55 Pa. Code § 171.21 - Policy
(a)
Grant
groups. When certain persons living together are eligible for
assistance, more Federal participation is generally assured if persons in an
assistance unit are grouped by grants as set forth in this subsection.
Therefore, grant groups are set up as indicated in this subsection with the
following exception: Another grant group may not be set up in an assistance
unit if doing so would make a person in that grant group ineligible by reason
of the "minimum grant" regulation under Chapter 183 (relating to income). A
person may not be a member of more than one of the following grant groups:
(1)
TANF filing unit.
(i) An TANF filing unit shall include the
following persons living in the same household as the TANF child:
(A) The children eligible for TANF. Children
under the care and control of the same specified relative will always be in one
filing unit.
(B) A natural or
adoptive parent shall be included unless the parent is otherwise ineligible for
reasons such as: citizenship status, a sanction placed by the CAO under Chapter
165 or Chapter 187 (relating to road to economic self-sufficiency through
employment and training (RESET) program); and support from relatives not living
with the client), or receipt of lump sum income under Chapter 183. A parent who
is not designated as the specified relative (ES) for the TANF child shall be
included in the filing unit as an essential person (EE) or, as a dependent
child (EC) if the parent qualifies as a dependent child.
(C) A brother or sister shall be included if
the brother or sister meets the following conditions. The brother or sister is:
(I) Seventeen years of age or younger, or 18
years of age if a full-time student in a secondary school-or the equivalent
level of a vocational or technical school-and is reasonably expected to
complete the schooling before 19 years of age.
(II) Deprived of parental support or care by
reason of the death, absence, physical or mental incapacity or unemployment of
a parent under Chapter 153 (relating to deprivation of support or
care).
(III) A full or half-sibling
of the children eligible for TANF.
(IV) Not a recipient of SSI.
(V) Not otherwise ineligible for TANF for
other reasons such as: citizenship status, a sanction placed by the CAO under
Chapter 165 or Chapter 187 or receipt of lump sum income under Chapter
183.
(VI) Not receiving Federal
adoption assistance subsidies under Title IV-E of the Adoption Assistance and
Child Welfare Act of 1980 (Pub.L. No. 96-272) (94 Stat. 500) or, State or local
adoption assistance subsidies, unless the child is eligible under the program
requirements and because it is to the benefit of the budget group, the child
shall be included. If the adopted child is included in the budget group, his
income from the Federal, State or local adoption assistance subsidies is
counted in the eligibility determination and benefit computation under Chapter
183. If the adopted child is not included in the budget group, his income is
not counted in the eligibility determination and benefit computation under
Chapter 183.
(VII) Not receiving
Federal foster care payments under Title IV-E or State or local foster care
payments.
(ii)
An TANF filing unit may include the following persons living in the same
household as the TANF child:
(A) One
nonparental "specified relative" described in §
151.42 (relating to definitions),
eligible as set forth in Chapter 141 (relating to general eligibility
provisions), and not himself receiving SBP or SSI.
(B) Specified relatives and other relatives
of a child who is eligible for TANF, but receives SSI benefits, and a pregnant
woman who meets the requirements of §
151.43(f)
(relating to requirements). The SSI child and the fetus may not be included in
the filing unit.
(C) A minor
unemancipated child who is related to the TANF child and eligible for GA, but
not TANF, may be included in the TANF filing unit if the person who receives
the TANF payment agrees to his inclusion. The CAO staff shall discuss this
method with the payment name.
(D)
Another relative of the TANF child who meets the definitive conditions of GA,
if the person in whose name the TANF payment is made has no objection to having
the assistance for which the relative is eligible paid to him. The CAO staff
shall discuss this method with the payment name.
(iii) The case record shall contain the facts
supporting the decision.
(2)
GA grant groups. The
person is eligible for GA unless he is receiving assistance as a member of an
TANF filing unit. Children who receive Federal, State or local adoption
assistance subsidies shall be included, if eligible under the program
requirements and it is to the benefit of the budget group that the child be
included. If the adopted child is included in the budget group, his income from
the Federal, State or local adoption assistance subsidies is counted in the
eligibility determination and benefit computation under Chapter 183. If the
adopted child is not included in the budget group, his income is not counted in
the eligibility determination and benefit computation under Chapter 183. If the
child receives Federal foster care payments under Title IV-E or State or local
foster care payments, he may not be included as a member in any budget
group.
(b)
Payment
name. The payment name for a grant group is as follows:
(1)
TANF payment name. The
payment name for the TANF grant group is as follows:
(i) The specified relative as defined in §
151.42, whether or not this
relative has applied for assistance for himself, or is receiving another type
of assistance, or is coded "Cs" or "Ce." If there are two specified relatives,
either one may be the payment name, and both shall share in deciding which one
it is to be.
(ii) The guardian of a
specified relative.
(iii)
Temporarily, another person under the circumstances set forth in §
151.43.
(2)
GA payment name. The
payment name for the GA grant group is the name of the person whose pattern it
is to take responsibility for the management of the financial affairs of the
persons included in the group. The person who is the payee shall be an adult or
an emancipated minor. It may also be the guardian or trustee for the grant
group.
Notes
The provisions of this § 171.21 amended under sections 201(2) and 403(b) of the Public Welfare Code (62 P. S. §§ 201(2) and 403(b)).
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