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MISSISSIPPI DIVISION OF MEDICAID Eligibility Policy and Procedures Manual CHAPTER 102 – Non-Financial Requirements Page |74 Effective Month: July 2025 102.08.03 DEFINITION OF A CHILD Aged, Blind and Disabled Programs In the ABD programs, a child is defined as someone who is neither married nor head of a household and is either: • Under age 18; or • Under age 22 and a student regularly attending school or college or training that is designed to prepare him for a paying job. Verification A child’s age must be verified as outlined in 102.08.01. If the document used to verify a child’s age does not also verify the parent/child relationship, self-declaration of relationship is permissible. As indicated above, someone who is married cannot meet the definition of a child for ABD Medicaid purposes; however, he may meet the definition of an “eligible individual” as discussed in 102.08. Termination of Child Status Status as a child ends: • Effective with the month the child becomes age 18 or age 22, if a student for purposes of allocating or • The month he last meets the definition of a child. Developing ABD Student Status No development of student status is necessary for a child under age 18 who does not expect to earn over $65 in any month. However, school attendance must be explored whenever an applicant or recipient between the ages of 18 and 22 alleges being a student.