Have you heard of the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program? Are you an Alaskan resident looking for work? Do you need some assistance to support your family until you’ve secured employment? Then you need to know about this!
What is the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program?
The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (also known as ATAP) is part of the federally funded Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant. This program is geared toward helping Alaskan residents find and keep employment to independently support their families.
What does the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program provide?
The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program provides job search help, support services, child care, and cash assistance! These resources can help remove barriers to employment and allow families to be self-sufficient.
Work First
The “Work First” approach by the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program includes help with job searches and activities that increase preparation for jobs. These activities help candidates gain skills and experience for potential employment. The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program can help with GED preparation and adult basic education, opening up many more career paths for candidates! There are also on the job training programs as well as wage supplement programs!
Support services
There can be many logistical issues that can make employment challenging. How do I get to work without a car? How do I get an interview if I have nothing professional to wear to one? What if I need special tools for the job?
All of these scenarios are part of what the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program can help with! They can help with vehicle repairs or transportation costs and even the process of getting a driver’s license! The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program can also help with getting interview clothing and special tools to make sure you’re in the best position for obtaining a new job!
Child care
Do you need help with child care in order to work? The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program can help with the costs of childcare so that the adults in the home can work or participate in job search activities!
Cash assistance
The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program provides cash assistance to bridge the gap while parents are searching for employment. This can also include supplemental wage benefits for lower paying jobs. The amount of cash assistance you may be eligible depends on your family size and how many adults are able to work. It also depends on your current income and reportable assets.
How do I know if I qualify for Alaska Temporary Assistance Program benefits?
According to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services,
“To receive Temporary Assistance, the family must have less than $2,000 in countable resources, or $3,000 if the family includes an individual who is 60 or older. Resources that do not count include the family’s home, household goods and personal property, and most vehicles.”
Your family income must also be less than the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program limit. The rates as of December 2021 are posted by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and include information on the limits by family size and number of adults who are able to work.
What are the requirements of the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program?
The be considered for benefits through the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program, you must be a resident of Alaska and a US citizen, legal alien, or qualified alien. You must also be one or more of the following: pregnant, have a child under the age of 18, or be 18 years or younger and the head of your household.
The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program requires that a Family Self-Sufficiency Plan be completed to help identify goals and activities to help with becoming financially independent.
The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program also requires that families participate in providing paternity information to the Child Support Services Division and cooperate in child support collection actions.
What are the limits of the Alaskan Temporary Assistance Program?
There is a 60-month lifetime limit to receive benefits from the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program. This may be extended by an exemption for certain situations.
Benefits may be reduced for families that have two parents who are able to work. The benefit rates are also reduced during the summer (July, August, September) when more employment opportunities are available.
To access cash benefits on Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, participants in the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program are not allowed to utilize the ATM’s in gambling or adult entertainment establishments, bars, or liquor stores.
How do I apply for Alaska Temporary Assistance Program benefits?
You can reach the Alaska Department of Health and Social Service Virtual Contact Center by calling 800-478-7778 to apply for benefits over the phone.
You can also complete a paper application and submit it via mail, email, or in person. You can also fax forms to 888-269-6520.
You can email the Department of Public Assistance at [email protected].
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services also has multiple locations to assist in person:
- Fairbanks
- Nome
- Homer
- Kenai Peninsula Job Center
- Anchorage
- Mat-Su
- Juneau
- Ketchikan
- Sitka
- Bethel
- Kodiak
You can find the application for benefits online!
What if I need more help?
We have loads of resources for Alaska residents to save money and receive benefits!
Rachel Grayless
After 27 years in law enforcement and state Veterans Affairs agencies, I found myself working from home and looking for dollar-stretching resources. Government programs can be notoriously difficult to navigate and I'm happy to lend my experiences to make this easier for others!