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GAO-25-107467 1 (April 8, 2025)

handle is hein.gao/cdwlfsts0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Why This Matters More than 500,000 children nationwide were found to be victims of child abuse or neglect in fiscal year 2022, according to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) data. To help ensure that children have safe and permanent homes, the federal government provides states with funding for child welfare programs. Some sources of federal funding, such as Title IV-E and Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, are dedicated to child welfare. Under Title IV-E, HHS reimburses states for providing foster care to eligible children, among other things. States may use funds provided under Title IV-B for a variety of services to prevent and address child abuse and neglect. Other funding sources can be used for child welfare, among other purposes. For example, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant funds a wide range of benefits and services for low-income families. Some of these benefits and services may be administered by state child welfare agencies. We were asked to review TANF spending. In this report, we examine states' use of Title IV-E, Title IV-B, and TANF funds for child welfare purposes. This is the final report in a series of reports addressing states' use of TANF funds. The other reports in this series examined HHS and state oversight of TANF spending on non-cash assistance (GAO-25-107235) and data states collect on their use of non-cash TANF assistance (GAO-25-107226). We also examined TANF fraud risks and HHS efforts to mitigate any risks (GAO-25-107290) and HHS oversight of TANF single audit findings (GAO-25-107291). Key Takeaways • From fiscal years 2015 through 2022, states spent about $68.6 billion in Title IV-E funds and received about $4.4 billion in Title IV-B funds from HHS, according to HHS data. Over the same period, states spent $23.5 billion in TANF funds for child welfare purposes. All states spent Title IV-E funds on payments for the care of children in foster care. In fiscal year 2022, 14 states also used Title IV-E funds to pay for services to prevent children from entering foster care. In addition, all states used Title IV-B funds for services to prevent or address child abuse or neglect. Forty-six states spent TANF funds on child welfare in fiscal year 2022. In determining which federal funding source to use, officials in all five of our selected states said they first look to Title IV-E because they are entitled to reimbursement for a portion of all costs that meet Title IV-E eligibility requirements. Officials in four of our five selected states said they use some Title IV-B and TANF funds-which allow more flexibility-to cover child welfare costs for children and families who are not eligible for Title IV-E. For example, a family's income could be too high to meet the state's Title IV-E Page 1 GAO-25-107467 Child Welfare Funding Sources

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