2230 Teen Parent Under Age 18 - An applicant/recipient who is under age 18 and who is the parent of a child in the home shall not be eligible for assistance when all the following circumstances exist:
all of the teen's children in the home are at least three months old;
the teen parent is unmarried; and
the teen parent has not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent, or is not working toward attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalent, or an alternative educational or training program that has been approved by the state. Either part-time or full-time attendance of classes would meet requirements of this section.
This provision applies to the teen parent whether being treated as an adult or child. The provision also applies to a minor father in the home.
When an applicant/recipient is affected by this provision, the individual must be advised of the eligibility issue and offered any available services to assist in school attendance prior to staff taking action to deny assistance.
School Attendance: If the teen parent is not able to act in own behalf per 2110 (is being treated as a child on the case), only the teen parent would be ineligible for not attending school, as long as the teen parent is enrolled in school. Other family members may qualify for assistance if otherwise eligible. If the teen parent is able to act in own behalf and is being treated as an adult on the case, penalties in 3510 apply and the mandatory filing unit of which the teen parent is a member will be ineligible.
School Enrollment: If the teen parent is not enrolled in school, the entire mandatory filing unit of which the teen parent is a member is ineligible per KEESM 2210.