in data collection. Once the TANF is certified, the Crisis Assistance issuance screen will be queued to process the Crisis Assistance request.
- A new Crisis Assistance module is available through Left Hand Navigation - Benefit Issuance - Crisis Assistance.
- The Crisis Assistance module will allow caseworkers to process Crisis Assistance requests for active TANF EDGs without going through data collection. Prior to implementation of the new module, IES would only allow approval of Crisis Assistance during initial application. Additional Crisis Assistance requests had to be processed through the Exception Processing Unit (EPU) which is no longer necessary.
- An IES Wizard has been created that explains how to record a request for TANF crisis assistance: Record a Crisis Assistance Request.
This memo provides information to the FCRCs concerning TANF Crisis Assistance and the Crisis Assistance functionality in IES. Crisis Assistance is limited to families eligible for TANF cash assistance. Crisis Assistance can be requested by customers at the time of a TANF application and during the customer's TANF certification period. Previously, IES would only allow a Crisis Assistance request to be processed during intake and would not create a Crisis Assistance issuance for an already approved TANF household. IES has now been modified to correct this issue.
TANF Crisis Assistance
Crisis Assistance may be provided to a family receiving or determined eligible to receive TANF who also demonstrates an immediate need under certain circumstances. Crisis circumstances include fire, flood or other natural disaster, eviction, or court order to leave house, domestic and/or sexual violence, lost or stolen cash PM 06-03-01.
Workers are reminded of the availability of Crisis Assistance to active TANF families and to individuals determined eligible to receive TANF cash assistance. Crisis Assistance provides, but is not limited to, rent, food, clothing, household supplies, and essential household furnishings.
Although stolen EBT TANF benefits are not authorized for replacement at this time, Crisis Assistance does cover food or needed clothing because of lost or stolen cash.
TANF Crisis Assistance IES
The Crisis Assistance - Details page continues to be available in the driver flow when caseworkers answer "Yes" to the question, "Is the Family currently in need of crisis assistance?"
When a Crisis Assistance request is received with a TANF application, modifications made to the driver flow will allow the crisis circumstance to be entered while processing the application through data collection. The Crisis Assistance issuance screen will be queued in the flow once the application is certified to process the Crisis Assistance request. If a family meets both TANF and Crisis Assistance eligibility requirements at application, IES will approve the TANF without a 30-day wait WAG 06-03-01-a.
IES has been modified to allow for a Crisis Assistance issuance to be generated for an approved TANF household. A new Crisis Assistance module is available in Left Hand Navigation under "Benefit Issuance", "Crisis Assistance". This module will allow a caseworker to process a request for Crisis Assistance for an already approved TANF household without going through data collection. The Crisis Assistance module will allow caseworkers to process crisis assistance requests for active TANF EDGs without going through data collection. Prior to implementation of the new module, IES would only allow approval of Crisis Assistance during initial application. Additional crisis assistance requests had to be processed through the Exception Processing Unit (EPU) which is no longer necessary.
An IES Wizard has been created that explains how to record a request for TANF crisis assistance: Record a Crisis Assistance Request.
signed copy on file]
Dulce M. Quintero
Secretary - Designate Illinois Department of Human Services
