- (a) Neither the United States Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines, the federal Community Services Block Grant Act, 42 U.S.C. § 9901 et seq., nor applicable United States Department of Health and Human Services regulations define the term “family”.
- (b) Following are two (2) examples of how the term family might be defined (reasonable definitions are also acceptable): Example 1: The income of all members of each family unit must be included in determining the income eligibility. A family unit may be either: (1) related individuals; or (2) an unrelated individual. The term “related individuals” means two (2) or more persons related by birth, marriage, or adoption who reside together. The term “unrelated individual” means an individual who is not an inmate of an institution: (1) who resides alone; or (2) who resides with anyone who is not related to them by birth, marriage, or adoption. (Examples of unrelated individuals residing with others include: a lodger, a foster child, a ward, or an employee). If a household includes more than one (1) family unit, the poverty guidelines shall be applied separately to each family unit, and not to the household as a whole. Example 2: For purposes of determining income eligibility, the term “persons in family” in the United States Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines means persons in a household. A household includes any individual or group of individuals who are living together as one (1) economic unit. The income of each individual in the household who is eighteen (18) years of age or older must be included in determining income eligibility. In determining whether an individual is part of a household, the eligible entity may consider factors such as whether the individual pays for their own food and occupancy.