Chapter 09: The Family Violence Option: Implementation and Cultural Competency Issues [pdf]

This chapter reviews the Family Violence Option of the 1996 Welfare Reform Bill and elaborates on the difference in the Family Violence Option programs between states. The Family Violence Option of PRWORA allows TANF recipients to opt out of time limits and/or welfare to work requirements if they meet certain federal guidelines. This Option can be an integral part of a battered immigrant woman’s life, giving her time to look for safe housing, flee violent abusers, and pursue legal cases against their abuses. In order to best implement the Option, this chapter discusses how TANF funding is distributed and how to identify the immigrant applicants that would best benefit from the Family Violence Option.