Types of Special Items of Need 400-19-60-10

(Revised 2/1/15 ML #3426)

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1. Child Restraint Seat (N.D.A.C. 75-02-01.2-67) - State law requires that all children younger than seven be secured in a child restraint seat (car seat or booster seat) when riding in any motor vehicle.

Child restraint seats are available in many communities through hospitals, public health agencies, and civic organizations. In collaboration with many public health agencies, TANF will reimburse public health agencies for child restraints provided to TANF recipients. The public health agencies must complete SFN 471, Vendor Payment (TANF), Authorization and Request for Payment of Goods and Services and send it to the TANF Eligibility Worker for authorization.

 

When a child restraint seat is not otherwise available, the household may purchase one and the cost may be reimbursed as a special item of need supplemental benefit once verification of the purchase amount is provided to the TANF Eligibility Worker.

Note: When available, recipients may be required to go through public health agencies where they will be educated on the proper use of child restraints. Recipients should be advised about choosing a model that meets all criteria of the Federal Motor Vehicle safety standards. Because some models do not fit all cars, households should be certain that the model being considered for purchase would be suitable for their vehicle. Additional information is available from the North Dakota Department of Health, 1-800-472-2286.

 

As a child grows, a larger child restraint seat will be needed.  For this reason, TANF can pay for multiple child restraint seats for the same child, provided one is not available through the local hospitals, public health agencies, and civic organizations.    

Example: If an infant car seat was initially paid for, a booster seat may be paid for based on the child’s age/size.

2. Essential Services (N.D.A.C. 75-02-01.2-64) - The cost of a service considered essential to the well being of a TANF household member, including an  SSI recipient or an ineligible caretaker who is not the parent of a child in the household, shall be provided for in the TANF benefit. If the need for the essential service is related to a special need or condition of a household member, the cost can be met through the TANF benefit. The nature of the infirmity or illness must create a condition where the household cannot perform independently, and services will be considered to meet such needs. The necessary service(s) may require a person in the home temporarily or from outside the home to discharge a specific, transitory need. Medical documentation must substantiate the need for essential services.  

Essential services are intended to accommodate such needs as housekeeping duties and/or child/dependent care during a household member’s illness or hospitalization, attendant services, and extraordinary costs of accompanying a member of the family to a distant medical or rehabilitation facility.  

Note: Transportation, lodging and meals for individuals who must travel to a distant medical or rehabilitation facility can be paid through Medicaid, with prior approval.  If the household fails to obtain prior approval, or if Medicaid denies the claim as the treatment can be obtained within the state, the cost cannot be paid under Essential Services.  

 

Essential Services:

1. Can only be paid if all other resources have been exhausted;
2. Must be based on negotiation with the provider;  
3. The allowable maximum daily rate for child/dependent care cannot exceed the amount allowed for emergency foster care, which currently is $35 per day per child;

 

A provider need not be licensed, self-certified, registered, or an approved relative in order to provide emergency child care.  Emergency care that necessitates care of a child shall be limited to three (3) calendar months. Resources other than essential services provided to TANF household members must be explored for placements of longer duration.

3. GED/High School Graduate Incentive Payment (N.D.A.C. 75-02-01.2-68) - In order to support the basic philosophy of TANF to promote individual and family self-sufficiency, each eligible TANF household member will receive a $250 one-time-only incentive payment upon completion of high school or general education development (GED) diploma. The individual must be TANF eligible in the month the individual completes high school or GED requirements.  

Verification of completion of high school or GED is required.

4. Health Insurance Premiums (N.D.A.C. 75-02-01.2-66) - The cost of a premium for health and hospitalization insurance carried by an individual residing in the home that covers an eligible member of the TANF household can be paid.  Health, hospitalization, drug, dental, and/or vision insurance is defined as any contract policy covering loss due to sickness or bodily injury.

Note: Specific insurance contracts covering loss due to accident, cancer, or disability, to include Workers with Disabilities enrollment fees or premium amounts, are not allowed as a special item of need payment.

 

If the policy covers individuals who are not members of the TANF household (stepparents, ineligible caretakers, etc), payment is limited to:

• The portion of the premium for each TANF eligible household member that is allocated by the insurance company; or, if that allocation is unavailable;
•  The total premium amount, divided by the number of individuals covered, and then multiplied by the number of TANF eligible household members who are covered by the insurance.

The applicant or recipient must inform the TANF Eligibility Worker of the insurance. In instances where there is more than one health insurance policy for the same coverage, only one policy of the household's choice shall be paid in the TANF benefit.  Payment shall begin in the month in which the TANF Eligibility Worker is informed of the insurance and receives verification of the cost.

5. Health Tracks Reimbursement (N.D.A.C. 75-02-01.2-73) - TANF recipients, including a Benefit Cap child, who complete the Health Tracks screening are eligible for a $25.00 reimbursement per individual. The reimbursement is available after the completion of the initial screening and the annual Health Tracks screening, provided 12 months have passed between screenings. Completion of the screening, for this purpose, does not include the follow-up appointments or referrals to other physicians that are generated from a screening.

Example: An initial screening is completed in August and a $25.00 reimbursement is issued as a supplement for August. In order to be eligible for the $25.00 reimbursement again, the individual would need to be screened in August of the following year or thereafter. (August counts as month one (1) of the 12 month period.)

6. Housing Allowance – A TANF family (including one whose Primary Individual is a Minor Parent) who has sole responsibility for all housing costs is eligible to receive an additional $50 per month.   

 

For purposes of this section, a TANF Family includes an individual or group of individuals:

1. Who reside together; and
2. Who are related within the 5th degree by either birth, marriage, or adoption; and
3. Whose needs are included in a TANF benefit (IN) or (OH), or if their needs are not included in the TANF benefit, because the individual is:

1. In receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits (SS);
2. An alien who does not meet citizen and alienage requirements (DA - Disqualified Alien);
3. Ineligible for TANF benefits due to the imposition of a sanction (DI - Disqualified JOBS) or (DM -Disqualified Child Support);
4. Ineligible for TANF benefit due to being disqualified (DF - Disqualified Fraud), (DD - Disqualified Drug)
5. Subject to Pay After Performance requirements;
6. A stepparent (ST) or a legal dependent of a stepparent;
7. A minor parent’s parents (MP) or a legal dependent of the minor parent’s parents.
8. An individual who does not meet the TANF eligibility requirements (e.g. age, citizenship, deprivation, etc.), but is a legal dependent or a legally responsible caretaker of a member of the TANF family (does not include roomers or boarders).

 

Sole Responsibility for Shelter Costs means the TANF Family is responsible for the full amount of rent or, if purchasing a home, the mortgage, property insurance, property taxes, special assessment, repairs, and improvements of the home.

 

A TANF family DOES NOT have sole responsibility for shelter costs (and is NOT eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance) if:

1. The family receives a subsidy for housing costs, resides in public housing, receives free housing, or is not solely responsible for the assistance unit's housing costs; or
2. The TANF family includes an individual who is at least eighteen years of age and not a member of the family or is not a legal dependent of a member of the TANF household, including a non-legally responsible relative who opts out of receiving TANF Benefits;
3. Any member of the family receives assistance for the payment of housing costs from someone not residing in the family.

Exception: The family receives one month of temporary assistance with their rent or mortgage from an agency (e.g. Community Action, local social service agency, housing/shelter assistance through JOBS supportive services, etc.).

 

All individuals residing together in the household must be members of the TANF family and the TANF Family must be solely responsible for housing costs in order to be eligible for the $50 Housing Allowance.  If anyone other than a member of the TANF family as defined above reside in the household, the TANF family is not considered to have sole responsibility for all housing costs and therefore, is not eligible for the $50 Housing Allowance.

Example #1 – Household consists of mom and three children. No other individuals reside in the household.  Mom and her three children are all members of the TANF family. The TANF Family is responsible for rent in the amount of $600 a month. The rent is not subsidized in any way. The household is eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

Note: If anyone other than a TANF Family member resided in the home, this household would not be eligible for the $50 Housing Allowance.

 

Example #2 – Household consists of mom, boyfriend, child in common and mom’s child from another relationship. All members meet the definition of a TANF Family. The TANF family is responsible for the $600 per month rent. The rent is not subsidized in any way. The family is eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

Note: If this household did not include a child in common, all members residing in the home would not be members of the TANF family and thus would not be eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

 

Example #3 - The family lives in and is buying a home. The family consists of dad and his three children. The family pays the cost of mortgage, property insurance, property taxes, special assessment, repairs, and improvements. Dad's 20-year-old daughter returns home.

1. If the daughter is a legal dependent, the family would be eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance even if the daughter contributes towards the housing costs.
2. If the daughter is not a legal dependent the family would not be eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance regardless of whether she contributes towards the housing costs; this since she is not considered a member of the family.

 

Example #4 - A minor parent and her child are living with the minor parent's parent (grandmother).   This is a three-generation case.  The family resides in the minor parent’s parents’ home.  The family pays the cost of mortgage, property insurance, property taxes, special assessment, repairs, and improvements.  This family would be eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

 

Example #5 – Mom and her three children live with mom's mother and father.  Mom pays the $100 per month rent that is charged.  

1. If all reside in one residence, the family is not eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.
2. If Mom and her three children reside in a separate, identifiable residence within the home (apartment), the family is eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

  

Example #6 - Mom and her child share a home with Mom's aunt and aunt’s child. Both mom and mom's aunt are primary individuals for TANF families.  Neither family is eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

 

Example #7 – A minor parent and her child are attending and residing at Job Corps in Minot, which provides housing with the training. This family is not eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

 

Example #8 - A minor parent and her child are living with the minor parent's parents (grandparents). The grandparents are not eligible for TANF. This family is not eligible for the additional $50 Housing Allowance.

 

The following circumstances shall not be considered when determining eligibility for the $50 Housing Allowance:

1. The amount of the rental expense;
2. Whether the rent is actually paid when due, provided the individual remains responsible for the entire amount;
3. The individual is responsible to pay shelter expenses other than rent (e.g. upkeep of the home, utilities, etc.).

7. Special Projects - In order to support county demonstration projects, two Special Items of Need are available – Special Projects Incentives and Special Projects Work Subsidies. These special items of need are utilized only with approval from State TANF/JOBS Policy staff.
   
   
8. Unforeseen Circumstances - There are two different Special Items of Need that are defined as Unforeseen Circumstances.    These are:

1. Catastrophic Events (N.D.A.C. 75-02-01.2-65) - In the event of a disaster involving members of the TANF household, the JOBS Employment Contractor or TANF Eligibility Worker, after exploring the availability of property insurance and community resources, shall authorize the replacement of clothing, furniture, household equipment, and other needed supplies at a level comparable to that maintained by the recipient at the time of the fire, flood, tornado, or other catastrophic event. Community organizations often provide assistance to victims of disasters. The JOBS Employment Contractor or TANF Eligibility Worker should coordinate assistance with local resources.

Payment for the replaced of these items shall be authorized and paid by using SFN 471, Vendor Payment (TANF), Authorization and Request for Payment of Goods and Services.

2. Unforeseen Circumstances - The unforeseen circumstances payment is to be used to reimburse a recipient for a payment made in situations that were beyond the individual’s control. State office approval is required before making an unforeseen circumstances payment.

Example: Reimbursement of late fees paid by the recipient, due to TANF benefits not received timely.