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Monitoring of compliance with the treatment plan should occur no less frequently than at each subsequent redetermination of eligibility, or until that time when the service provider indicates service is no longer required.

Individuals are considered to be in compliance while under a submitted for an assessment and are following the treatment plan, whether there are further abuses of the substances or not. 2452.00.00 TANF 60-MONTH BENEFIT LIMIT (C)

The policy, stated in this sub-section, affects both the Two-Parent TANF and Regular TANF categories of cash assistance, as well as the former Incapacitated-Parent category.

Effective 04/01/02 (10/01/06 for Two-Parent TANF), TANF cash assistance groups that include a parent or caretaker relative, are subject to a 60-month lifetime limit on cash assistance. (f24)

The 60-month limit is separate and distinct from the 24- month limit discussed in section 2453.00.00.

Only months where a parent or caretaker relative is receiving TANF cash assistance in the assistance group will count in the 60-month limit. Once an individual has reached the 60-month limit, the assistance group in which that individual is a participating member whose income and resources are/were used to determine eligibility and benefit level is prohibited from receiving TANF cash assistance for the lifetime of the individual while remaining the specified relative of the assistance group.

This means that non-parent caretakers, who have exhausted the 60-month limit, may serve as non-participating caretakers, and receive benefits for any qualifying children in their case other than their own natural or adoptive children.

EXAMPLE:

A mother has received TANF for herself and her children and she has exhausted her 60-month limit, so her case was closed. She now has applied for her nephew. She may serve as the nephew’s non-parent caretaker and as a non-participating member of the AG receive a child only benefit for him.

The 60-month clock does not apply to children independently; children are only affected by the limit based on the parent or caretaker relative, as specified above, in their assistance group who is subject to the limit.

Only months starting with April 1, 2002, will count toward the 60 months. For Two-Parent TANF, only months starting with October 1, 2006, would be included in the count, unless previously in Incapacitated-Parent TANF or Regular TANF.