Diversion Assistance (DA) is a one-time payment to assist in an immediate need to retain or obtain employment. An applicant may only be approved for DA once in his or her lifetime and once approved, the family is not eligible to receive a TANF cash assistance payment for 12 calendar months. Therefore, it is vital that financial planning be initiated to determine if a DA payment will allow the family to be self-sufficient for the next 12 months. The option of applying for DA instead of TANF is based on funding availability. Workers should explore with applicants if their emergency needs can be met through other sources such as:

• LIHEAP or LIHWAP
• Community action programs,
• Ministerial alliance or Churches,
• Salvation Army,
• Any other resources available in your area.

DA payments may be issued in more than one authorization to purchase when the request for additional funds is made within 120-calendar days of the initial application date; and the total payments do not exceed four times the monthly payment standard for the family size.

Remember…

If their need is a significantly small amount; try to utilize any other available programs first. If their total allotment is not used within 120 days, the remainder is forfeited, and the family would be ineligible for TANF for 12 months. It is important that we determine what is in the best interest of the applicant.

Eligibility Requirements

The family must meet the following eligibility criteria to qualify for DA.

1. The applicant must verify that he or she is employed or has a bona fide offer of employment.
2. There must be a financial need that, if not met, could cause the applicant to lose employment or not be able to accept an employment offer.
3. An adult(s) must be included in the DA application and must meet the specified degree of relationship to the minor child(ren) included in the application.
4. The family’s monthly gross income cannot exceed the gross income maximum, per Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) Appendix C-1, Maximum Income, Resource, and Payments Standards, Schedule XVI, for the appropriate family size.
5. The family’s resources cannot exceed the resource limits in Appendix C-1.
6. The applicant must furnish or apply for a Social Security number.
7. The family must meet citizenship and alienage requirements.

To apply for DA the applicant must sign and submit an application and complete a face to face interview. Interviews can be completed in the county office, other approved locations that have been set by local offices, home visits or Teams or Zooms, the request is completed by teams or zoom client original signature must be obtained prior to certification. For the DA request to be considered timely, it must be processed within 7 business days.

The program does not:

• Pay fines, including traffic fines, or any cost related to a criminal offense, such as legal fees or court costs.
• Reimburse expenses already paid
• Count toward the family’s 60-month life time limit for receiving a TANF cash assistance benefit.

In addition:

• Any family that includes an adult who already reached the 60-month life time limit is not eligible for DA.
• Families approved for DA are not included in the count of persons reported for TANF federal participation rates.

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