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The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) announced Thursday that it is releasing Fiscal Year 2027 funding for several programs as its comprehensive review of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs nears completion.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced in May that an initial audit of the program showed a deficit of $40 million. The DoHS explained in Thursday’s announcement that the TANF review was necessary due to the end of one-time funding made available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today, West Virginia receives approximately $98.8 million in federal dollars each year to support TANF-funded state activities but spends approximately $137 million annually on TANF programs,” the statement said. “The difference has been covered using TANF reserve funds – essentially savings accumulated over previous years. At the current expenditure rate, those reserve funds will be exhausted in about 13 months.”
Programs that have been cleared include West Virginia 211, the WVU Research Corp: Healthy Families and community and technical colleges.
In addition, DoHS sent a letter to State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt notifying her that the Department will allow the West Virginia Department of Education to utilize available, unexpended Fiscal Year 2026 TANF funding for the SPOKES program while the Department completes its review. The extension will allow the Department of Education to continue operating the program using available FY 2026 funds while the review is finalized.
But in a statement Jim McKay, state director of Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia, said the state’s numbers don’t align with federal numbers or figures presented to the West Virginia Legislature.
“The Governor’s statements about COVID-era temporary funds don’t add up. The federal TANF block grant to West Virginia is approximately $110 million per year, and the figures DoHS itself provided to reporters in May showed federal TANF funding of $127 million or more per year,” he said. “The $98.8 million cited in today’s release is lower than both. The Department should reconcile its numbers.”
McKay said the $3.8 million announced Thursday represents just 2% of the $177 million in TANF expenditures that lawmakers and the Governor approved in the budget bill.
“Programs like Family Support Centers, Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and Legal Aid that serve hundreds of families across the state remain in limbo despite being included in the budget and the state’s federally approved TANF state plan,” he said.
McKay said the concern over TANF funding don’t align with the governor’s own celebration of a $370 million budget surplus or the push to cut the state’s income tax.
“It is unclear how the state’s revenue picture can simultaneously be so bright that a permanent tax cut is affordable, yet so bleak that cuts to programs serving children are an urgent necessity,” he said. “Our children deserve to be our state’s highest priority. That means preserving and expanding the programs that help them thrive.”