Washington, DC – The Department of Human Services Income Maintenance Administration (IMA), announced today that the District of Columbia has been awarded nearly $27 million in federal bonus funds by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies for meeting key goals of welfare reform.        

The District has been awarded a $1.2 million bonus for its success in helping welfare recipients obtain employment through its TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) Employment Program (TEP). Since the program’s inception in 1999, IMA has placed more than 12,000 TANF recipients in jobs. From October 2004 through July 2005, more than 2,300 individuals have been placed in positions that average $8.50 an hour.

The District has also been awarded a bonus for reducing out-of-wedlock births, and was one of only three jurisdictions to receive the $25 million award. The District received $1.3 million for outstanding performance in the TANF program for success in the workplace, wage rates and job retention. The District received approximately $200,000 for ensuring access and affordable subsidized childcare to low-income parents.

“IMA is among the most frequently recognized operating welfare agencies in the nation,” said Yvonne Gilchrist, director of the Department of Human Services.

“IMA’s ability to win these bonus funds has allowed the District to support critical services to low-income families that otherwise might not have been available,” Gilchrist said. 

IMA was also recognized for outstanding customer service in the Food Stamp program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program provides support to needy households and to persons making a transition from welfare to work by allowing low-income families to buy nutritious food. In May 2005, over 25 million individuals in more than 11 million households participated in the program nationwide.

IMA was awarded $440,000 for having one of the four highest food stamp participant access rates in the nation. As a benchmark of program access and customer service, IMA achieved 95 percent participation among eligible recipients, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

“These bonuses are the result of hard work by the entire IMA family and our many government and community partners,” said Kate Jesberg, Administrator for IMA.

The recent monetary bonuses make the District the most highly awarded jurisdiction in the nation under the TANF bonus structure. Since the inception of the TANF bonus structure in 1996, the District has received a total of $168 million for its outstanding performance.