BATON ROUGE - A recent audit of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provided by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) revealed where Louisiana falls in comparison with equivalent programs in other states.

According to auditors, it was discovered that between fiscal years 2012 and 2021, Louisiana received a total of $1.6 billion in TANF money, or approximately $163 million per year.

In fiscal year 2021, Louisiana funded a variety of programs and initiatives with its $163 million, including cash assistance and work programs, child welfare, and pre-kindergarten.

Auditors report that Louisiana spends more TANF dollars on pre-kindergarten and child welfare and less on cash assistance than many states and ranks 48th for the monthly amount of cash assistance provided.

Additionally, DCFS does not collect sufficient outcome information to determine the overall effectiveness of TANF-funded programs and initiatives.

Louisiana also has the lowest Work Participation Rate in the nation at 3.5 percent for federal fiscal year 2020. Under the WPR, states must engage a certain percentage of families receiving cash assistance in specific work activities, such as employment, job searches, or vocational training.

Click here to read the full report.