A nonresident who meets all other eligibility conditions may be eligible for temporary assistance if they:
Plans to return to their home state or travel to another state to establish residence.
Have a definite plan for self-support in that state.
NOTE: The CAO must not authorize a payment for a person to return to Pennsylvania from another state.
Meet the requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) other than state residence.
The CAO must determine the details of the plan. Self-support includes any resource the individual has to meet their needs, such as income from employment, assistance from agencies in the other state, or income from friends or relatives.
To help process applications from homeless individuals efficiently, the CAO must appoint a staff member to assist a homeless nonresident who wishes to return to their home state or another state meeting the self-support plan requirement.
If the individual can provide enough information about their plan for self-support, the CAO must authorize an OTI to enable the person to reach their destination. The grant includes the minimum cost of transportation for private auto, or the minimum cost of public transportation.
The grant also includes $2 per person per day for food for the travel days plus one day after arrival. If overnight travel is necessary, lodging costs may be authorized. See Chapter 138.3 Special Items Allowances for maximum allowances for lodging. The following OTI codes are used for data entry:
| 232—Private Auto 233—Public Transit 234—Taxi 235—Paratransit 236—Lodging 237—Meals |
If further verification of the self-support plan is needed, the CAO must do the following:
Promptly contact the appropriate parties in the other state for verification.
If all other eligibility requirements are met, authorize an OTI for seven days or less, as was requested, to meet the budget group's needs while the details are being verified.
NOTE: The budget group must receive a prorated payment based on the county’s monthly allowance for the budget group.
Example: The Murphy family was referred to the Dauphin CAO by the Salvation Army. The family left their home state of Oklahoma to find work in New York. Work was not available. Mrs. Murphy became ill, and they decided to return home. Their car broke down as they were traveling through Pennsylvania. On July 10, Mr. Murphy, his wife and his two children ask for assistance from the Dauphin CAO to return home. He reports no income and no resources remaining after repair of the car. The CAO will not be able to get necessary proof from Oklahoma and New York for several days.
The CAO authorizes an OTI for seven days in the amount of $114.30 (FSA for four = $248.50 semimonthly, prorated for seven days). On July 15, the CAO verifies that the Murphy family received no benefits from either New York or Oklahoma and that Mrs. Murphy's family will provide support until her husband finds employment. The CAO authorizes a grant to cover the cost of mileage, one night's lodging, and food for three days.
Updated October 29, 2024; replacing September 21, 2012