Guide to TANF in Maine

Last Updated November, 2023

What is TANF? 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a program for low income families with children or pregnant people. It is a monthly cash benefit and may also help with child care, transportation, or other things you need for work or school. TANF in Maine is run by the Department of Health and Human Services. This article only applies to TANF in Maine. 

Who is eligible for TANF? 

Very low-income families with children at home can apply for TANF. You do not need to be a single parent to qualify for TANF. If you want to check if you may be eligible for TANF before you apply, you can use our new TANF Benefits Estimator Tool.

There is a sixty month lifetime limit on TANF benefits. You can only get TANF for 60 months over the course of your life - but there are many exceptions to this rule, read more below. 

If you are eligible for TANF, you will get a TANF payment each month on your EBT card - called the 'Pine Tree Card' in Maine. The amount of money you will get depends on your household size, income, and housing costs.    

Most adults who get TANF must participate in ASPIRE - a work training and education program. APSIRE is run by Fedcap, a contractor for Maine DHHS. An eligible parent who wants to attend college or other post-secondary school can get the same benefits, plus support services, through the Parents as Scholars (PaS) Program. 

How can I apply for TANF? 

There are many ways to apply for TANF (and other benefits like SNAP and MaineCare) in Maine. You can:

If you apply for TANF and are denied, you have the right to ask for a fair hearing to appeal the denial. You should contact Pine Tree Legal Assistance if you were denied TANF and think you are eligible.

What is ASPIRE? 

ASPIRE stands for Additional Support for People in Retraining and Employment. The program requires people who get TANF to participate in certain work and/or job training activities. If you get TANF, you are required to participate in ASPIRE unless you: 

  • Have a child under 1 year old; 
  • Have a disability and get SSI; 
  • Need to care for a disabled family member living in your household who is not in school; 
  • Have children receiving a “child-only” grant; or 
  • Are a VISTA volunteer.  

If you are required to participate in ASPIRE when you start getting TANF but a life change means you fall into one of the above categories, you can ask for an ASPIRE waiver at any time. If you think you should get an ASPIRE waiver but you are not getting one, you can ask for a fair hearing. If you have trouble with this process you can call Pine Tree Legal Assistance, we may be able to help.  

Some examples of activities that count towards your ASPIRE requirements are: 

  • Paid work; 
  • Volunteer work; 
  • Work study; 
  • On the Job Training; 
  • Field Training; 
  • Vocational education; 
  • GED preparation; and 
  • Study time.  

In the APSIRE program, you will be required to sign a “Family Contract” that tells you what activities you have to do and the number of hours you must spend doing those activities. If you disagree with anything in your Family Contract, you have 30 days to ask for a hearing.  If you would like to change your Family Contract, you can ask Fedcap for changes at any time.

What other benefits are available with ASPIRE? 

ASPIRE must give additional services to help you participate in the program. If you need help to meet your hours, you should ask your Fedcap worker. Some examples of additional services are: 

  • Child care payments; 
  • Dental and eye care; 
  • Transportation costs; 
  • Car repair expenses; 
  • Car insurance; 
  • Books and supplies; 
  • Clothing and uniforms; 
  • Tuition and school fees; and 
  • Other necessary work or school expenses.

What if I need more than 60 months of TANF in my life?  

You may be eligible for TANF beyond 60 months if you qualify under one of these categories: 

  • All parents in your household get SSI; 
  • You are a child and there are no adults on your TANF grant; 
  • You are pregnant; 
  • You are a minor parent who is not the head of household;

You also may get more than 60 months of TANF if you are experiencing a hardship. Hardships may include: 

  • Experiencing Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault; 
  • Being unable to work because of a medical condition; 
  • Caring for a significantly disabled family member; 
  • Participating in a training or education program; 
  • Pregnancy; 
  • Job Loss;  
  • Experiencing an emergency situation like the death of a family member or a community disaster; or 
  • Being unable to work due to transportation or childcare costs or needs. 

All of these extensions require you to provide documents to DHHS to prove that you qualify. You may be eligible for a one month TANF extension to give you time to collect the information you need and give it to DHHS. 

If you are experiencing Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault and need to ask for a TANF extension, you can show DHHS you qualify for an extension by filling out a self certification form.   

 

DHHS said I was eligible for benefits but now I got a letter saying I was overpaid. What should I do? 

Call Pine Tree Legal Assistance for help with a TANF overpayment, sanction, or termination. You should also request a fair hearing to appeal. You have 30 days to request the hearing. If you request the hearing within 10 days, you will continue to get your benefits until a hearing decision. You can request a hearing: 

  • In person at a Fedcap or DHHS office; 
  • By phone by calling Fedcap or DHHS; 
  • By sending a letter to Commissioner, Department of Health and Human Services, 11 Statehouse Station, Augusta, ME 04333  


How can I learn more?

If you want to learn more about TANF, or if you have other questions about the program, Maine Equal Justice has a lot of information about TANF, ASPIRE, and many other benefits and programs.

 

We also have some other articles that may be helpful:

Guide to SNAP Benefits in Maine

Will getting a big tax refund make me lose my benefits?

Using your EBT card to get Food Supplements and TANF

How much child support should I get from DHHS? Information for TANF families