Kansas advocacy groups are questioning a decision by the Kansas Department for Children and Families to hold $48 million in reserve funds.

DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said recently the agency has $48 million in reserve funds and was taking $9 million, under a program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, to pay for a childhood literacy program backed by Gov. Sam Brownback.

TANF is a federal program aimed at helping low-income families achieve self-sufficiency.

Karen Wulfkuhle with United Community Services of Johnson County has told The Lawrence Journal-World that DCF shouldn’t be holding $48 million in reserve when the state has so much need.

DCF spokeswoman Theresa Freed says DCF funds several programs when it’s appropriate, and the number of people receiving TANF has been dropping.

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(Information from: Lawrence Journal-World, http://www.ljworld.com)