Each person must provide the CAO information for use in deciding which category the person qualifies for in the Cash Assistance program.
A person may receive assistance in only one Cash Assistance program at a time, except for LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program). A person may receive LIHEAP along with another program.
Emergency Shelter Allowances (ESA) may also be received with another cash assistance category.
It’s important to decide the category correctly. Treat income and resources by category.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This category is for children, certain relatives and pregnant women. To qualify, the children must live with a specified relative and be deprived of support or care because of the:
Absence of one or both parents.
Incapacity of a parent.
Death of a parent.
Unemployment of a parent, as described in Cash Assistance Handbook, Section 129.4.
The category symbol is C unless the deprivation is due to an unemployed parent or parents and neither parent is disabled (code U). To qualify, a family cannot include an adult who has received 60 months of TANF cash assistance.
NOTE: A family does not include a specified relative who is not included in the TANF mandatory filing unit and who wants TANF only for the minor child.
Extended TANF (E-TANF). This category is for families or pregnant women who would qualify for TANF, except for the time limits. Use the C and U category symbols. Use program status code 08 for families that qualify for Extended TANF unless the family qualifies because of domestic violence (code 09). There are no time limits for Extended TANF. See Cash Assistance Handbook, Section 135.8.
Refugee Assistance. These benefits are for refugees who enter the United States under a specific resettlement program. Refugee Assistance is time-limited. Benefits are paid under the applicable category. Use program status code 02 to identify these benefits.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This program pays some heating costs. Payment is made either to the vendor or in some cases to the person.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These benefits are for aged, blind or disabled persons who meet certain requirements. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers SSI. The Department of Human Services (DHS) supplements the benefit through the State Supplementary Payment program. See Supplemental Handbook Chapter 720, State Supplementary Payment. DHS provides Medicaid benefits for SSI recipients. The category symbols are: A for Aged, J for Disabled and M for Blind.
State Blind Pension (SBP). This category is for persons who meet vision and other eligibility requirements. The category symbol is B.
The CAO decides the category based on the person’s situation. First, decide if the person meets the conditions for a Federal category.
General Assistance (GA). This category was formerly used for persons who do not meet TANF cash assistance requirements. Act 2019-12 revised the Human Services Code to eliminate the GA cash assistance program effective August 1, 2019. See Archived CAH 106, 2019.
A person who qualifies for both TANF (including Extended TANF) and SSI may choose which benefit he wants to receive. He may not receive TANF and SSI at the same time.
Reminder: A person who is unable to engage in any gainful employment because of a disability must apply for SSI as a condition of eligibility unless the disability is expected to be temporary. A person with a disability which is permanent or expected to last for at least 12 months must apply for SSI/SSDI and should be referred to the Disability Advocacy Program (DAP); see Supplemental Handbook Chapter 820, Disability Advocacy Program.
55 Pa. Code § 183.13(a) & 55 Pa. Code § 141.21(n)
Revised June 21, 2024, replacing November 2, 2018