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North Carolina

26 APPENDIX C STANDARD COUNTIES

Non-Financial Eligibility Rules

In addition to signing the MRA/Outcome Plan and work requirements, families must meet certain eligibility rules in order to receive WFFA. The basic eligibility rules are described below.

1. Children must be age 17 or younger. Children may receive through the month that they turn 18. Children age 18 if in high school and expected to graduate by the month of their 19th birthday, can receive through the month they graduate from high school. Emancipated minor parents are considered adults and treated as such for Work First.

2. Children and adults who receive SSI are not included as recipients in the WFFA case. If a parent is applying for WFFA, they only have one child, and that child receives SSI or adoption assistance, the parent may receive assistance with a payment for one person.

3. Parents, including biological, adoptive, or stepparents, must be included with their child (ren) in WFFA case. All siblings, stepsiblings and half siblings living together must also be included in the case. If both biological parents and adoptive parents are living in the same residence with a child, the adoptive parents must apply and be included, but the biological parents may not.

4. If the child’s parent and an individual who has legal custody or guardianship reside in the home with the child, only the individual who has day-to-day care of the child may apply for and receive WFFA for that child. The child’s parent is included in the case, and child support must be pursued. The parent’s income must be counted in this case. The parent must sign an MRA/Outcome Plan and is expected to complete the work participation requirements, unless the parent meets one of the exemptions from the definition of Work Eligible Individuals.

5. Children for whom Foster Care and/or Adoption Assistance payments are being made are not included as recipients.

6. Certain relatives, or a person with legal custody or legal guardianship, may apply for assistance for a child but may not be included in the payment. These cases are child-only cases.

The following relatives qualify to apply for a child: a blood or half blood relative or adoptive relative limited to: brother, sister, grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great- grandparent, uncle or aunt, great-uncle or aunt, great-great-uncle or aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, and spouses of anyone listed above even after the marriage has been terminated by death or divorce. The kinship rule does not include the spouses of step relatives. In addition, a stepbrother or stepsister may also apply for a child but may not be included in the payment.

7. An adult or child cannot receive TANF Assistance in more than one case in North Carolina or any other state for the same month.