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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for Teen Parents
by: Northwest Justice Project
Introduction
You may be able to get help (money) from the state TANF program if you
are:
- a minor under the age of 18;
- low-income; and
- you have children, or are pregnant.
Read on for answers to your questions about how to get TANF.
How can I get financial help for myself and
my children?
In addition to the above, to get the full TANF amount, you must also
be:
- living with your parents, another adult relative, a legal
guardian, or in a DSHS approved living situation; and
- in high school or in a GED program, and meeting that program's
attendance requirements; or
- looking for a job, or otherwise taking part in Workfirst if you
already have your diploma.
If you cannot get a full TANF grant because of the living situation
rules and/or the school attendance rules, you can still get a TANF
grant for just your child. You can also still get other DSHS
benefits, such as food stamps and Medicaid, for your children and
yourself.
To get TANF, go to your local welfare office (the Department of Social
and Health Services, or DSHS). Ask for an application for
TANF. You have the right to file a written application for
benefits. They should not turn you away at the front desk without
letting you file an application.
After you fill out the application, DSHS should decide within 30 days
if you can get the benefits. If DSHS denies your application, or
if over 30 days have passed and you have not heard anything from DSHS
about your benefits, contact legal services for help.
What if DSHS says I cannot get TANF?
If DSHS tells you that you cannot get TANF benefits for yourself and/or
your children, you have the right to ask for a "fair hearing." A
fair hearing is a hearing with an administrative law judge. You
get to tell the judge why you should get TANF.
You may be able to get legal help for the hearing by contacting a legal
services program. You may also bring another person to help you.
You have the right to have witnesses and to show evidence to the
judge. Our publication Representing Yourself at a Fair Hearing has more
details.
To ask for a fair hearing, fill out a Fair Hearing Request at the
welfare office or write to the Office of Administrative Hearings, P.O.
Box 42489, Olympia, WA 98504. You must ask for your hearing no later than
90 days after the date you were denied.
If it is an emergency, ask to have your hearing held as soon as
possible by calling the Office of Administrative Hearings at (360)
664-8717 or 1-800-583-8271. This is called an "expedited" hearing.
If I get TANF, how much money will I get?
The amount of TANF money you get depends on two things:
- how many children you have, and
- how much income you get from work or other sources.
If you are a single parent with no other income, and one child, your
TANF grant will be $385 per month. If you have one child and you
are not eligible for TANF yourself because of DSHS's living situation
and/or school attendance rules, your child's TANF grant will be $305
per month.
How will I be paid?
DSHS pays all minors under 18 years old through a "protective
payee." A "protective payee" is an adult or agency that gets your
check from DSHS and then pays your bills or gives you money to meet
your and your child's needs.
Will my parents' income be counted for TANF?
It depends on whether you live with your parents. If you do, DSHS
will count part of their income. If you do not live with your
parents, DSHS will ask your parents if they will support you.
*DSHS will not contact your parents if
you are married, or in the military, or emancipated.
Do I have to go to school if my child is a
newborn?
No. You do not have to be in school until your child is 12 weeks
old. After that, you must be in high school or a GED program and
meeting attendance requirements if you want to keep getting a full TANF
grant.
Do I have to go to school if I am pregnant?
Yes. If you would otherwise be in school, you must stay in school
until the baby is born.
What if I already have
my diploma?
If you have graduated from high school or have a GED, you must take
part in the Workfirst program to get TANF benefits. Our
publication Questions and Answers about Workfirst has more
information.
What if I do not want
to live with my parents or legal guardian?
Sometimes living with your parents or legal guardian can be difficult
or dangerous. If you do not live with your parents because of
abuse, or if you have another good reason why you cannot live with your
parents, tell your DSHS social worker why you cannot live there.
DSHS should allow you to live in a different living situation, such as
with another adult relative or friend.
If DSHS thinks that you are in an "inappropriate living situation,"
they will not give you TANF. If this happens, ask for a fair
hearing. Ask the judge to approve your living situation.
Contact a legal services program for help.
May I live with the
father of my child if he is 18 years or older?
It depends on the age difference between you and the adult father of
your child. If he is a certain number of years older than you,
DSHS will not let you get TANF benefits if you live with him.
Also, DSHS will not give you benefits while you live with an adult
boyfriend who is a certain number of years older than you, even if he
is not the father of your child. If you have questions about this
rule, contact legal services.
May I get childcare
while I am in school?
Yes. As long as you are meeting the satisfactory attendance
requirements of your high school or GED program, DSHS should pay for
childcare during your school hours.
If DSHS refuses to pay for your childcare ask DSHS for a fair hearing.
Then get legal advice.
Can my child and I get
help if I do not follow all these rules?
Yes. Even if you do not follow the living situation and school
attendance rules, your child can get a TANF grant.
Also, if you are working with a DSHS social worker, you may be able to
get Support Services money to get into school and/or get into a DSHS
approved living situation. (Our publication called DSHS Support
Services for WorkFirst Participants has more information.)
Even if you do not follow the living situation and school attendance
rules, you can still get other DSHS benefits such as food stamps and
Medicaid for your children and yourself.
*How
to get legal help:
If you live outside King County, call CLEAR at 1-888-201-1014 weekdays
between 9:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
If you live in King County, call the King County Bar Association's
Neighborhood Legal Clinics at (206) 267-7070 between 9:00 a.m. and
noon, Monday ? Thursday, to schedule a free half-hour of legal advice.
7122EN
This
publication provides general information concerning your rights and
responsibilities. It is not intended as a substitute for specific legal
advice.
This information is current as of the date of its printing,
October 2011.
© 2011 Northwest Justice Project.
1-888-201-1014.
(Permission for copying and distribution granted to the Alliance for
Equal Justice and individuals for non-commercial use only.)
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