(A)     Overview

1. The Four Purpose of PRC (a Federal TANF Program)
   • To provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives.
     A needy family is one that meets the income and/or resource standards established by the state in its TANF plan. A state may establish a variety of income and resource standards for “assistance” and other services and benefits.
     This purpose is not limited to benefits that are within the regulatory definition of “assistance.” A state may provide other services in support of this purpose. For example, funding home repairs for needy families would be consistent with the purposeThis purpose covers only needy families so children may live with their parents or other relatives. It does not cover children living with non-relatives.
   • To end the dependence of needy parents on government   benefits by promoting job preparation, work and marriage.
     A state could help any needy parent, including a non-custodial parent or a working parent, by providing employment, job preparation or training services. Examples of potential services include job or career advancement activities, marriage counseling, refundable earned income tax credits and employment services designed to increase the non- custodial parent’s ability to pay child support. Activities that promote any one of the objectives – job preparation, work and marriage – would be consistent with this purpose.
   • To prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies”.
     This purpose is not limited to needy families or individuals. However, the state must establish objective criteria for the delivery of services to the non-needy.Potential activities that would be reasonably calculated to accomplish this purpose include family planning, clinical and follow-up services, abstinence programs, visiting nurse services and programs and services for youth such as counseling, teen pregnancy prevention campaigns and after-school programs that provide supervision when school is not in session.
   • To encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
     A significant share of TANF families consists of unmarried mothers with low skills who live with their children apart from low-skilled, underemployed fathers. Many of these fathers are involved in the lives of their children and provide some financial support but would like to do much more. Historically, the fathers have found limited employment opportunities, and welfare rules have worked to discourage family formation and fuller involvement of these fathers in the lives of their children.Some activities that are reasonably calculated to accomplish this purpose might include parenting skills training, premarital and marriage counseling, and mediation services; activities to promote parental access and supervision; job placement and training services for non-custodial parents; initiatives to promote responsible fatherhood and increase the capacity of fathers to provide emotional and financial support for their children; and crisis or intervention services encouraging family formation and fuller involvement of these fathers in the lives of their children.
2. PRC assistance under all chapters will be available to the extent of availability of state and federal funds. Services and funds will be available as per the service chart on pages 15-16 until funds are depleted. Limits may be increased at the discretion of the Agency Director or their designee.
3. All PRC assistance groups’ records will be recorded in the state tracking system and supporting documentation will be found in On-Base. Households with multiple adults will have PRC tracked based on all adult members. If adults separate:
   • The adult with children shall be eligible for any remaining PRC funds not used prior to the household dividing
   • If each adult takes children to live in their homes each new household will only be eligible for the balance (which will be split equally between both adults) of any PRC payments not used by the former combined household.
   • All other time limits and benefit amounts apply to new households.

How can I apply for PRC services?
To find out what more and to see if you might be eligible, contact
the Sandusky County DJFS (419-334-3891)