FAQ
We have answered frequently asked questions about Education, Child Care, Medical Care, Welfare, Living Arrangements, and child support below for your convenience! If you have a question you would like to ask us, click the button below and fill out the form and our staff with respond shortly with great advice.
Education
- What are my rights under Title IX?
The federal Title IX law protects all students attending schools that receive any federal funding (all public schools receive some federal funding) from discrimination on the basis of your sex or on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery therefrom.- You can continue attending school, playing school sports or participating in other school activities and only need a doctor’s note to say it’s OK for you to keep attending school or participating in school activities if a Dr.’s note is required for all students that have other physical or emotional conditions requiring the attention of a physician.
- You may participate in a separate program or activity for pregnant students, but your participation must be your choice. The separate program or activity also needs to be comparable to that offered to non-pregnant students.
- When you return from maternity leave, you must be reinstated to the status which you held when your leave began (for example, if you are on maternity leave, your school can not drop your from their roster).
- You can continue attending school, playing school sports or participating in other school activities and only need a doctor’s note to say it’s OK for you to keep attending school or participating in school activities if a Dr.’s note is required for all students that have other physical or emotional conditions requiring the attention of a physician.
- What happens if I am on TAFDC (Welfare) and I miss some days at school?
DTA will ask you to verify (bring proof of) your attendance at school each month. Whether you are in a public school, private school, or a GED program, you need to be attending 100% of the time. If you are not, you must show good cause or you will be sanctioned and your grant will be cut. If in the following month, your attendance continues to be below 100% you will be terminated (cut off completely) from TAFDC. If you go back to school and meet the 100% attendance requirement for 2 consecutive weeks, then your sanction will be lifted and you will receive cash assistance dating back to the day that you went back to school. (If you have been sanctioned and want to go back to school, tell your DTA worker if you need child care or transportation in order to do so.) - What if I have a good reason to miss school?
You should be able to claim “good cause” to miss days of school because of your own illness, the illness of your child, a recent death in the family, or another crisis or emergency. If you have any good reason why you can’t attend school, tell your DTA worker. You should also try to get proof such as doctor’s notes, a note from a counselor, court papers, etc. If DTA refuses to accept your good reason and sanctions you, you have the right to file an appeal. - If you are afraid to go to school because a boyfriend/girlfriend or former boyfriend/girlfriend is threatening you with violence, you may be eligible for a “domestic violence waiver.” Under DTA’s domestic violence waiver rules you are not required to participate in an educational activity if doing so would put you or your child in danger. If you are in this situation tell your DTA worker that you want to fill out an application for a domestic violence waiver.
- What if I want to get more education after high school or HiSET (GED)?
You may be able to attend a DTA-approved education or training program. If you are on TAFDC, current rules require that once you finish high school or a HiSET (GED) program and your child is 2 or older, you must work or participate in an approved activity (which can include education or training) between 20–30 hours per week, depending on the age of your child. Education and training can count towards the work requirement for 12 months. If your youngest child onTAFDC is:- age 2 through age 6 or school age, you are required to participate in an approved activity for 20 hours per week
- school age or older, you are required to participate in an approved activity for 30 hours per week.
- age 2 through age 6 or school age, you are required to participate in an approved activity for 20 hours per week
- What if I am on TAFDC (Welfare) and want to go to a four year college?
DTA does consider 4-year college an “approved activity.” However, education at a four year college still only counts as an approved activity for 12 months. If your youngest child is under 2, however, you are not required to participate in DTA’s work program, and you could begin at a 4-year college. Once your child turns 2, your education activities can count as work for 12 months.
- How can I get child care?
If you are on TAFDC and you are going to school or in an approved work activity, you will get a childcare authorization from DTA. You should take that authorization to your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (CCRR). They will go over the different child care options and help you place your child in a program. DTA will provide child care for employment training, a two year associate programs or four year college programs. - What are the child care options?
There are three different options, depending on whether you are receiving TAFDC:- You and your baby can enroll in a TPCC program (TPCC stands for Teen Parent Child Care). The TPCC program not only provides childcare for your child but can also teach you parenting skills and provide you with other supports that you may need.You may go directly to the program to enroll. To find out if there is a TPCC program in your area, you can call the Teen Parent Benefits Access Line at 1-800-645-3750 ext.115.
- If you are receiving TAFDC (DTA cash benefits) you can get a childcare voucher, which you can use at a local child care home or center that takes vouchers, as long as you are meeting your school or work requirements for the cash benefits. You can start recieving child care up to two weeks before an approved school/work activity starts.
- If you are receiving TAFDC and have a family member or a friend who wants to care for your child for you, DTA will reimburse them at approximately $15.00 for a full day and $8.00 for a half day.
- You and your baby can enroll in a TPCC program (TPCC stands for Teen Parent Child Care). The TPCC program not only provides childcare for your child but can also teach you parenting skills and provide you with other supports that you may need.You may go directly to the program to enroll. To find out if there is a TPCC program in your area, you can call the Teen Parent Benefits Access Line at 1-800-645-3750 ext.115.
- Can I get child care if I am not on TAFDC?
You can access child care if you are not on TAFDC via option a. listed above. If you are under 18 and ineligible for welfare because your parents make too much money, but need child care care for job training or school, you might be eligible for a DTA voucher. Another option is to go to your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency and ask to be put on the basic voucher wait list. However, these wait lists can be very long. Please call us at 1-800-645-3750 x115 if none of the options to access child care above are possible for you.
- Do I have a right to free health care?
Access to free health care in Michigan is based on your income level and family size. If you are eligible for welfare, you will also be enrolled in Healthcare, which will cover pretty much all your health care costs and those of your child. If you are not eligible for Healthcare because of income or for other reasons, there are several other options you may be able to access. These include Healthy Start for pregnant women and Children’s Medical Security Plan. - Can I get HealthCARE if I am not on TAFDC?
Yes. If you are under 18 and your parent’s income is under a certain amount, you will be eligible for Healthcare. If your parents refuse to provide medical care for you, then their income is not counted against you. If you are 19 or over or do not live with your parents, then their income cannot count against you.
If you are pregnant and need health insurance right away you may go to the doctor while your Healthcare application is being processed. Healthcare will pay for your care starting the date the application is received by them. If you are pregnant and are ineligible for Healthcare for some reason, you may be eligible for Healthy Start coverage, which provides care during your pregnancy. - What’s WIC?WIC is a food and nutrition program for women, men, infants and children. WIC participants receive checks for nutritious foods such as milk, cheese, fruit juices, cereals, peanut butter, dried beans, eggs and fresh fruits and vegetables. WIC can also help mothers keep their children up-to-date on their shots. You should call WIC as soon as you know you are pregnant to see if you are eligible for their services. The number is 1-800-942-1007.
- Can I give consent about my own health care and the health care of my child?
Yes, if you are pregnant or a parent you can make all decisions regarding your health care and that of your child. This is true for all aspects of your prenatal care, decisions about labor and delivery, breast feeding and any care your baby receives in the hospital after the birth. - Can I make my own decisions about adoption or abortion?
If you are pregnant and need information on your pregnancy options, the resources below can help you find support and assistance in your community. If your parents or someone else in your family can support you in this; we encourage you to talk to that person.
You could also call the Planned Parenthood Counseling and Referral Hotline: 1-617-616-1616 or 1-800-682-9218, available 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday, where you can access unbiased information about your pregnancy options.
If you are 18 or over, you can choose adoption or abortion without parental consent. If you are under 18, you can choose adoption for your child without involving your parents. However, we recommend that if your parents or another adult you trust can support you in this, that you talk to them. If you decide you want an abortion, you can obtain an abortion by getting the consent of one of your parents. If you don’t want to ask your parents, or he/she refuses to give permission, you can go before a judge. The judge decides on whether you can go ahead with the abortion without parental consent based on your maturity level, independence, and living circumstances. To get more information about accessing an abortion without parental consent, call the Planned Parenthood Counseling and Referral Hotline: 1-617-616-1616 or 1-800-682-9218, available 9 AM to 6 pm Monday through Friday. - How will my situation be dealt with, with school health officials?
Teen parents have the right to expect confidentiality when talking to or receiving services from school health care professionals. Confidential means no one can be given information about what kind of medical treatment you received or what you told your nurse or Doctor. However, if you are a teen or in school, whether or not your health information will be kept confidential depends on what kind of health professional you are talking to or seeking service from, so be sure to ask if all of your health information will be kept confidential. Also, if it is not a health care professional you are talking to about your pregnancy or parenthood, there are different rules around confidentiality, so be sure to ask or call our Teen Parent Benefits Access Line at 1-800-645-3750 ext.115.
- Can I get cash assistance to support myself and my baby?
Low income teens who are at any stage of their pregnancy or parenting may be eligible for Welfare to help with their living expenses. If you are eligible, you will receive a monthly cash grant to help you take care of yourself and your baby. Grants are issued electronically and you will get a bank card to use your benefits. - Can I apply for my own benefits?
Yes! Even if you are under 18 you have the right to fill out your own application for welfare for yourself and your child. You fill out an application at your local Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) office. The only time you would not be able to fill out your own application is if you are under 18 and living with a parent who already gets support. In that case your parent should tell her DTA worker that you have a baby and she will get more money added to her benefits to help support your baby. You can find the DTA office near you here. - Aren’t there special rules I have to follow to get TAFDC?
Yes. They are: a) the “living arrangement rule” and b) the “school attendance rule.”
Living Arrangements
- The living arrangement rule states that teen parents under the age of 18 must live with their parent(s), another adult relative over the age of twenty (this includes relatives of the father of the baby) or a legal guardian. If you are under 18, you cannot live alone with the father/mother of your baby unless you are married. If you need TAFDC and you do not have anyone to live with or if the place you are living now is not safe or appropriate for you and your baby, you may be eligible to live in one of the Teen Parent Shelter Programs. Ask your DTA worker about them.
- Will DTA ask about my baby’s father?
Yes. Your worker will ask for the father’s name, address and where he works. DTA will use this information to try to collect child support. The law requires you to answer these questions as well as you can. But, if the father might hurt you or your baby if you answer these questions, explain this to the worker, and you should not have to answer. - If I live with a parent or relative, will DTA count their income when I apply for TAFDC?
If you are under 18, DTA will count your parent’s income if you live with them, but only the amount of their income that is over 200% of the poverty level. DTA should not count your parent’s income if you are over 18 or you do not live with them. If you live with another adult relative, DTA should not count their income either. - If I am pregnant can I start getting TAFDC before I have my baby?Yes. If you are eligible for welfare, you can start to get aid 120 days (about 4 months) before your due date.
- I heard about a rule where, if you are already on TAFDC and you have another baby, you don’t get any more aid. Does this apply to me?Yes. This rule is called the “family cap.” If you have another baby who is born more than 10 months after you first applied for benefits, then you will not be able to get TAFDC benefits for that child. The family cap rule also bars benefits to a child who is born within 20 months after your TAFDC stops. If your child was born as a result of rape, incest, sexual assault or other “extraordinary circumstances” then this rule should not apply to you.
If your child was born as a result of rape, incest, sexual assault, or other “extraordinary circumstances” ask your DTA worker for a form to claim an exception to the family cap rule. If your worker denies your request call legal assistance right away.
The family cap rule only applies to TAFDC cash aid. You should still be eligible for Food Stamps, WIC, and MassHealth for your new baby. If you are in school you should also get day care. - What about Food Stamps?
If you are living on your own you can apply for your own Food Stamps. However, if you are under 22 and live with your parents, you are not eligible for your own Food Stamps; you must apply for and receive them with your parents. If you are over 18 and live with other adults, you may be able to get your own Food Stamps if you buy and prepare food separately than the other adults in your house. TAFDC and Food Stamps are issued electronically and you will get a card to use when you shop for food. - What are emergency Food Stamps?
If your income is low enough, you may be eligible to receive Food Stamps within seven days of applying for them at DTA. If you feel like you need Food Stamps right away, ask your DTA worker about emergency Food Stamps. If you have questions about the Food Stamp program, other questions about different food and nutrition programs you may be eligible for or information on where you can get free or low cost food, call Project Bread’s Food Source Hotline at 1-800-645-8333. - I heard about time limits for TAFDC. Does that apply to me?
Most adults can only get aid from DTA for two years within any 5 year period, but the start of the 2 year period for teen parents does not start until: 1) you graduate from high school and your youngest child on TAFDC is 2 or older or 2) you turn 20 and your youngest child on TAFDC turns 2. If you are under 18 and living with a parent who is on TAFDC and your parent hits the time limit, you may still be eligible for your own TAFDC grant for you and your baby. - Can I get money for transportation?
DTA will pay for transportation if you are a TAFDC recipient or former recipient participating in an approved education or training program or working at least 20 hours per week. DTA will limit the total allowable transportation payments based on funding. - What else should I know about my TAFDC?
If your TAFDC is being cut, you have the right to an advance written notice. If you ask for a hearing within 10 days of the date of notice, your benefits should continue during the appeal. However, if you lose the hearing, then you have to pay back the benefits you received while waiting for the hearing.
You have a right to see your TAFDC case record, including school attendance records. You have the right to make copies of any documents in your file, to ask questions of DTA workers or the teen specialist at the hearing and to bring a friend or advocate for assistance and support.
- What is child support?
Child support is money paid by the parent who does not live with the child to the parent who does. If you are raising the child you are legally entitled to child support even if you are not married to the other parent. - How do I get child support?
If you and your child are living apart from your child’s other parent, a judge can decide how much the non-custodial parent has to pay to help raise the child. Massachusetts has a specific formula that judges use to calculate the amount a non-custodial parent should pay, or parents can come to an agreement that the judge approves. If you are on TAFDC, the agreement is between the non-custodial parent and the Child Support Enforcement Division. - I cannot pay child support; can I still see my child?
In Michigan the order for child support is separate from the visitation order. Even if you have little or no income, you may still have visitation rights, although a judge may order you to increase your income if you are able. A child benefits from knowing both parents and being loved and supported emotionally. - What if cooperating with the court concerning child support will put me in harms way?
You have the right to provide any information you may have as to why it would harm you and or your child to cooperate with the court regarding Child Support. If you receive a written notice saying you have failed to cooperate with the child support rules, you can request a hearing. You have the right to argue “good cause” if you wish not to cooperate with the court regarding child support. - What if I choose not to comply with the court?
You cannot your lose benefits if you do not have complete information about the father. If you do have information about the father you can lose your benefits, unless you feel that providing information about the father will put you or your child(ren) in danger. - Am I allowed to look at my court records?
You have the right to see the records from your child support file and get copies of any documents about you. - What can I do if the court denies or reduces my benefits?
You have the right to appeal any denial or reduction of benefits. If your benefits are being reduced due to child support issues and you appeal within 10 days of the date of the notice or at least 24 hours before the reduction is due to take effect, your benefits will continue until the hearing.
You have the right to see your case record and make copies of any documents in your file. The teen parent also has the right to bring a friend or advocate with him or her to the hearing.
- What if I do not have a place to live?
Shelter If you are a teen mother between 13 and 19 years old or pregnant (you can be at any stage of pregnancy) and if you are eligible for Welfare, you are eligible for Teen Parent Shelter. You need a referral from The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) to access the shelter. If you are in an emergency situation and have no place to go that night, DTA will try to get you into a Teen Parent Shelter “emergency bed”. A placement for a longer-term Teen Parent Shelter bed can take anywhere from 1–6 weeks. - Please know that you can be placed in any Teen Parent Shelter across the state, though the department responsible for placing you will try to place you as close to the city you would like to be in.
- If you are 18 or 19, we recommend you first try to access Teen Parent Shelter, because this shelter offer much better supports and services that will help you find housing and gain stability. However, you are also eligible for placement in an adult family shelter. All pregnant females or families with adults 18 or older can apply for Emergency Assistance -adult family shelter. Find your local office here. Plug your city into the dropdown menu and look for the office listed next to “Emergency Shelter Assistance.”
For more information and help for battered women, call Safelink, a 24 hour multi-lingual statewide hotline 1-877-785-2020. - There are various types of rental assistance and homelessness prevention programs. You can also find out about public housing and other housing assistance for which you may be eligible by calling your local Housing Consumer Education Center and Local Housing Authority, when you plug in your city, or call 1-800-224-5124.
- Can a landlord refuse to rent an apartment to me because I have a child? Because I am young? Or because I have a section 8 voucher?
It is against the law for a landlord or rental agent to discriminate against you because of your race or religion, or because you have children, are single, receive welfare, have a disability or have rental assistance. Age should not be a factor if you are 18 or over; if you are under 18, you have less protection.