HUD AAQ #83110: HMIS Data Entry for TANF Income

Question Related To: Homeless Management Information Systems

Question ID: 83110

Question Subject: TANF Income

Question Text:
We have several providers that are wary about entering TANF income into HMIS due to the fact that it is temporary, and then will show a loss of income, which may negatively affect performance measures for some programs.  What do you suggest for best practices?

Response:
The time limits for assistance for TANF vary by state, and in some cases have been cut as short as 12 months for various political and budgetary reasons. However, since the limits of the program generally range from 24 to 60 months in most states, and may be longer than that, depending on the composition of the family and state funding, HUD considers these resources to be cash benefits that should be recorded in HMIS. If the family is expected to continue receiving the benefit (that is, they are not being terminated during the month of entry into the project), the project must record these benefits in HMIS. Working to support the family in finding other sources of income is an expectation of many longer-term projects receiving CoC or ESG funding, such as transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and rapid rehousing.