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Volume III | Chapter 3

06 DEFINITION The assistance unit (AU) is defined as all individuals who must be included in the TANF budget group. The assistance unit was formerly called the standard filing unit (SFU). INDIVIDUALS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ASSISTANCE UNIT The needs of an adult must be included in the assistance unit as a TANF recipient eligible for TWP services when he is: 1. The legal parent of at least one child in the budget or of a child who would be in the budget if not receiving SSI, or 2. In families with two legal parents in the home, one parent is incapacitated, unemployed (TANF-UP), or sentenced to work without pay while being allowed to live at home. Based on accrual rights, include the following individuals who are living in the household in the assistance unit: 1. The technically eligible children under age 18 who are blood-related legal siblings or adoptive siblings of the child(ren) applying for TANF. Children (siblings) considered technically ineligible for TANF are those who receive SSI and those who are not deprived. If SSI is received, a participation code of SS is appropriate for the TANF case. Children who do not qualify on the deprivation factor are coded OU. Children who are not eligible on citizenship and alienage and children ages 13 - 17 who are not meeting school attendance requirements are disqualified (DI). Children ineligible for money payment due to family benefit cap requirements are still part of the assistance unit and must be included in the case with a participation code of IN. All technical eligibility factors must be met for such children. Also remember that a sibling for whom age and relationship has not been established 3070

MISSISSIPPI NON-FINANCIAL CRITERIA: ASSISTANCE UNIT CONCEPT Revised 08-01-