711-1          THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE UNIT

The assistance unit may include any individuals residing in the Temporary Assistance household who are otherwise eligible to receive Temporary Assistance benefits. The Temporary Assistance household has a limited right to refuse coverage for certain individuals who may be eligible but are not required by law to be included in the assistance unit. Persons who are required to be included in the assistance unit are specified in ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program MS 711-2.

An ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program applicant or recipient also has the right to refuse all or part of the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program benefits they are entitled to receive.

An assistance unit may include:

• One caretaker relative and any number of dependent children with an eligible relationship to the caretaker relative;
• Two parents and any number of dependent children;
• Only a dependent child or children;
• One caretaker relative and no child if the caretaker relative is a pregnant woman in her last trimester.

Except in two-parent TATemporary Assistance families, an assistance unit can only contain one caretaker relative as an actual recipient of benefits, even if there are other potential eligible caretaker relatives in the child's home. A step-parent may not be included in the assistance unit as a second parent unless he or she is the natural or adoptive parent of at least one child in the filing unit.

In cases where the caretaker relative is a mandatory household member but their needs are excluded from the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program assistance unit (such as ineligible aliens or drug felons), the income and resources of the excluded household member(s) will affect the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program eligibility for the household.

• Aliens without current eligible immigration status are not eligible for ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program benefits, including case management, and should not be referred to Work Services. See ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program 770-5 Ineligible Aliens.

• Ineligible drug felons may be voluntarily referred to Work Services for case management. See ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program 770-7 Ineligible Drug Felons.

In cases where a caretaker relative (mandatory or optional household member) is excluded from the assistance unit because they receive SSISupplemental Security Income / APAAdult Public Assistance benefits, their income and resources are not counted and they are not referred to Work Services for case management.

In cases where the caretaker relative is an optional household member (such as a grandparent taking care of a grandchild) and they have chosen not to be included in the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program assistance unit, the income and resources of the caretaker relative are not counted when determining ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program eligibility for the child and they are not referred to Work Services for case management.

Cases where assistance is requested for a child by an optional household member that has chosen not to be included in the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program assistance unit, or a mandatory household member who is excluded from the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program assistance unit due to receipt of SSI or APA are considered Adult Not Included (ANIAdult Not Included) cases.

Example 1 - Caretaker receives SSISupplemental Security Income / APAAdult Public Assistance:

Joan is excluded from the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program household because she is receiving SSISupplemental Security Income and APAAdult Public Assistance. As an excluded household member, she is coded out. Her children are eligible to receive TATemporary Assistance ANIAdult Not Included benefits and Joan is the payee. Joan is not referred to Work Services case management; her income, resources, and needs are not included in the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program grant.

Example 2 - Parents are Ineligible Aliens:

Alex and his wife Theresa are ineligible aliens so their needs are excluded from the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program case. Although their needs are not included in the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program case, their income and resources are considered when determining eligibility and payment amount, and they are not referred to Work Services for case management.

Example 3 - Optional Caretaker Relative:

Randal is taking care of his grandchildren while their parents are incarcerated. He is an optional household member and has chosen not to be included in the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program household. Randal is coded out. His grandchildren are eligible to receive TATemporary Assistance ANIAdult Not Included benefits and Randal is the payee. His income and resources do not affect eligibility and he is not referred to Work Services for case management.