aMeans-tested programs assess eligibility based on income or financial status, or whether the individual has the means to do without government assistance.
bDepending on state eligibility criteria, TANF caseload may expand in times of crisis. However, evidence suggests that this effect is much smaller than seen with UI, SNAP, or Medicaid, and some states may even see decreased caseload in times of crisis. Further, federal block grant funding to states is fixed (see Section 3.3). Thus we do not classify TANF as an automatic stabilizer.