Get Latest WorkWORLD

VA TANF - Eligibility

For a family to be categorically eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) the household must include both a child and a parent or caretaker relative. (In certain circumstances the child can be in foster care.)

Children are eligible for TANF if:

·      They are either under age 18 or not yet 19 but enrolled in high school (or in a vocational/technical school equivalent to high school) and are expected to complete the program prior to or in the month they reach age 19; and

·      They do not receive SSI or Auxiliary Grant benefits; and

·      They are living in the home of a parent or caretaker relative (or they are in foster care under certain conditions -- see VA TANF - Foster Care); and

·      They are Virginia residents and or eligible aliens (as defined in the VA TANF Policy Manual 201.6-7); and

·      They are not subject to the VA TANF Family Cap; and

·      Their family needs financial assistance -- that is, the family meets VA TANF Financial Eligibility criteria; and

·       Their parents or caretaker relative:

o    Provide valid social security numbers (SSNs) or proof of application for SSNs; and

o    Participate in VIEW unless otherwise exempt; and

o    Provide written declarations of citizenship or alien status; and

o    Comply with compulsory school attendance requirement (if they are not themselves children or minor parents); and

o    Cooperate in identifying the parents of a child, establishing paternity, and obtaining support (unless they are themselves children).

Parent or Caretaker Relative Eligibility

The parent or caretaker relative shall be eligible for TANF unless they are excluded from the TANF Assistance Unit. for one of the reasons specified in DSS TANF Policy Manual 302.6.D. or E. (See VA TANF Assistance Unit for more information.)

Eligibility of the parent or caretaker relative may exist even though:

·      The only eligible child in the home receives SSI and therefore cannot receive TANF benefits. (The SSI child must meet all of the other eligibility criteria listed above);

·      The only eligible child in the home receives an adoption assistance payment. (Even though children who receive adoption assistance payments may not be eligible to have their needs included in the TANF grant amount, they are deemed eligible for TANF for purposes of qualifying the caretaker relative for TANF);

·      The only eligible child in the home receives a federal, state, or local foster care maintenance payment. (Even though children who receive foster care maintenance payments are not usually eligible to have their needs included in the TANF grant amount, they are deemed eligible for TANF for the purpose of qualifying the caretaker relative for TANF.)

Immunizations

All applicants and recipients for TANF must supply verification that all otherwise eligible children have received the immunizations required by the Code of Virginia. Failure to supply verification may result in a reduction in the TANF grant unless the Department of Social Services (DSS) determines that the child is exempt.

See Also:

VA TANF Financial Eligibility

VA VIEW - Overview

VA TANF Assistance Unit

VA TANF-UP Assistance Unit

VA TANF - Time Limit

VA VIEW - Time Limit

VA TANF-UP - Overview

Back To:

VA TANF - Overview

VA Benefit Information System Welcome and Introduction

Sources:

VA TANF Policy Manual 201.1

WorkWORLD™ Help/Information System

   Share/Save: Click the button or link at left to select your favorite bookmark service and add this page.

This is one topic from the thousands available in the WorkWORLD™ software Help/Information System.
Complete information about the software is available at: http://www.WorkWORLD.org