public assistance for needy individuals and families who are residents of the state and whose income and property are insufficient to meet the costs of necessary maintenance and services as determined by the state department and to assist such individuals and families to attain or retain their capabilities for independence, self-care, and self-support, as contemplated by article XXIV of the state constitution and the provisions of the social security act and the food stamp act. The state of Colorado and its various departments, agencies, and political subdivisions are authorized to promote and achieve these ends by any appropriate lawful means through cooperation with and utilization of available resources of the federal government and private individuals and organizations.

Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent the state department from complying with federal requirements for public assistance programs expressly provided by law

Section 26-2-710 - Administrative review

If a participant does not agree with

(12) "Individual responsibility contract" or "IRC" means the contract entered into by the participant and the county department pursuant to section 26-2-708.

(15) "Participant" means an individual who receives any assistance or who participates in a specific component of the Colorado works program.

IRC is a contract

3.602.1Applications

B. Administrative Review All Colorado Works clients whose benefits have been denied,

A. Each client of Colorado Works shall receive prior written notice of any agency action affecting his or her eligibility for or receipt of grant payments.

"Adverse action" means a county action to reduce grant payments or to deny an application. A reduction may be the result of a sanction, a demonstrable evidence closure, or ineligibility based on income or household changes.

provide phased-in services aimed at reunifying families where a child has been placed out of the home, where appropriate, by tapping into other available federal funds or through moneys realized from cost avoidance in prevention of placement;

Out-of-home placement is often the most expensive and disruptive method of providing services to troubled families

The general assembly finds and declares that: (a) Maintaining a family structure to the greatest degree possible is one of the fundamental goals that all state agencies must observe

Family preservation services

(1) "At-risk family" means a family unit with a child who meets out-of-home placement criteria as established by the state board or who, without intervention, risks continued involvement with the child welfare system as established by the state board.

Upon application made to any court of competent jurisdiction by a party to any agency proceeding or by a person adversely affected by agency action and a showing to the court that there has been undue delay in connection with such proceeding or action, the court may direct the agency to decide the matter promptly.

Every agency shall proceed with reasonable dispatch to conclude any matter presented to it with due regard for the convenience of the parties or their representatives, giving precedence to rehearing proceedings after remand by court order

If a participant does not agree with or fails to participate in a program or service identified in the IRC, the participant shall continue to receive the basic cash assistance grant that the participant received at the time the appeal is requested during the pendency of any appeal process.

(3) If a participant does not agree with or fails to participate in a program or service identified in the IRC, the participant shall continue to receive the basic cash assistance grant that the participant received at the time the appeal is requested during the pendency of any appeal process.

26-2-706. Target populations.

3.604.2 Household CompositionA. A Colorado Works household consists of clients who are part of the assistance

(III) The parents of a dependent child, including expectant parents, or a specified caretaker

26-2-706. Target populations.(1) (a) Subject to the provisions of this section and restrictions in the federal law, those persons or families who may receive assistance under the Colorado works program include: (I) Dependent children under the age of eighteen; (II) (A) Dependent children between the ages of eighteen and nineteen who are full-time students in a secondary school,

The Colorado  Combined  State  Plan  is  effective  July 1, 2022. Colorado’s TANF program is known as Colorado Works and is designed to assist families in becoming stable and self-sufficient

The TANF State Plan is a mandatory statement submitted to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services by the state. It consists of an outline specifying how the state's TANF program will be administered and operated and certain required certifications by the state's Chief Executive Officer. It is used to provide the public with information about the program. Authority to require states to submit a state TANF plan is contained in section 402 of the Social Security Act, as amended by Public Law 104-193,

SECTION 8. AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPEND-ENT CHILDREN AND RELATED PROGRAMS(TITLE IV–A)

States define ‘‘need,’’ set their own benefit levels, establish (with-in Federal limitations) income and resource limits, and administerthe program or supervise its administration

PART 260—GENERAL TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) PROVISIONS

can be a portal to other critical safetynet programs, including

According tothe Urban Institute, TANF programs around the country“usually automatically enroll beneficiaries in SNAP, childcare assistance (if working or in school), and Medicaid.While these programs have different eligibility rules manyare waived for TANF recipients, and the vast majority ofrecipients have income and assets low enough to qualifyunder general program rules.” 11

the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP)/food stamps,

Why TANF is so importantTANF is oen the only source of financial suppor

TEMPORARYASSISTANCE FORNEEDY FAMILIES

mong our selected states, federal TANF funds were used to supportchild welfare services, such as child abuse hotlines, investigative andlegal services, child protection, and preventive services as well asemergency aid, such as clothing and shelter. Child welfare services aregenerally provided to children and their families to prevent the occurrenceof child abuse or neglect, to help stabilize the family and prevent the needto remove the child from the home if abuse has occurred, and to improvethe home and enable the child to reunite with his or her family if the childhas been removed from the home.

Child Welfare, Emergency Aid,and Other Services

to reunite children with their families

to use such federal funds for families with children

(2) Nothing in this article shall prevent the state department from complying with federal requirements for a program of emergency assistance in order for the state of Colorado

26-5.3-104. Emergency assistance for families with children at imminent risk of being placed out of the home.(1) The executive director of the state department is hereby authorized to include in the state temporary assistance for needy families plan the establishment and implementation of an emergency assistance program for families with children at imminent risk of being placed out of the home. The purpose of the program shall be to meet the needs of the family in crisis due to the imminent risk of out-of-home placement by providing emergency assistance in the form of intake, assessment, counseling, treatment, and other family preservation services that meet the needs of the family which are attributable to the emergency or crisis situation.