YOUNG PARENTS! SPREAD THE WORD…
Young parents under age 18
may now be able to get TANF cash assistance on a Link card while they look for
housing or prove their housing meets the TANF rules.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), also known as "Public Aid", has eased the living arrangement rule for teen parents in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance program. The TANF living arrangement rule requires parents under age 18 to live with their parent, adult relative, legal guardian, or in another approved living arrangement unless their family gets an exception. In January 2004, DHS made a change: Young parents under age 18 may get TANF cash for up to six months even if they don't meet the living arrangement rule. These six months can be used at any time - while a teen parent is already getting TANF cash or when they apply. The reason for this change is to give teen parents who meet all other TANF rules added support while they find housing so that they can meet the TANF living arrangement rule. |
What is the TANF living
arrangement rule?
The living arrangement rule, also known as the “live-at-home” rule, says if you are under 18 and have children, you must live with a parent, adult relative, legal guardian or in another adult-supervised living arrangement to qualify for TANF cash. You may not have to follow the rule if one of the ten things listed here is true for you or your family. These are called exemptions.
The living
arrangement rule does not apply to you if:
1. You are married now or have been married before
2. Your parent or legal guardian is dead or you do not know
where they are
3. Your parent or legal guardian will not let you and your
children live with them
4. You have not lived with your parent or legal guardian for at
least 1 year before signing up for TANF or before your child was born
5. It is not safe for you and your children to live with your
parent or legal guardian
6. Your parent or legal guardian lives outside of Illinois or
in an institution like a hospital or jail
7. Your parent or legal guardian has a problem with drugs or
alcohol
8. Living with your parent or legal guardian would break their
lease or health and safety laws
9. You have been place in independent living by DCFS
10.
You
are in a licensed drug or alcohol treatment program that you could not attend
if you lived with your parent or guardian
IDHS
will need some proof that one of these ten things is true for you or your
family. Certain paperwork or the
statement of an adult (such as a caseworker, teacher, neighbor or relative) can
count as proof. Your caseworker should work with you to get the needed proof.
If you are under 20
years old and have not finished high school, you will be asked to go to a
program called Teen Parent Services (TPS) when you apply for TANF. TPS
helps teen parents set goals to find housing, finish school and find a job. TPS
will also help find child care, transportation, and other supports. You must go to the TPS program to get TANF
cash.
Why the new rule?
Finding housing is
often difficult and teen parents face extra challenges. The TANF living
arrangement rule was stopping teen parents from getting cash assistance even
though they were in need. Young parents under 18 who were not living with
their parents said they were given wrong information about TANF rules. They
were also turned away from getting help from DHS and told they couldn’t sign up
for benefits.
The Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, Center
for Impact Research, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law and others
brought this problem to the attention of DHS. DHS agreed to allow young parents to get TANF
while they helped them to find an approved living arrangement or meet an
exemption to the living arrangement rules.
How do I sign up for TANF?
1.
Go to the nearest DHS local office (often called the public
aid office). To find out where the nearest office is, go to www.dhs.state.il.us/officeLocator, put in
your zip code, and choose the “DHS Human Capital Development” office type. You
can also call 1-800-323-4769.
2.
Fill out a TANF application. Even if the people at the office don’t think you are eligible for
TANF, you have a right to apply. DHS
should send a letter to you in 30 days to let you know if you will get TANF.
You will have to bring in paperwork and meet with your caseworker. If you can’t make a meeting you should call
to make a new meeting time or they may stop your application. If you need help
getting paperwork, let you caseworker know.
3.
If you do not get approved for TANF and think there was a
mistake, you can talk to your caseworker or fill out an “appeal” form, which
you can ask for at any DHS office.
You can also sign up for TANF by filling in the form at www.dhs.state.il.us/ts/fss/dhs_foodStamps_fsai.asp
and mailing or faxing it to your DHS office.
If you mail or fax the form be sure to follow up to see that they got it
and are processing it.
For
help getting TANF in Cook County, call the Public Benefits Hotline at
For more information
on TANF and policies for teen parents, call:
Lacinda Hummel, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, 312-427-4460
x22
Aleeza Strubel, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty
Law, (312) 368-5231
Gina Guillemette, Mid-America Institute on Poverty of
Heartland Alliance, 773-728-5960 x283
For more information on young parents and public benefits,
go to www.icah.org/tipsheet.htm