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The Choices program helps people who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash benefits to find jobs and become more independent. The program is for people who are applying for or receiving TANF. It is also for parents who are not getting assistance anymore. Choices participants take part in different activities that will help them get ready to work. These activities include searching for jobs, learning skills needed for jobs, going to school to get an education and job training. The program also provides support services like help paying for work clothes or training supplies. The goal of the program is to help people care for themselves and their families through employment.

Choices is a program that helps two kinds of families: those with one parent and those with two parents. If you have two parents in your family, at least one of them must work to meet the program's work requirement. The main things to know about the program are:

  1. The help you get from TANF is not forever.
  2. Texans should take responsibility for taking care of themselves and their families.
  3. The program's goal is to help you find a job.

Choices wants to help people who apply for and receive cash assistance to find a job as soon as they can.

What We Do

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Education & Training

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Employment Services

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Employment Resources

Services

Choices Services

Need information about services available through the Choices program?

Find a local Workforce Development Board.

Need help finding child care, transportation or other supports to help you find employment?

Need Help Finding a Job?

Go to our Job Search page.

Resources
TWC's Choices Guide
Workforce Development (WD) Letters search
TANF Essentials from the Administration for Children & Families
HHSC’s Texas Works Handbook

Authority & Funding

TWC’s Workforce Development Division and the Workforce Development Boards oversee the TANF/Choices program. Money for TANF/Choices services comes from both state and federal funds. The federal government created the TANF block grant through the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act to replace Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).  TANF was reauthorized in February 2006 as part of the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act.

Other federal and state laws and regulations include:

Reports

Texas reports to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) about our TANF program, including the support we provide to people who are working. Texas must also submit a TANF Work Verification Plan that gives information about allowable work activities and the documentation/verification of those activities.

 The reports below are required for TANF:

Additional Resources
Contact Us
TWC Main Office Phone
800-628-5115
Want us to contact you?
Submit a Contact Request
TWC Main Office Address

101 E 15th Street
Austin, TX 78778
United States