Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
TANF provides temporary financial assistance to eligible families with children. The family receives a monthly cash payment to help them meet their basic needs.
How to Apply
Applications can be completed in one of three ways:
- Online at CommonHelp.Virginia.gov
- In person at our offices at 3432 Virginia Beach Blvd. or our satellite location at the Housing Resource Center, 104 N. Witchduck Rd., Suite 316.
- Over the phone at (855) 635-4370
- Call (757) 385-4306 and request a paper application be mailed to your home, then return the application to our offices 3432 Virginia Beach Blvd. or at the Housing Resource Center, 104 N. Witchduck Rd., Suite 316
Required Documentation
- Birth certificates for children
- Social security number for ALL applicants
- Provide verification of:
- Residence
- All Income/Benefits/Child Support/Child Care
- Resources (Bank accounts, property, life insurance)
- Family must be financially needy
- Child must be under age 18, and will graduate from high school before the age of 19
- Child is going to school regularly if he is between the ages 5 and 18
- Child is living with a parent or other relative
- Is a citizen of the U.S. or an eligible immigrant
A child will not be eligible if born to or adopted by a TANF recipient more than 10 months after an applicant begins to receive TANF. The Division of Child Supports Enforcement (DCSE) will send all support collected for this child directly to the family. This support will not count as income in the TANF program.
- How much assistance can a family receive?
The amount of the TANF check is based on the size of the family. A family may still be eligible to receive TANF while receiving money from other benefits.
Families in the VIEW program may receive earned income plus a TANF check if the total income is less than the federal poverty level for their family size. - How long can a family receive TANF?
A family who has someone in VIEW may receive TANF for no longer than 24 months followed by a period of ineligibility. A family may receive TANF no longer than 60 months in a lifetime. - Can a minor parent receive TANF?
An unmarried minor parent (under 18) must live with his parents, a close relative, a legal guardian, or a person acting as a parent to receive TANF.
The parents may be required to help their child and grandchild financially. A minor parent must attend school until he graduates from high school or gets his GED.
Virginia Initiative for Educational Work (VIEW) offers employment and education and training opportunities to recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The program participants are assigned to Family Services Specialists (FSS) who conduct strength-based comprehensive assessments.
The information gathered by the FSS during assessments is used to evaluate participants' work competencies and barriers to employment, with the goal of assisting participants in obtaining and maintaining employment, and moving towards self-sufficiency.
The Virginia Beach Department of Human Services' VIEW Program provides:
- Job Readiness/Job Search Workshops to assist participants in developing effective job preparedness skills
- Job Development Services to connect participants with local employers who offer job opportunities
- Unpaid work experience in the community through the Community Work Experience (CWEP) and Public Service Programs (PSP)
- Education and Skills Training
- Child Care Services
- Transportation Assistance
- Assistance for employed participants to achieve car ownership through the Vehicles For Change (VFC) Program
Diversionary Assistance (for families not currently receiving ongoing TANF assistance)
- Provides one-time assistance to families to pay for emergency needs. This includes food, basic needs, housing and utility expenses, medical expenses, transportation, etc.
- There must be a loss of income, reduction of income, or delay in receiving income.
- The family must include a dependent child and meet income and other requirements.
To apply for Diversionary Assistance
- Screen for eligibility and/or apply for TANF online on CommonHelp.Virginia.gov
- Fill out an Application for Benefits and return it to the local department of social services
- Applicants will be contacted by the local department of social services about their application. During this phone interview, the applicant should explain that they wish to apply for Diversionary Assistance.
- Apply over the phone by calling (855) 635-4370 for TANF and let the representative know you wish to apply for Diversionary Assistance
TANF Emergency Assistance (for families currently receiving ongoing TANF assistance)
- Provides one-time assistance of up to $500 for families that have experienced a fire or natural disaster. Note: COVID-19 is considered a disaster.
- The family must include a dependent child and meet income and other requirements.
To apply for Emergency Assistance
- Screen for eligibility and/or apply for TANF online at CommonHelp.Virginia.gov
- Fill out an Application for Benefits and return it to the local department of social services.
- Applicants will be contacted by the local department of social services about their application. During this phone interview, the applicant should explain that they wish to apply for Emergency Assistance.
- Apply over the phone by calling (855) 635-4370 for TANF and let the representative know you wish to apply for Emergency Assistance
General Relief for an unattended child provides:
- Needy children under the age of 18 who are in the custody of a caretaker who is not a biological relative
- An unattached child must be ineligible for assistance in a federal category (SSI or TANF)
- All General Relief applicants/recipients must provide citizenship and residency verification at the time of application