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Tennessee

These resources – like the public health crisis itself – are constantly evolving and are only current as to the date of publication. This page was last updated on June 9, 2020.

For more up-to-date information on the relief programs available in Tennessee, we recommend that you visit the state's COVID-19 Resource website

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Description of Program and Relief

Families First Cash Benefit Program (a/k/a TANF)

Tennessee provides Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to eligible families through its Families First program. The benefits are limited to 60 months in a participant’s lifetime. The amount of the cash benefit will depend on the applicant’s family size.

The state has also instituted a program called the Emergency Cash Assistance Program, which makes TANF available to families who meet income eligibility criteria and who have experienced loss of employment as a result of COVID-19. The eligibility requirements for this program are set out in a separate summary titled “Emergency Cash Assistance Program.”

Government or Lead Agency

Tennessee Department of Human Services

Dates Available

Existing program effective immediately.

Eligibility Requirements/Restrictions

Generally, to participate in the program, a family must have a dependent child (or pregnancy), meet technical and financial eligibility standards and agree to follow a Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP). As part of the PRP, the participants agree to keep immunizations and health checks up-to-date for their children, to keep their children in school, to cooperate with child support services and, if not exempt, to participate in work and/or training for at least 30 hours per week. Applicants can determine whether they meet the financial and other eligibility requirements for the Families First program by clicking here. The cash benefit that an applicant can receive from this program will depend on the size of the applicant’s family.

Application Deadlines (If Applicable)

N/A

Contact for More Information

Please call 1 (866) 311-4287 or 1 (615) 743-2000 (for residents in the Nashville area only) or click here to submit a question or live chat with a representative.

List of Additional Information

For more information please click here. Click here to submit an application.


© 2021 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. This does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. In some jurisdictions, this publication may be considered attorney advertising. Past representations are no guarantee of future outcomes.

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