TANF cuts cause small increase in GA applicants

OXFORD HILLS — The loss of benefits from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program has led to an increase of applicants for general assistance, according to municipal officials.

The 2012 state budget included changes to TANF eligibility that limited the amount of time families can remain on the program to five years.

According to reports, since June 2,900 people have received a notice that their 60-month time limit was up.

When the changes took effect some municipal officials expressed concern that former TANF beneficiaries would turn to municipal general assistance for support.

Buckfield Town Manager Dana Lee says the town has already given between $800 and $1,000 in assistance to one family that lost TANF benefits.

"For people that were really relying on the TANF program, to have that removed, they really have no other means of support," Lee says.

"That was really part of the safety net that is gone, and we become the new safety net."

Lee says the town is fortunate enough to have a small population of people who qualify for assistance, but with a small GA budget –  only $2,400 –  additional demand is a hit to the town.

Shannon Moxcey, the Community Concepts GA administrator for Paris and Norway says she has also seen about a 25 percent increase in GA applicants who have lost TANF.

Despite the increase, Moxcey thinks new applicants who have lost TANF will probably plateau within the year, and doesn't anticipate the changes will have a huge impact on the GA budgets.

According to Oxford Town Manager Michael Chammings, the changes to TANF have not had an effect on the town.

Only one individual who lost TANF has come to the town for assistance, Chammings reports, but was already a GA beneficiary.