5120-1        DEFINITION OF A CARETAKER RELATIVE

A caretaker relative is a person in one of the following groups:

1. A person who is related to the dependent child by full or half-blood and who is within the fifth degree of kinship to the child as follows:

1. Stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, or stepsister.
    

2. Persons who legally adopt a child or his parent as well as the natural and other legally adopted children of such persons, and other relatives of the adoptive parents in accordance with state law.
    

3. Spouses of any persons named above, even after the marriage is terminated by death or divorce.

Note:

A caretaker relative does not include a guardian, friend, neighbor, non-related godparent, second cousin, or a person who has been given a dependent child.  Family Medicaid eligibility does not exist for an applicant or the applicant’s children unless the applicant can demonstrate that he or she fits one of the groups listed above or meets temporary eligibility criteria for cultural adoption.

Verification:  The relationship between a mother and child needs to be verified only when:
 

1. The information is questionable;
 

2. The child was born in another state; or
 

3. The child was adopted.
 

All other relationships, including the paternal relationship between a father and child, must be verified.

In verifying relationships, official documents should be sought and a copy made for the case record.  In some cases, a chain of several documents may be necessary.  If documentary evidence is not available, other sources of verification may be acceptable.  See the Administrative Procedures manual for more information about verification procedures for specified relatives.

In some cases where verification is required, and the caseworker has no reason to question the relationship, the applicant’s statement of the relationship may be accepted temporarily at application and verified later.