Clarifying Information - WAC 388-408-0015

Home-monitored clients for TANF/SFA: A client that lives in the home but is under home monitoring or home detention ordered by the courts or the Department of Corrections is living in the home. We do not consider them as inmates of a public institution. Clients that live in a public institution aren't eligible for TANF under WAC 388-400-0005 .

How a child's adoption affects the relationship between a child and their siblings: Adoption ends the legal relationship between biological siblings.

How a child's adoption affects the relationship between a child and their biological parent(s): Adoption ends the legal relationship between a child and the biological parents.

When a child is placed in a permanent guardianship: WAC 388-450-0100 explains the financially responsible person is legally obligated to support the dependent and defines the financially responsible person as a parent, stepparent, adoptive parent, spouse or caretaker relative. WAC 388-450-0105 says the income of a financially responsible person is countable to meet the needs of the assistance unit. If a child is permanently placed with a guardian and the guardian now has legal and financial responsibility for the child, they must both be included in the AU.

EXAMPLE Blessica is applying for TANF for her granddaughter Mahalia. Blessica provides documentation she has temporary custody of Mahalia while her dad is incarcerated. Since Blessica is not Mahalia’s parent and she isn’t legally or financially responsible for Mahalia, she can apply for a non-needy TANF grant for Mahalia.

EXAMPLE Six months later Blessica reports Mahalia won’t be going back to her parents’ home and provides a document verifying she’s now receiving the Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP) subsidy and has accepted legal and financial responsibility for Mahalia. Since Blessica is now financially responsible for Mahalia, we can’t exclude her from the TANF AU.

NOTE: If Blessica wanted assistance for Mahalia, she would need to apply for benefits for both of them.

When a pregnant minor or minor parent lives with their parents: It doesn't change who we include in the AU if a pregnant or minor parent who lives with their parent gets married, starts military service, or gets emancipated by court order.

How we apply the AU rules in some common situations: A married woman applies for assistance for herself and her two children from a previous marriage. She lives with her husband. She has a child in common with her husband and he has a child by a previous marriage. She doesn't want assistance for her husband, his child, or the common child. We must include all of the children in the AU because the husband must be included as he is the natural father of two of the kids and the stepfather of the other two. A grandmother applies for cash assistance for her grandchild as a non-needy relative. The minor parent of the grandchild lives in the home as well. Since you can't separate a child from their parent that lives in the home, we must include the minor parent in the AU. In this case, we would include the minor parent and allocate the income of their parent to the AU.