When an applicant or recipient receives 60 months or more of TANF benefits, a hardship extension must be completed and approved by Adult and Family Services (AFS) TANF staff before further benefits are approved. In the 57^th month of TANF benefits, the system sends an automatic notice informing the client that benefits are ending soon and instructing them to contact their worker.

The worker is also notified by the system, and should contact the client by phone, email, or home visit to determine whether the client wishes to apply for a hardship extension. If the client meets all other eligibility, hardship extension reasons are:

• Under-employment
• Chronically under employed
• Pending SSI or SSA
• Care of disabled child or spouse
• Clinical diagnosis of mental illness
• Substance abuse treatment plan
• Continuing training or educational activity

The worker gathers information to determine whether the applicant meets the hardship criteria. If additional information is needed to support the request, the worker provides Form 08AD092E to request those materials. Supporting documents – such as assessments, statement of good standing from their attorney, diagnostic tests, medical records, or provider statements – must be uploaded to the case record. The worker must also document the reasons for the hardship extension request in FACS case notes.

Once all information has been gathered, Form 08TW024E is completed, and all supporting documents for the extension request have been received:

• Workers email the request and supporting documentation to their supervisor
• Supervisor forward the request to AFS.TANF@okdhs.org
• AFS TANF staff reviews all documentation provided and completes part II of Form 08TW024E
• Form 08TW024E is emailed to worker with an Approval or Denial. The form should be uploaded to imaged record

The worker enters a TANF Work authorization in FACS using the appropriate extension component and includes the review date from Form 08TW024E. If the extension is approved based on the client’s agreement to participate in a work activity, the worker opens a TANF Work authorization to track participation hours and issue the participation allowance. For continued extensions, the worker updates the review date on the TANF Work hardship extension and modifies authorizations as needed to track ongoing participation.

Employment and Training (ET) authorization is entered with the following component:

XU

under-employment

XC

chronic under-employment due to documented barriers

XS

SSI/SSA disability

XA

substance abuse

XM

clinical diagnosis of mental illness

XD:

disability of child or spouse

XT:

continuing training or educational activity