Revision 15-4; Effective October 1, 2015

TANF

To receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, unmarried minor parents must live:

  • with a parent, legal guardian or adult relative; or

    Note: The unmarried minor parent does not have to be included in a TANF EDG with the minor parent's parent unless required by policy in A-221, Who Is Included.
  • in a local second chance home, maternity home or other residential facility that provides an adult-supervised living arrangement, if available in the local community, if the unmarried minor parent:
    • has no parent, legal guardian, or adult relative:
      • who is living;
      • whose whereabouts are known; and
      • who is willing and appropriate; or
    • cannot live with such an individual because of prior or potential abuse or neglect.

Advisors must notify the minor parent of available local facilities.

An unmarried minor parent and child are not required to live in a second chance home, maternity home or other adult-supervised living arrangement if it is not in their best interest. The advisor, using the prudent person principle, determines whether the unmarried minor parent's current living arrangement is in their best interest.

"In their best interest" means either:

  • there is no parent, legal guardian or adult relative with whom the minor parent and child can live; or
  • there is no adult-supervised facility in the community; or
  • their current living arrangement provides as much or more safety and emotional or financial security than living in a local adult-supervised facility.

Examples:

  • An unmarried minor parent is employed, their child has safe child care, and the move would result in the loss of employment.
  • An unmarried minor parent lives alone or with a family friend, has no living adult relative, and no alternative adult-supervised facility is available in the community.

 

A—931 Failure to Comply

Revision 15-4; Effective October 1, 2015

TANF

Advisors must disqualify an unmarried minor parent who fails to comply with the requirement to live with a parent, legal guardian, adult relative, or in an adult-supervised living arrangement.

Related Policy
Budgeting for a Legal Parent Disqualified for Alien Status, Failure to Prove Citizenship, Noncompliance with the Unmarried Minor Parent Domicile Requirement or State Time Limits, A-1362.1

 

A—940 Verification Requirements

Revision 21-1; Effective January 1, 2021

TANF, TP 08 and TA 31

Verify that a person meets the 30-day domicile requirement before allowing additional temporary absence periods.

Related Policy
Temporary Absence from the Home, A-920

TANF

Verify domicile:

  • at application and redetermination for all certified children; and
  • when a change occurs:
    • for newly added children; or
    • if questionable, for all certified children.

For an unmarried minor parent:

  • verify domicile at application and redetermination;
  • obtain a statement from the parent, legal guardian, adult relative or an employee of the adult-supervised setting; or
  • contact school officials or use a current school record showing the same address as the parent, legal guardian, adult relative or approved adult-supervised setting.

 TP 08 and TA 31

Verify domicile of a dependent child:

  • at application and redetermination; and
  • when a change impacts the living situation or care and control of the dependent child.

 
Medical Programs

Verify verbally with a state hospital employee whether a child entered a state hospital via a court order or if the child was admitted voluntarily. If the child was admitted voluntarily, determine whether the caretaker or payee still has care and control.

Verify verbally with a facility employee a child’s placement into a general residential operations facility.

Related Policy
Children’s Living Arrangements, A-241.3.1
Children Admitted into State Hospitals, A-922
Children Residing in General Residential Operations Facilities, A-923