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    Home » Public Benefits Justice
April 19, 2022 |

No More Double Punishments: Lifting the Ban on SNAP and TANF for People with Prior Felony Drug Convictions

In many states, people with drug-related felony convictions are banned from SNAP and TANF. This impedes successful reentry.

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June 27, 2023 | Report/Brief | Elizabeth Lower-Basch

TANF 101: Work Participation Rate

March 31, 2025 | Report/Brief | Elizabeth Lower-Basch

TANF 101: Block Grant

July 19, 2022 | Report/Brief | Elizabeth Lower-Basch

TANF 101: Cash Assistance

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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provides cash assistance, job training, and other services to families with low incomes who are often facing financial emergencies. Over the past 30 years, the cash assistance program has shrunk considerably. That’s because states receive TANF funds as block grants, making the program unresponsive to the economy. Moreover, many states use TANF dollars to fill holes in their budgets rather than using funds to provide cash, work supports, or child care to families experiencing poverty. CLASP advocates for federal and state reforms that strengthen the program and that target cash to families. We work to direct funding where it’s needed and remove arbitrary rules that keep families from getting help. 

Featured Expert: 
Ashley Burnside

Ashley Burnside

Senior Policy Analyst, Public Benefits Justice

TANF

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Biden Withdraws New Rules on Federal Welfare Funds
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Rule-a-palooza! Temporary Assistance for Needy Families with Ashley Burnside
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New TANF Pilot Allows States to Help Families Achieve Their Goals in Place of Outdated Work Measure

More From TANF ➝

Stay Informed

No More Double Punishments

People with felony convictions, incarcerated or not, often face “collateral consequences,” which are significant barriers that can range from being denied employment to losing voting rights. Some states subject people with a drug-related felony conviction to restrictions or complete bans on food assistance under SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps), cash assistance through TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or both. Public assistance such as TANF and SNAP consistently reduces recidivism, while banning access to assistance has been linked to increases in recidivism. CLASP works to ensure that people transitioning out of incarceration have access to the public benefits support they need to succeed.  

Read more:
No More Double Punishments: Lifting the Ban on SNAP and TANF for People with Prior Felony Drug Convictions

Publications Fact Sheets | Presentations | Published Articles | Reports & Analyses | Testimonies & Comments

Muslim woman holding baby | Shutterstock, SantiPhotoSS
Shutterstock, SantiPhotoSS
Report/Brief | April 23, 2025
Medicaid Financing: Dangers of Block Grants and Per Capita Caps Summary and Full Report
Report/Brief | March 31, 2025
TANF 101: Block Grant
Testimony/Comments | September 27, 2024
Statement on the Record: Ways and Means Hearing on Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States’ Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind
Fact Sheet | April 17, 2024
Use TANF Funding For Cash Assistance, Not Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Testimony/Comments | January 03, 2024
Public Comment in response to “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Intermediate Improvement to the Disability Adjudication Process: Including How We Consider Past Work”

View all TANF publications ➝

Our Team

Ashley Burnside
Ashley Burnside
Senior Policy Analyst, Public Benefits Justice
Parker Gilkesson Davis
Parker Gilkesson Davis
Senior Policy Analyst, Public Benefits Justice
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