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Teen Parents and Public Assistance
A teen parent’s eligibility for public assistance depends on her
age and, in some cases, her living arrangement. Once a teen
reaches
18 years of age
she is considered an adult and, with one exception for
food stamp benefits, can receive assistance on her own.
A minor teen is any teen under the age of 18.
W-2 Benefits
-
A
minor teen parent
is not eligible
for a W-2 cash placement even if she is living apart from her
parents.
-
A
minor teen parent
may receive case management services
from a W-2 agency, this includes information about school to work
preparation, family and employment planning and community
resources.
-
An
adult teen parent
(18 or older)
is eligible
for a W-2 cash placement on her own even if she lives with her
parents.
-
For 18 and 19 year teen parents who are in high school,
high school attendance satisfies their W-2 participation
requirements.
Child Care
-
A
minor teen parent
is eligible
to receive child care to attend
school if she resides with her parent, a kinship relative, in a
foster or group home, or in an independent living arrangement
supervised by an adult.
-
The independent living arrangement can be informal and with any
adult of the teen’s choice who is willing to state that she
supervises the teen.
-
The
minor teen parent
living with her parents, a kinship
relative or in a foster home
is only eligible for child care if
the parent, relative or foster parent cooperates in the
application process and is not available to take care of the
teen’s child while the teen attends school, because the parent,
relative or foster parent works, participates in W-2 or attends
school, or the parent, kinship relative or foster parent is
physically or mentally unable to care for the teen’s child.
-
In determining the
minor teen parent’s
eligibility for child care
the income of the teen’s parents is counted unless the teen
does not live with her parents.
-
A
minor teen parent
can receive child care in order to work
regardless of who she lives with.
-
An
adult teen parent
(18 or older)
can receive child care
on her own to attend high school, work and/or participate in W-2
activities.
-
An
adult teen parent
can receive child care to attend post-secondary education or
training
for up to two years if she
is also employed on a part-time basis. (The employment
requirement is minimal, i.e. 5 hours a week, and includes work
study.)
-
The income of the
adult teen’s
parent is not counted in
determining her eligibility for child care even if she lives in
the same household.
Medical Assistance
-
A
minor teen parent
is eligible for medical assistance
whether she lives alone, with her parents or with relatives.
-
If a
minor teen parent
lives with her parents, their income is
counted in determining eligibility for medical assistance. The
income of a relative is only counted if the relative wants to
be considered for medical assistance eligibility.
-
An
adult teen parent
(18 or older)
is eligible for medical assistance on her own.
-
The income of an
adult teen’s
parent is
not counted
even if
they live in the same household
except if the teen is 18, still
in high school and expected to graduate by 19
and the parents
want
to be considered for medical assistance eligibility.
Food Stamps
-
Food stamp receipt is
not
dependent on age or status as a
parent. Individuals qualify as households based solely on
need.
-
A
minor teen parent
living with her parents or under the
supervision of an adult is considered part of the parents’
or other adult’s household when determining eligibility for
food stamp benefits. This means the entire household’s
income is considered and they receive food stamps as a group.
-
A
minor teen
who is not living under the supervision of an
adult can be her own food stamp household so long as she
purchases food and prepares meals separately from the other
adults in the home.
-
An
adult teen parent
(18 or older)
cannot be her own food stamp
household if
she lives with her parents until she reaches 22
years of age.
-
An
adult teen parent
living on her own or with others can
receive food stamp benefits on her own so long as she purchases
food and prepares meals separately.
Other benefits
-
Disabled teens, regardless of age, are eligible for
SSI
if they meet the disability requirements. If a teen receives
SSI her child is eligible for
Caretaker Supplement
benefits.
-
Relatives caring for minor teens and teens 18 years of age who
are in high school and reasonably expected to complete school,
may be eligible to receive
Kinship Care
benefits if there is a need for the placement, the teen would
be subject to, or at risk of, abuse or neglect if she remained
in her own home
and
the relative passes a criminal background check.
Note:
Each of the above programs also has general income and/or other
requirements that affect eligibility.
The above information is current as of June 15, 2006.
Prepared by: Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc., 230 West Wells
Street, Room 800, Milwaukee, WI 53203
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