Authority: IC 12-13-5-1; IC 12-13-5-3; IC 12-14-28-7

Affected: IC 12-14-28; IC 31-34-11-2; IC 31-34-20-1; IC 31-34-21-7; IC 31-34-21-7.5

Sec. 2. A child who meets all the following criteria shall be eligible for assistance under this rule:

1. (1) The child is either:

   1. (A) not less than thirteen (13) years of age;
   2. (B) a member of a sibling group at least one (1) of whom is not less than thirteen (13) years of age;
   3. (C) seriously disabled; or
   4. (D) approved for legal guardianship as a permanency plan by an order entered by a juvenile court having jurisdiction over the child, if the order finds and states compelling reasons for selecting guardianship as the preferred choice among available permanency plan options.
2. (2) The child must be residing in the household of an adult caretaker relative of the child.
3. (3) The gross family income attributable to the child under TANF rules and guidelines must be less than two hundred fifty percent (250%) of the federal poverty level.
4. (4) The child must have been adjudicated a child in need of services by a juvenile court in Indiana pursuant to IC 31-34-11-2.
5. (5) The child must have been removed from the child's home and placed in another home or shelter care facility, under supervision of a county office, pursuant to a dispositional decree entered under IC 31-34-20-1.
6. (6) The child must be residing with a guardian who meets the eligibility requirements specified in section 3 of this rule.
7. (7) The child must have resided with the guardian in the guardian's home for a continuous period of time not less than six (6) months.
8. (8) The permanency plan for the child approved by the juvenile court pursuant to IC 31-34-21-7 is appointment of a legal guardian for the child, as provided in IC 31-34-21-7.5(1)(E).

(Department of Child Services; 465 IAC 2-8-2; filed Jun 1, 2000, 11:20 a.m.: 23 IR 2427; readopted filed Jul 12, 2001, 1:40 p.m.: 24 IR 4235; readopted filed Nov 27, 2007, 6:52 a.m.: 20071226-IR-465070551RFA; readopted filed Nov 26, 2013, 4:02 p.m.: 20131225-IR-465130459RFA; readopted filed Oct 10, 2019, 10:42 a.m.: 20191106-IR-465190320RFA; readopted filed Oct 15, 2025, 10:46 a.m.: 20251112-IR-465250623RFA) NOTE: Transferred from the Division of Family Resources (470 IAC 3-10.5-2) to the Department of Child Services (465 IAC 2-8-2) by P.L.234-2005, SECTION 195, effective July 1, 2005.