Hotline 7/12: TAFDC, caretaker exemption

Q. 1. My TAFDC client is the grantee in a three-person household that includes her child and the child’s
father. She is claiming an exemption as a grantee essential to the care of the father of their child who
is a disabled person, but she is not related to this disabled man. Can she still qualify for the
exemption?

A. 1. Yes. The other parent of a grantee’s child or any unrelated child may be the disabled person under
this exemption. For more information on TAFDC exemptions from the Time-Limited Benefits and
Reduced Need and Payment standards, see 106 CMR 203.100.

Q. 2. My TAFDC client is claiming an exemption because she is essential to the care of her daughter’s
father. As a disabled parent, the father in this household has already verified his incapacity, as
specified in 106 CMR 203.530. Does this TAFDC mother still need to have the TAFDC-4, Verification
of Caring for the Disabled form completed?

A. 2. Yes. Even though the disabled person who requires care is also a TAFDC client who has already
verified his or her incapacity through DES, the TAFDC-4, Verification of Caring for the Disabled form is
still required to provide:

• written specifications on the severity of the disability;
• the reason that the grantee is essential to the care of the disabled person; and
• confirmation that the grantee is unable to work and instead must remain home to care for the disabled person.

This form is available on Policy Online under Online Forms.

Q. 3. My TAFDC client is claiming an exemption because she is essential to the care of an unrelated,
disabled child. This child’s disability was verified with the TAFDC-4, Verification of Caring for the
Disabled form. Must the child’s disability also be verified through DES?

A. 3. No. If the grantee proves the household member’s disability with the TAFDC-4 then a DES review is
not required.

Q. 4. My client’s physician completed the TAFDC-4, Verification of Caring for the Disabled form. The form
shows that the grantee’s child is disabled. Also, the physician checked the “Yes” box indicating that
the child has a disability-related need which requires care by the caregiver and prevents the caregiver
from seeking, obtaining or maintaining a full-time job. However, the physician left the “Explain”
section blank. Until now, the client gave no indication that her child had any special needs. Can I still
approve her exemption?

A. 4. Before you may approve this exemption, the TAFDC-4 must be fully completed. This physician
checked the “Yes” box indicating that the child has a disability-related need requiring care that
prevents your client from seeking, obtaining or maintaining a full-time job, but then did not explain
why the child needs your client, in particular, for this care. There may be good reasons that your
client is administering this care, and the regulations at 106 CMR 203.100 (B) require that you
determine the reason(s) and maintain this information as part of the case record.

Q. 5. I received a phone call today from a physician about the completion of the TAFDC-4, Verification of
Caring for the Disabled form. She did not understand what to write in the “Explain” section of the
form. What are some examples I could provide to the physician so that she gains a better
understanding of the information we’re requesting?

A. 5. Once the disabled individual’s incapacity is verified, reasons a client may be necessary to provide care
to the disabled person include, but are not limited to:

• the regularly scheduled caretaker is on leave for an extended illness or no longer available;
• the disabled individual responds adversely to other caretakers; or
• the disabled individual requires round-the-clock care as well as continuity of care provided by a single, consistent caregiver.

Q. 6. Besides doctors, are the signatures of other health care professionals accepted on the TAFDC-4,
Verification of Caring for the Disabled form?

A. 6. Yes. The TAFDC-4 form may be signed by any competent medical authority, as defined in 106 CMR
701.600(H).