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Chapter: 1800 Income Program: TCA 38 If the teen parent is Title IV-E eligible, according to federal policy, the board rate approved by Family Safety must include payment for the infant. The infant is not eligible for Temporary Cash Assistance benefits as the board rate duplicates the purpose of the TCA grant. The income and assets of the infant, including the foster care payment for the infant, are considered in this determination. The mother's eligibility for Title IV-E benefits is made without consideration of any income or assets of the infant.

If the foster care board rate for the non-Title IV-E teen parent does not include payment for the infant, then the teen parent may apply for Temporary Cash Assistance for the infant. The needs, income and assets of the infant are considered in this determination.

Note: The foster care teen parent (Title IV-E or non-Title IV-E), including a teen parent who is a youth in Independent Living, has her needs, income and assets excluded in the infant's eligibility. 1820.0819 Developmental Disability Payments (TCA) Support Independent Living Arrangement (SILA) payments from the Agency for Persons with Disabilities are excluded up to the difference between the payment standard and consolidated need standard (CNS). When assistance is received in excess of the maximum exclusion, the excess is considered unearned income in the budget. These payments are considered assistance based on need and are paid to disabled individuals moving from group or community homes to independent living situations to assist with living expenses. 1820.0820 Supplemental Security Income (TCA) SSI payments are administered by the Social Security Administration.

The SSI individual and the SSI income are both excluded by the Temporary Cash Assistance Program. Nonrecurring lump sum SSI retroactive payments awarded to active TCA recipients are not considered income or assets for the month of receipt and the month following receipt. Retroactive SSI payments to stepparents and other "deeming" individuals who are not included in the Temporary Cash Assistance group are counted as income in the month of receipt. 1820.0821 EFAHP Payments (TCA) EFAHP assistance payments are excluded as income. 1820.0824 Assistance Payments Based on Need (TCA) Passages 1820.0826 through 1820.0829 discuss policy on treatment of assistance payments. Income based on need is included as unearned income unless specifically excluded in the following sections. 1820.0826 Home Care for Elderly or Disabled Adult Payments (TCA) For TCA, HCE and HCDA payments are excluded when not specifically identified for a member of the assistance group. 1820.0827 Assistance Payments (TCA) Monthly cash payments from another agency (minus training expenses) to meet ongoing maintenance needs as defined by DCF are unearned income unless specifically excluded as such.

Documentation or verification from the agency as to the amount received, frequency, purpose, and type of program is required.

Exception: Emergency payments made by another agency or a nonprofit organization prior to the date the first TCA benefits are received will not be considered income.