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Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Emergency Assistance Manual |
Each caretaker relative in the EA Group must meet all of the following:
1. Be at least 18 years of age (unless the individual is a Minor Caretaker Relative, see 2.4.4).
2. Be related to at least one dependent child in the EA Group in one of the following relationships:
a. Natural or adoptive parent;
b. Stepfather or stepmother;
c. Natural, legally adopted, half-, or step-brother or -sister;
d. Grandmother or grandfather, aunt or uncle, first cousin, niece or nephew, or any preceding generation denoted by the prefix grand-, great-grand, or great-great-grand-, and including those through adoption; or
e. Legal spouse of any individual listed in a. through d. above even after the marriage is ended by death or divorce.
3. Currently living with the dependent child(ren) or have lived with the dependent child(ren) within six months prior to the emergency.
4. Anticipated to live with the dependent child(ren) in the month following the date of the EA application.
5. Exercising care and control for that dependent child(ren). For purposes of EA policy, exercising care and control of the child(ren) includes decisions about the child’s education, health care, and any treatment, hospitalization, and long-distance travel.
EXAMPLE 1: Linda’s niece, Anna, lives with Linda full-time and attends high school near Linda’s home. Anna’s mother lives in Michigan. Prior to moving to Michigan, Anna’s mother signed a statement giving Linda “care and control” for Anna. There was no legal transfer of guardianship; however, Linda is authorized to make decisions regarding Anna’s health care, education and long-distance travel. Linda would meet the definition of “caretaker relative” for purposes of EA eligibility.
EXAMPLE 2: Alice and her daughter, Jamie, and grandson, Larry, live together and share living expenses. Alice works full-time. Jamie works part-time, about 20 hours per week. While Jamie is working, Alice provides child care for Larry. Even though Alice lives with Jamie and Larry, and provides child care, Alice does not exercise “care and control” for Larry. Jamie makes all decisions regarding Larry’s health care, education, etc. Even if Alice needed to take Larry to the hospital for emergency care, this does not mean she is exercising care and control for Larry. Alice would not meet the definition of “caretaker relative” for EA eligibility.
EXAMPLE 3: Miranda applied for EA due to impending homelessness. She listed herself, three friends and Miranda’s three-year-old child on her EA application. The EA Group would consist of Miranda and her child. The three other adults would not be included in the EA Group because they are not relatives of Miranda’s child and do not have caretaker responsibility for Miranda’s child. Only Miranda’s income and assets would be counted.
EXAMPLE 4: Carlos applied for EA due to an energy crisis. In the household, he listed himself, his two daughters Zoe and Raven, and his girlfriend Brianna. Brianna is not Zoe or Raven’s mother. The EA Group would be Carlos and his two daughters. Brianna would not be included in the EA Group because she is not married to Carlos or related to either child in the household.
History: There are no previous versions of this policy.