TANF Household Living Arrangements 400-17-10-20

(Revised 8/1/06 ML #3035)

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For TANF purposes, a home is the family setting maintained or in the process of being established as demonstrated by the assumption and continuation of responsibility for day-to-day care of the child by the relative with whom the child is living. A home exists as long as the relative exercises responsibility for the care and control of the child even though the child or the relative may be temporarily absent from the customary family setting. Within this interpretation, TANF eligibility and benefit level for children and adults is determined according to the individual’s living arrangement.

1. A child member of the TANF household who resides in a boarding school arrangement, provided the child was not removed from the home and placed in that setting by court order as a result of neglect or abuse in the relative’s home, is eligible only for the TANF benefit of $45 monthly personal needs allowance.

2. A child member of the TANF household in a boarding arrangement in another community, for reasons such as attending school when needed specialized facilities in the home community are lacking or inclement weather or transportation problems make school attendance near the child's usual home difficult or impossible, is eligible only for the $45 monthly personal needs allowance.

3. A child member of the TANF household who resides at the School for the Deaf or Blind is eligible only for the TANF benefit of $45 monthly personal needs allowance as part of the parent’s TANF household.

4. The Oppen Home is located in Minot and provides a non-religious, comprehensive social services to unwed mothers. Included are instruction in independent living skills, prenatal classes, family planning counseling, continuing education, individual and/or family counseling, and information and referral services.

The Oppen Home is available to either a resident or day-student basis. Expectant mothers residing in the Oppen Home are not charged for board, room, or services and are eligible for a TANF benefit of $45.00, the clothing and personal needs allowance.

The expectant mother receiving services on a day-student basis is eligible to receive TANF as part of their parents/guardians benefit and will be budgeted based on the standard of need for the appropriate household size.

5. Perry Center is located in Fargo and provides a range of maternity related residential and educational services to unmarried expectant mothers. A person who resides at the Perry Center is eligible to be included in the TANF household of their parent/guardian up to her third trimester. In her third trimester and age 18, she is eligible to apply on her own behalf if at home before Perry Center, and the benefit will be based on the standard of need for one adult. The baby’s needs cannot be included in the benefit until the month of birth and required verifications provided.

6. A child member of the TANF household who resides in the home but is under the jurisdiction of the court and receiving probation services or protective supervision is eligible to be included in the TANF household.

7. A child member of the TANF household receiving physical and/or speech therapy at Camp Grassick during the summer months is eligible to be included in the TANF benefit for the full standard of need.

8. An individual who has one of the following temporary living arrangements:  

• Hospital,

• Halfway house;

• Drug/alcohol facility;

• Nursing home or swing bed;

• State Hospital;

• State Hospital, under 21;

• JCAHO – Prairie Psy; or

• Stadter Psyc. Center

The individual continues to be eligible to be included in the household (full standard of need) for three complete calendar months following the month of entry.  Beginning the fourth calendar month, the individual is eligible for a $45.00 monthly personal needs allowance.  The individual may be eligible for the $45.00 personal needs allowance for up to nine months.  There must be a medical plan to return home on file.

9. A dependent child attending training and residing at a Job Corps facility either in or out of state is eligible to be included in the TANF household and included for the full standard of need. A caretaker going out-of-state Jobs Corp is no longer a resident of North Dakota.

A person in the Job Corps Program remains part of the TANF household and is eligible for benefits. A teen parent participating in the Job Corps Program may remain part of the parent’s TANF household or may apply for TANF benefits on their own behalf because they are living in an approved living arrangement. A pregnant teen remains part of the parents TANF household and is included in the TANF benefit while participating in the Job Corps Program.

10. An individual who resides temporarily in another North Dakota community for employment purposes or to attend school or training is eligible to be included in TANF benefit.

An individual absent from the home for more than a full calendar month for other than one of the above reasons is not eligible for TANF.

Assistance may not be denied to otherwise technically eligible families merely because they are homeless; that is, have no fixed address. Thus, a lack of a permanent dwelling or of a fixed home address does not constitute a barrier to the receipt of TANF. While federal residency requirements must be met, a fixed address within the state is not necessary.

TANF Living Arrangements