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304.5 TANF Manual 10/23 Page 6

Example: Mr. Simmons assumed care of his grandchildren Thomas Lee and Nya Lee on 12/20/2022, to prevent them from being placed in Foster Care. His daughter Tonya Simmons, the mother of Thomas and Nya, struggles with substance use. On 12/20/2022, the Family Services Specialist completed the Relative Maintenance Verification Form for Mr. Simmons. Mr. Simmons chose to apply for the Relative Maintenance Support Payment only and chose to opt-out of receiving TANF payments. He is concerned that if he were to pursue child support as required for TANF eligibility, he would create an additional financial hardship for his daughter Tonya. On 12/20/2022, the Family Services Specialist submitted the completed Relative Maintenance Verification form to Benefit Programs. On 12/28/2022, the Benefit Programs Worker approved Mr. Simmons for the Relative Maintenance Support Payment/TANF Opt-Out, in the amount of $400 per month ($200 per eligible child).

Note: If a caretaker applies for the Relative Maintenance Support Payment/TANF Opt-Out any date after the first of the month and if all eligibility criteria are met, then the assistance unit will receive the entire payment per eligible child, for that month.

C. Relative Maintenance Support Payment/Kinship Care - A fictive kin relationship is defined as one that a child has with an individual who is not related by birth, adoption, or marriage to a child, but who has an emotionally significant relationship with the child. Assistance units that include one or more children under the age of 18 years and that meet the definition of a fictive kin relationship, may be eligible to receive a Relative Maintenance Support Payment/Kinship Care when a caretaker assumed care of the child(ren) on or after July 1, 2022, to prevent the child(ren) from entering Foster Care in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as verified by a LDSS Family Services worker. Assistance units that include a parent are not eligible. The child is eligible until they reach the age of 18. They are eligible for the month in which their 18th birthday falls if they have not attained the specified age on the first day of that month. Note: Applications received and processed on or after December 19, 2022, will be eligible to receive payments in this category.

The Relative Maintenance Support Payment/Kinship Care is a monthly payment to be paid to eligible assistance units in the amount of the TANF Standard Assistance for the appropriate locality group (Section 304, Appendices 1 and 2), plus $200 for each eligible child that was diverted from Foster Care.

Example: On 12/19/2022, Ms. Riley assumed care of her neighbor’s two minor daughters to prevent them from being placed in Foster Care. On 12/19/2022, the Family Services Specialist completed the Relative Maintenance Verification Form for Ms. Riley and submitted the completed and signed form to Benefit Programs. Ms. Riley chose to apply for the Relative Maintenance Support Payment/Kinship Care. On 12/23/2022, the Benefit Programs worker approved Ms. Riley’s request for the Relative Maintenance Support Payment/Kinship Care. Ms. Riley lives in a group II locality, therefore she was approved for a $785 initial and ongoing Relative Maintenance Support Payment/Kinship Care. The $785 payment amount equals $385 SOA in a Group II locality for two children plus $200 per eligible child.

Note: If a caretaker applies for the Relative Maintenance Support Payment/Kinship Care any date after the first of the month and if all eligibility criteria are met, then the assistance unit will receive the entire payment per eligible child, for that month.

TANF Transmittal 77