Oklahoma Statutes
Title 56. Poor Persons
§56-230.52. Minimum mandatory requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program - Information management - Implementation guidelines - List of recipients - Grant diversion program and emergency assistance services authorized.

A. Except for specific exceptions, conditions or restrictions authorized by the Statewide Temporary Assistance Responsibility System (STARS) and rules promulgated by the Commission for Human Services pursuant thereto, the following are the minimum mandatory requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program:

1. A recipient shall be eligible to receive assistance pursuant to the TANF program only for a lifetime total of five (5) years, subject to the exemptions allowed by federal law. Child-only cases are not subject to the five-year limitation;
2. Single parents receiving temporary assistance pursuant to the TANF program shall participate in work activities for a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week during the month. Two-parent families receiving temporary assistance pursuant to the TANF program shall participate in work activities for a minimum of thirty-five (35) hours per week during the month;
3. A recipient must be engaged in one or more of the work activities set out in paragraph 4 of this subsection as soon as required by the Department of Human Services pursuant to the TANF program, but not later than twenty-four (24) months after certification of the application for assistance, unless the person is exempt from work requirements under rules promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the STARS;
4. The Department shall develop and describe categories of approved work activities for the TANF program recipients in accordance with this paragraph. Work activities that qualify in meeting the requirements include, but are not limited to:
5. Single, custodial parents with a child up to one (1) year of age may be exempt from work activities for a lifetime total exemption of twelve (12) months;
6. In order to receive assistance, unmarried teen parents of a minor child at least twelve (12) weeks of age must participate in educational activities or work activities approved by the state;
7. For single-parent families, except for teen parents, educational activities, other than vocational-technical training, do not count toward meeting the required twenty (20) hours of work activity. For two-parent families, educational activities, except vocational-technical training, do not count toward meeting the required thirty-five (35) hours of work activity;
8. A teen parent must live at home or in an approved, adult-supervised setting as specified in Section 230.55 of this title to receive TANF assistance;
9. A recipient must comply with immunization requirements established pursuant to the TANF program;
10. A recipient shall be subject to the increment in benefits for additional children established by Section 230.58 of this title;
11. The following recipient resources are exempt from resource determination criteria:
12. An applicant who applies and is otherwise eligible to receive TANF benefits but who has resided in this state less than twelve (12) months shall be subject to Section 230.57 of this title;
13. The recipient shall enter into a personal responsibility agreement with the Department for receipt of assistance pursuant to Section 230.65 of this title;
14. The Department shall, beginning November 1, 2012, screen all adult applicants for TANF to determine if they are engaged in the illegal use of a controlled substance or substances. If the Department has made a determination that the applicant is engaged in the illegal use of a controlled substance or substances, the applicant's request for TANF cash benefits shall be denied. The Commission for Human Services shall adopt rules to implement the requirements of this paragraph consistent with the following:
15. a.As a condition of participating in the STARS, all recipients are deemed to have given authorization for the release of any and all information necessary to allow all state and federal agencies to meet the program needs of the recipient.
16. The recipient shall comply with all other conditions and requirements of the STARS, and rules of the Commission promulgated pursuant thereto.
B. 1. Agencies of this state involved in providing services to recipients pursuant to the STARS shall exchange information as necessary for each agency to accomplish objectives and fulfill obligations created or imposed by the STARS and rules promulgated pursuant thereto.
2. Information received pursuant to the STARS shall be maintained by the applicable agency and, except as otherwise provided by this subsection, shall be disclosed only in accordance with any confidentiality provisions applicable to the agency originating the information.
3. The various agencies of the state shall execute operating agreements to facilitate information exchanges pursuant to the STARS.
C. In implementing the TANF program, the Department shall:
1. Provide assistance to aliens pursuant to Section 230.73 of this title;
2. Provide for the closure of the TANF case when the adult recipient refuses to cooperate with agreed upon work activities or other case requirements pursuant to the TANF program;
3. Provide for the sanctioning of parents who do not require their minor children to attend school; and
4. Deny temporary assistance to fugitive felons.
D. In order to ensure that the needy citizens of this state are receiving necessary benefits, the Department shall maintain a listing of all recipients receiving public assistance. The listing shall reflect each recipient's income, social security number, and the programs in which the recipient is participating including, but not limited to, TANF, food stamps, child care, and medical assistance.
E. The Department is hereby authorized to establish a grant diversion program and emergency assistance services.
Added by Laws 1997, c. 414, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Laws 1998, c. 429, § 12, eff. Nov. 1, 1998; Laws 1999, c. 1, § 16, emerg. eff. Feb. 24, 1999; Laws 2001, c. 415, § 18, emerg. eff. June 5, 2001; Laws 2012, c. 263, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2012.
NOTE: Laws 1998, c. 133, § 1 repealed by Laws 1999, c. 1, § 45, emerg. eff. Feb. 24, 1999.

Structure Oklahoma Statutes