W.Va. Human Services officials release additional TANF dollars as review continues
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CHARLESTON – Officials with the West Virginia Department of Human Services announced it was released $3.8 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding for six programs that rely on the dollars following concerns of an impending structural deficit.
The Department of Human Services (DoHS) announced Thursday evening that it was releasing fiscal year 2027 TANF funding for West Virginia 211; the Department of Education: Assess program; Good News Mountaineer Garage, Inc.; the West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families: Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program; the WVU Research Corp: Healthy Families program; and TANF funding for Community and Technical Colleges.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced in May that the state's TANF program, also called WV WORKS, was projected to have a structural deficit exceeding $40 million. Morrisey said TANF funds are shrinking, with the program estimated to have approximately 18 months of stability before the structural deficit becomes an immediate crisis. According to DoHS’ press release, that window has shrunk to 13 months.
Since Morrisey’s May announcement, DoHS officials have been engaged in a review of programs funded through TANF dollars to ensure the programs have funding for the new fiscal year. Last Friday, DoHS announced that it will begin accepting applications for the school clothing allowance on July 20 after service providers were left in the dark when the program did not begin on July 1. The department said that review is nearly complete.
“The review is part of Governor Morrisey’s effort to protect these programs – and the West Virginians who rely on them – by ensuring they are funded at sustainable levels the state can sustain each year,” DoHS said in a statement.
“The Department’s review is focused on ensuring TANF funding reflects the recurring federal dollars available each year rather than relying on one-time reserve funds that will soon be exhausted,” the statement continued. “The goal is to protect critical services while putting the program on sustainable financial footing, so these programs remain available to the West Virginia families who need them most – this year and in the years ahead.”
The 211 program, operated by the United Way of Central West Virginia, is a hotline that connects West Virginians to social services, assistance and resources. West Virginia 211 was vital during last fall’s federal government shutdown that saw the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – formerly known as food stamps – shut down. The program helped direct residents to sources of food. West Virginia 211 is also turned to during natural disasters.
The Good News Mountaineer Garage program accepts old cars and trucks, repairs the vehicles, and provide them to low-income families. The West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families provide free assistance to families applying for the EITC. The TANF funding for Community and Technical Colleges helps assist low-income college students with completing their degrees and helps students access school supplies, clothing, food and other items.
West Virginia Watch reported this week that some community and technical colleges have had to lay off campus TANF coordinators due to uncertainty caused by the delay in funding released by the state.
DoHS also notified the Department of Education it could use leftover FY26 TANF funding for the SPOKES program, a collaboration between the two department to provide job training for eligible West Virginians. This will allow the Department of Education to keep the program funded while DoHS reviews FY27 TANF funding for the program.
In a statement Thursday evening, House Finance Committee Vice Chairman Clay Riley, R-Harrison, said he was thankful the DoHS released the TANF funding and provided additional details on its review.
“Honesty and transparency is crucial to earning the public's trust,” Riley said. “I think this is exactly what the public and the legislature have been looking for. I look forward to balance of the TANF spending information being released soon.”
TANF is a federal block grant that puts the states in the driver's seat at distributing the more than $16 billion allocated nationally. According to the DoHS Bureau for Family Assistance, there were 4,254 West Virginia families receiving TANF as of the end of 2025, with a family of three getting up to $542 per month in cash assistance.
More than $177 million was approved by the Legislature for the TANF program for FY27 which began July 1, as well as $25.8 million for TANF maintenance of effort. That’s $42.4 million more than the $134.7 million TANF line item in the FY25 budget during the final year of former governor Jim Justice.
TANF also provides funding for other programs, such as Legal Aid, family service centers and the state child care subsidy. Family service centers are operating on short-term funding through September while TANF reviews continued.
“We are pleased that the Governor has ended the delay in the release of funding for several additional TANF-funded programs. However, the $3.8 million announced today represents just 2% of the $177 million in TANF expenditures that lawmakers and the Governor approved in the budget bill signed just three months ago,” said Jim McKay with Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia, a part of the Legislative Action Team for Children and Families (LAT).
“Cuts to these programs will make life harder for families,” McKay continued. “It’s good that 211 will continue, but 211 is a referral line. It depends on local programs in communities that can actually help families when they call. When families are left out in the cold, children suffer and are more likely to end up in foster care, which costs the state far more.”
Morrisey placed the blame for the alleged structural deficit on an influx of federal dollars that came into the state during the COVID-19 pandemic, with previous state officials using the one-time funding to expand TANF spending. The state has been backfilling with TANF carryover funds, but officials believe those carryover balances are quickly diminishing.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government provided states with additional one-time funding,” according to the DoHS press release. “West Virginia used those temporary dollars to expand TANF-supported programs and services. When that temporary funding ended, the annual federal TANF grant returned to normal pre-pandemic levels. West Virginia continued supporting the pandemic-era expansion of many of these programs by using TANF reserve funds that had accumulated over previous years.”
Morrisey has frequently said he is working collaboratively with the West Virginia Legislature to address the issues with TANF, but some lawmakers have questioned whether the structural deficit is real given that the Legislature have approved DoHS’ requested budget for TANF each year.
“The Governor's Office continues to create crisis after crisis where this year's TANF budget has already been approved,” said state Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion. “I'm also tired of the Governor refusing to acknowledge the Legislature has the option to make up the difference in funding for vital safety net programs if federal dollars decrease. That philosophy is penny wise and pound foolish.”