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• That the recipient refuses to have the child immunized because of religious beliefs. • That the recipient has documented medical evidence from a licensed health care professional that an immunization is not appropriate for the child. 2450.15.00 THE REQUIREMENT TO RAISE CHILDREN IN A SAFE, SECURE, HOME (C)

The policy stated in this section affects only the Two- Parent TANF and Regular TANF categories of cash assistance.

Parents/caretaker relatives are required to raise the children under their care and control in a safe, secure home. As defined for this provision, a safe, secure home is one that is free of substantiated domestic violence or substantiated incidents of child abuse or neglect. (f22)

Individuals are not subject to this provision if: • Not part of the TANF assistance group due to their receipt of SSI • Excluded from the assistance group because of categorical ineligibility for TANF cash assistance. • Not mandatory members of the assistance group and the caretaker relative did not wish to include them in the TANF award. • Caretaker relatives who are not mandatory members of the assistance group, and have elected not to be included in the cash award.

Non-compliance with this provision occurs when: • There is a substantiated incident of child abuse or neglect or domestic violence involving an AG member. • It has been determined that the parent/caretaker relative is in need of counseling or other actions to prevent further incidences. • The parent/caretaker relative fails or refuses, without good cause, to comply with the counseling or other actions determined to be appropriate.

Good cause is considered to exist when: • The required actions were beyond the capability of the individual to perform; and • The agency did not provide the services needed by the individual to perform the required actions.

The non-compliance penalty is a $90 fiscal penalty assessed against the TANF payment of the assistance group and is not to be confused with an ineligibility sanction (IV-D or IMPACT). A $90 per month fiscal penalty will be assessed for each member who is out of compliance. For example, in a two parent TANF cash assistance group, if both parents are out of compliance, the penalty will be $180.

In an assistance group under the $90 fiscal penalty, all assistance group members (including the non-compliant member) continue to be TANF recipients and are: • Subject to TANF IMPACT requirements; and