Minor Parents
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Parents who are under age 18 may or may not be married. An Unwed Minor Parent (UMP) and Married Minor Parent (MMP) have very different eligibility requirements.
Policy
A minor parent is defined as any participant under the age of 18 who is either a pregnant woman or a parent by birth or adoption. A parent who is under age 18 and has never been married is considered an Unwed Minor Parent (UMP) until the first day of the month they turn age 18.
A minor parent who claims to be married must verify the marriage. When verification of the marriage is not provided, CA eligibility is determined under the CA UMP policy.
For policy regarding minor parents, see all of the following:
CA Unwed Minor Parent (UMP)
Parents of an UMP are legally responsible for their child's cash and medical support.
The CA budgetary unit is determined by who is living with the UMP. See all of the following:
An UMP head of household is not eligible for CA benefits unless the UMP has good cause for living on their own. For more information, see UMP Good Cause Reasons and UMP Living on Their Own.
UMPs who are determined ineligible for CA, but eligible for CA supportive services are required to comply with the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS). The CA UMP is not required to surrender court ordered child support.
When the UMP turns age 18, eligibility for regular CA is determined.
UMP Living with Parent or Relative
When the UMP lives with a parent or adult caretaker relative(g), all eligible children are combined into one budgetary unit. All income and resources are combined and considered when determining eligibility.
NOTE An UMP living in a separate dwelling on the same property as a parent, adult caretaker relative, or legal guardian, is considered living with the parent, adult caretaker relative, or the legal guardian. (See Example 1)
When the UMP lives with a parent or adult caretaker relative who does not receive CA, only the resources of the UMP count toward the CA resource limit. (See CA Resources) All of the following apply:
●When CA is requested only for the UMP, the child of the UMP is not required to be included.
●When CA is requested for only the child of the UMP, all of the following apply:
The UMP must be included because parents are required to be included with their children.
Siblings of the UMP's child must be included, but not siblings of the UMP.
(See Example 2)
When an UMP lives with a parent or an adult caretaker relative and the CA application is only for the UMP and the UMP’s children, all of the following apply:
●Prospective eligibility requirements must be met before the budgetary unit can receive benefits. (See CA Payment Determination for prospective eligibility requirements.)
●The CA Needy Family Test is used in the prospective eligibility determination process. The CA Needy Family Test is used to determine whether an UMP resides with a needy family. (See CA Needy Family Test)
●All members of the family of the caretaker relative (Primary Informant(g)) are required to be registered to the AZTECS case.
●The CA Needy Family Test is based on the earned and unearned income of the caretaker relative and their family.
(See Example 3)
When the adult caretaker relative is requesting CA for themselves, they are required to be referred to the Jobs Program unless otherwise exempt.
UMP Living with Legal Guardian
When the UMP lives with a legal guardian who is not requesting or receiving CA benefits for themselves, all of the following apply:
●The UMP is not eligible to receive CA unless the legal guardian is determined needy by performing the CA Needy Family Test. (See CA Needy Family Test)
●UMPs cannot be included in a legal guardian's budgetary unit unless they are related.
UMP Living on Their Own
An UMP is considered as living on their own when they do not live with a parent, a nonparent caretaker relative, or a legal guardian.
The UMP and their children may be eligible for CA when they establish good cause for not living with an adult who is legally responsible for them. (See UMP Good Cause Reasons)
When the UMP cannot establish good cause for living on their own, the UMP and their children are ineligible for CA. They are, however, potentially eligible for supportive services. (See CA Supportive Services)
UMP Good Cause Reasons
The UMP and their children may be eligible for CA when they establish good cause for not living with an adult who is legally responsible for them. All of the following are UMP good cause reasons:
●Death
The UMP does not have a parent, a legally responsible nonparent caretaker relative, or a legal guardian due to death.
●Unknown Location
When the UMP states their parents are not locatable the UMP is required to sign a statement attesting that their whereabouts are unknown.
●Emancipation
When an UMP claims emancipation status for CA, all of the following are required to be met and verified:
●Lived apart, and has demonstrated financial independence from their natural or adoptive parent, a nonparent caretaker relative, or legal guardian for at least 12 months prior to the application for CA.
●Did not receive CA in Arizona in the 12 months before the CA application.
Once approved, a reevaluation of emancipation is not completed unless a change occurs that affects the UMP's living arrangement. When they resume living with a natural or adoptive parent, a nonparent caretaker relative, or a legal guardian, they lose their emancipation exemption, and a new CA eligibility determination is completed.
●Good Cause - Abuse or Neglect
An UMP may claim abuse or neglect as a good cause reason for not residing with a parent, a legally responsible nonparent caretaker relative, or a legal guardian.
The UMP is required to complete and sign a form that is sent, along with a referral to the Department of Child Safety (DCS). When DCS completes and returns the form, good cause due to abuse or neglect is determined.
When the UMP is denied then later has new information supporting the unsubstantiated abuse or neglect claim, they are required to reapply for CA.
UMP Two Parent Employment Program (TPEP)
A Two Parent Employment Program (TPEP) application may be turned in for a dependent child whose parents are not married, one parent is an UMP, and the other is an adult (18 or over). When this occurs, the following special considerations apply:
●The adult parent and any child of that parent, (including the child in common) who meet TPEP CA criteria are eligible to receive CA.
●The UMP and any child who does not belong to the adult parent are ineligible for CA. The UMP and child may be eligible for CA Supportive Services.
CA Supportive Services
When an UMP is ineligible for cash benefits, they remain potentially eligible for CA Supportive Services.
All CA eligibility factors that apply to CA eligibility determinations apply to CA supportive services benefits. Participants must continue to cooperate with the Personal Responsibility Agreement (PRA) requirements. (See PRA and Participant CA PRA Responsibilities) (For a description of the supportive services available to the participant, see CA Supportive Services)
Married Minor Parent (MMP)
A parent who is under age 18 and is married, divorced, separated, or widowed is considered a Married Minor Parent (MMP).
For CA, a MMP must verify that they are married or have been married. When the marriage ends for any reason, the MMP may be considered emancipated(g).
For eligibility purposes, the MMP is treated as an adult and the MMP's parents are not financially responsible for them.
An MMP for CA purposes is a minor parent who is any of the following:
●Married
●Widowed
●Divorced
●Separated (a legal separation is not required)
When an MMP is unable to verify they are or have been married, they are considered an Unwed Minor Parent (UMP). (See CA Unwed Minor Parent (UMP) for policy information.)
Verification
The participant has the primary responsibility for providing verification. (See Participant Responsibilities – Providing Verification for additional policy.)
System interface that FAA has with other agencies for verification purposes may be used by FAA for some information.
NOTE System interface cannot verify every situation.
Examples of what can be used for proof of emancipation include, and are not limited to, any of the following:
●System interface that FAA has with other agencies for verification purposes.
NOTE System interface cannot verify every situation.
●Lease agreements, rent receipts
●Income tax forms
●Statements from any of the following who have knowledge of the UMP's living and financial arrangement:
Employer
Landlord
Parent
Relative
Legal guardian
Other persons
Written statements are required to include all the following information from the person providing the statement:
●The name of the person providing the statement
●The person’s signature
●The person’s phone number
Examples of what can be used for proof of good cause due to death of a parent include, and are not limited to, any of the following:
●System interface that FAA has with other agencies for verification purposes.
NOTE System interface cannot verify every situation.
●A letter from an out-of-state vital statistics agency
●Burial payment records
●Death Certificate
●Hospital records
●In Memoriam card
●Indian census records
●Institutional records
●Insurance company records
●Minister statement
●Newspaper obituaries
●Police records
●Public benefits records
●Receipt of benefits being received based on a deceased parent, such as SSA or VA
●Signed funeral director's statement
●VA or military service records
Examples
1) Angela is the mother of Carina who is an unwed minor parent.
Angela has Carina and two other minor children and is requesting CA for herself and all of her children.
Everyone is coded IN on SEPA.
2) Angela is the mother of Carina who is an unwed minor parent.
Angela has two other minor children and is not requesting CA for herself, her other children or her grandchild.
Carina is the only participant coded IN on SEPA. The grandchild is an optional participant.
3) Carina is an unwed minor parent.
She lives with her mother, Angela, who has two other minor children.
Carina is applying for CA for herself and her child only.
Angela is not requesting CA.
Carina and her child are coded IN on SEPA. Angela and her other children are coded OU.
Legal Authorities
AAC R6-12-202
AAC R6-12-306
AAC R6-12-310
AAC R6-12-604
45 CFR 206.10(a)(1)(vii)
45 CFR 233.10(b)(2)(ii)(a)
7 CFR 272.1(c)(1)
7 CFR 273.1(b)(5)
7 CFR 273.2(d)
7 CFR 273.2(f)
7 CFR 273.2(f)(1)(x)
last revised 04/24/2023