106 CMR, § 703.180 - TAFDC Teen Parent Eligibility

Requirements. The Department shall only provide TAFDC benefits to a teen parent and his or her dependent child when the teen parent:

(1) has graduated from high school or received a High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) certificate; is enrolled and attending full time a school not beyond high school; is attending a full-time HiSET program or participating in an approved training or employment-related activity for a total of 20 hours per week, if living in a teen structured living program is meeting the requirements found in 106 CMR 703.181 and 703.183(A)(3); and

(2) resides in one of the following living arrangements:

(a) residing with one of the following responsible adults:

1. his or her parents;

2. an adult 20 years of age or older who meets the relationship requirement (see 106 CMR 703.310) for the teen parent;

3. an adult 20 years of age or older who meets the relationship requirement (see 106 CMR 703.310) for the dependent child, except that in the case of an unmarried teen parent, the other parent of the dependent child will not meet the requirements of 106 CMR 703.180;

4. an approved foster parent; or

5. a legal guardian who is not the other parent of the dependent child;

(b) in a teen structured living program (see 106 CMR 703.183); or

(c) on his or her own when the Department determines he or she has the necessary educational and vocational goals and sufficient independent living skills and parenting skills (see 106 CMR 703.184) .

106 CMR 703.180 apply whether the teen parent is a grantee, a dependent child, or excluded from the assistance unit (see 106 CMR 704.305(A)(5)) .

Notes

106 CMR, § 703.180

Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1360, eff. 3/9/2018.