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42 U.S. Code § 608. Prohibitions; requirements
(a) In general
(1) No assistance for families without a minor child
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to a family, unless the family includes a minor child who resides with the family (consistent with paragraph (10)) or a pregnant individual.
(2) Reduction or elimination of assistance for noncooperation in establishing paternity or obtaining child supportIf the agency responsible for administering the State plan approved under part D determines that an individual is not cooperating with the State in establishing paternity or in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order with respect to a child of the individual, and the individual does not qualify for any good cause or other exception established by the State pursuant to section 654(29) of this title, then the State—
(A)
shall deduct from the assistance that would otherwise be provided to the family of the individual under the State program funded under this part an amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount of such assistance; and
(B)
may deny the family any assistance under the State program.
(3) No assistance for families not assigning certain support rights to the State
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall require, as a condition of paying assistance to a family under the State program funded under this part, that a member of the family assign to the State any right the family member may have (on behalf of the family member or of any other person for whom the family member has applied for or is receiving such assistance) to support from any other person, not exceeding the total amount of assistance so paid to the family, which accrues during the period that the family receives assistance under the program.
(4) No assistance for teenage parents who do not attend high school or other equivalent training programA State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to an individual who has not attained 18 years of age, is not married, has a minor child at least 12 weeks of age in his or her care, and has not successfully completed a high-school education (or its equivalent), if the individual does not participate in—
(A)
educational activities directed toward the attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalent; or
(B)
an alternative educational or training program that has been approved by the State.
(5) No assistance for teenage parents not living in adult-supervised settings
(A) In general
(i) Requirement
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title shall not use any part of the grant to provide assistance to an individual described in clause (ii) of this subparagraph if the individual and the minor child referred to in clause (ii)(II) do not reside in a place of residence maintained by a parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative of the individual as such parent’s, guardian’s, or adult relative’s own home.
(ii) Individual describedFor purposes of clause (i), an individual described in this clause is an individual who—
(I)
has not attained 18 years of age; and
(II)
is not married, and has a minor child in his or her care.
(B) Exception
(i) Provision of, or assistance in locating, adult-supervised living arrangement
In the case of an individual who is described in clause (ii), the State agency referred to in section 602(a)(4) of this title shall provide, or assist the individual in locating, a second chance home, maternity home, or other appropriate adult-supervised supportive living arrangement, taking into consideration the needs and concerns of the individual, unless the State agency determines that the individual’s current living arrangement is appropriate, and thereafter shall require that the individual and the minor child referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) reside in such living arrangement as a condition of the continued receipt of assistance under the State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government (or in an alternative appropriate arrangement, should circumstances change and the current arrangement cease to be appropriate).
(ii) Individual describedFor purposes of clause (i), an individual is described in this clause if the individual is described in subparagraph (A)(ii), and—
(I)
the individual has no parent, legal guardian, or other appropriate adult relative described in subclause (II) of his or her own who is living or whose whereabouts are known;
(II)
no living parent, legal guardian, or other appropriate adult relative, who would otherwise meet applicable State criteria to act as the individual’s legal guardian, of such individual allows the individual to live in the home of such parent, guardian, or relative;
(III) the State agency determines that—
(aa)
the individual or the minor child referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) is being or has been subjected to serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation in the residence of the individual’s own parent or legal guardian; or
(bb)
substantial evidence exists of an act or failure to act that presents an imminent or serious harm if the individual and the minor child lived in the same residence with the individual’s own parent or legal guardian; or
(IV)
the State agency otherwise determines that it is in the best interest of the minor child to waive the requirement of subparagraph (A) with respect to the individual or the minor child.
(iii) Second-chance home
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “second-chance home” means an entity that provides individuals described in clause (ii) with a supportive and supervised living arrangement in which such individuals are required to learn parenting skills, including child development, family budgeting, health and nutrition, and other skills to promote their long-term economic independence and the well-being of their children.