(a) Except for an applicant or recipient who is a single child, the FIP shall include: (1) an assessment of each applicant or recipient that considers: (i) the reasons for applying for or continuing to rely on assistance; (ii) an evaluation of appropriate work activities based on educational level, literacy, health, mental or physical impairments, housing stability, child care needs, transportation needs, history of domestic or family violence, job skills and readiness, and interests; (iii) personal and family resources available to facilitate independence; and (iv) whether the applicant or recipient qualifies for an exemption or has good cause not to participate in a work activity; and (2) welfare avoidance grants that: (i) meet immediate needs so that an applicant or recipient can avoid temporary cash assistance; (ii) may be granted as the Department considers appropriate; (iii) may not cover the same type of immediate need met by a previous welfare avoidance grant unless the Department determines that the current immediate need is a new and verified emergency; (iv) do not exceed an amount of 3 months of temporary cash assistance, unless the Department determines there is a compelling need for an amount not exceeding 12 months; and (v) may not duplicate periods of temporary cash assistance. (b) Except for a recipient who is a single child, the FIP for a recipient shall include: (1) an agreement between the Department and the recipient that: (i) requires the recipient to cooperate with the child support enforcement agency to obtain support from a noncustodial parent; (ii) requires the recipient to comply with reasonable requests for cooperation by case management workers in seeking and using programs and community and family resources that may be available to the recipient; (iii) specifies the work activities in which the recipient will participate; (iv) specifies the supportive services that the local department will assist in providing and that are necessary for the recipient to meet the recipient's obligations under the FIP; and (v) specifies the reasonable accommodations that a local department will provide to a recipient with a disability that are necessary for the recipient to meet the recipient's obligations under the FIP; (2) supportive services activities, including child care, to the extent resources allow; (3) referral, as appropriate, to family planning counseling and services that: (i) are not offered or conducted in a manner that: 1. is coercive; 2. violates the recipient's confidentiality; or 3. violates the recipient's bona fide religious beliefs and practices; and (ii) give preference to eligible teen parents; and (4) temporary cash assistance, as a last resort. (c) Except for an applicant who is a single child, the FIP for an applicant shall include a child care voucher: (1) to the extent resources allow, if the applicant is required to participate in a work activity as a condition of eligibility; or (2) if providing child care eliminates the applicant's need for cash assistance under the FIP. (d) For an applicant or recipient who is a single child, the FIP shall include: (1) referral to appropriate services; and (2) temporary cash assistance for the recipient, as a last resort. (e) To the extent resources allow, the FIP shall serve noncustodial parents who need employment services to pay child support obligations. §5-310. ** CONTINGENCY - IN EFFECT - CHAPTER 229 OF 2002 ** (a) (1) For a recipient that is an assistance unit that includes adults and children or minor parents and children, the amount of assistance shall be designated as follows: (i) 75% for the child or children in the assistance unit; and (ii) 25% for the adult member or members, or minor parent or parents of the assistance unit. (2) For a recipient that is an assistance unit that includes only adults or a recipient who is a pregnant individual, 100% of the amount of assistance shall be designated for the adult member or members or the pregnant individual. (3) For applicants to the FIP, the amount of assistance shall be computed by counting no more than 4 weeks of earned income in any month and disregarding 20% of that earned income. (4) (i) Through fiscal year 2027, the first $100 of child support collected in a month for one child and the first $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (ii) For fiscal year 2028, the greater of $100 of any child support collected in a month for one child and $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children or 25% of any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (iii) For fiscal year 2029, the greater of $100 of any child support collected in a month for one child and $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children or 50% of any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (iv) For fiscal year 2030, the greater of $100 of any child support collected in a month for one child and $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children or 75% of any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (v) For fiscal year 2031 and each fiscal year thereafter, any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (5) For eligible recipients who obtain unsubsidized employment, the amount of assistance shall be computed by counting no more than 4 weeks of earned income in any month and disregarding 40% of that earned income. (b) A recipient who has established eligibility may not lose eligibility solely because one or more wage earners in the family unit works more than 100 hours per month. (c) Two-parent families shall be exempt from any requirement that the principal wage earner must have worked for a specified time before applying to the FIP. (d) (1) A child who is living with the child's parent and a stepparent in a household in which the household income exceeds the State eligibility standard for assistance may receive assistance if: (i) the requirements of § 5-308 of this subtitle are met; and (ii) the parent and the child would be eligible for assistance, based on the income of the parent and that parent's children. (2) The amount of assistance to be paid under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be computed with regard to the income of the stepparent if the total income of the stepparent equals or exceeds 50% of the official poverty level, adjusted for family size, established under the federal Community Services Block Grant Act. (e) A dependent child over the age of 17 years is eligible for inclusion in the FIP grant if: (1) the child is a full-time student in secondary school or the equivalent; and (2) the education program is expected to be completed in the calendar year that the child attains the age of 19 years. §5-310. ** CONTINGENCY - NOT IN EFFECT - CHAPTER 229 OF 2002 ** (a) (1) For a recipient that is an assistance unit that includes adults and children or minor parents and children, the amount of assistance shall be designated as follows: (i) 75% for the child or children in the assistance unit; and (ii) 25% for the adult member or members, or minor parent or parents of the assistance unit. (2) For a recipient that is an assistance unit that includes only adults or a recipient who is a pregnant individual, 100% of the amount of assistance shall be designated for the adult member or members or the pregnant individual. (3) For applicants to the FIP, the amount of assistance shall be computed by counting no more than 4 weeks of earned income in any month and disregarding 20% of that earned income. (4) (i) Through fiscal year 2027, the first $100 of child support collected in a month for one child and the first $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (ii) For fiscal year 2028, the greater of $100 of any child support collected in a month for one child and $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children or 25% of any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (iii) For fiscal year 2029, the greater of $100 of any child support collected in a month for one child and $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children or 50% of any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (iv) For fiscal year 2030, the greater of $100 of any child support collected in a month for one child and $200 of child support collected in a month for two or more children or 75% of any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (v) For fiscal year 2031 and each fiscal year thereafter, any child support collected in a month shall pass through to the family and shall be disregarded in computing the amount of assistance. (5) For eligible recipients who obtain unsubsidized employment, the amount of assistance shall be computed by counting no more than 4 weeks of earned income in any month and disregarding 35% of that earned income. (b) A recipient who has established eligibility may not lose eligibility solely because one or more wage earners in the family unit works more than 100 hours per month. (c) Two-parent families shall be exempt from any requirement that the principal wage earner must have worked for a specified time before applying to the FIP. (d) (1) A child who is living with the child's parent and a stepparent in a household in which the household income exceeds the State eligibility standard for assistance may receive assistance if: (i) the requirements of § 5-308 of this subtitle are met; and (ii) the parent and the child would be eligible for assistance, based on the income of the parent and that parent's children. (2) The amount of assistance to be paid under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be computed with regard to the income of the stepparent if the total income of the stepparent equals or exceeds 50% of the official poverty level, adjusted for family size, established under the federal Community Services Block Grant Act. (e) A dependent child over the age of 17 years is eligible for inclusion in the FIP grant if: (1) the child is a full-time student in secondary school or the equivalent; and (2) the education program is expected to be completed in the calendar year that the child attains the age of 19 years.
‹ Prev All Maryland sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.