Frequently Asked Questions about Public Benefits for Teen Parents and Pregnant Teens in Massachusetts

Click on the questions below to get specific answers to your public benefits questions. Please note that the answers are based on

• a) the Massachusetts state welfare reform law, Chapter 5 of the Acts of 1995 codified in Chapter 118 of the Mass. General Laws,
• b) the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) regulations codified at 106 CMR sec. 203.600 - 640 and various other sections
• c) DTA's TAFDC Procedural Guide and
• d) DTA's TAFDC Updates which include Q and A policy instructions to DTA workers.

Note also: The following questions and answers use the term “parenting teens” to include pregnant teens who are eligible for TAFDC benefits beginning four months before their due date.

• 1. Overview of Welfare Teen Parent Rules
• 2. Does a Teen Have a Right to Apply for Her Own Benefits?
• 3. Can Pregnant Teens Get Welfare (TAFDC) Benefits?
• 4. What Are the School Attendance Rules for Teen Parents?
• 5. What If a Teen Has a Good Reason for Not Going to School?
• 6. What About Child Care and Transportation Reimbursement?
• 7. What Are the Work Rules for Teens Who Have Finished High School or GED?
• 8. What Are the Living Arrangement Rules?
• 9. Who Else Can a Teen Choose to Live with? Does Their Income Affect Her Benefits?
• 10. How Does DTA Decide If a Minor Teen Parent Can or Can’t Live with Her Parents?
• 11. What Are Considered "Extraordinary Circumstances" for Living Arrangement Rules?
• 12. What Are "Teen Living Programs"?
• 13. Can A Teen Get a Waiver of the Living Arrangement Rules?
• 14. Can a Teen Get a Copy of the Living Arrangement Assessment?
• 15. Can a Teen Challenge the Living Arrangement Decision?
• 16. If a Teen Lives with Her Parents, How is Their Income Counted in Calculating Her Grant Amount? What If Her Parents Are Already on TAFDC?
• 17. Are Teen Parents Limited To 24 Months (2 Years) Of TAFDC Benefits?
• 18. Does the 24-Month Clock Apply if the Teen Lives with her Parents?
• 19. Can Teen Parents Get Mass Health and Food Stamps?
• 20. What About The Other Welfare Reform Rules?

To learn more about benefits to teen parents, purchase our publication, A Teen Parent Guide to Massachusetts Public Benefits and Services or go to Neighborhood Law.

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Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
105 Chauncy Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02111
617.482.9122 Main, 617.482.9129 Fax