How to Appeal a TFA Denial in Connecticut: Fair Hearing Steps for Kinship Caregivers

Why TFA Denials Happen to Kinship Caregivers

The most common reason a grandparent or relative caregiver gets denied TFA cash assistance in Connecticut is an intake error: the worker runs the application through the standard household income screen instead of processing it as a child-only grant. When that happens, the caregiver's Social Security, pension, or wages push the household over the income threshold — and the denial letter arrives.

If the stated reason is that DSS counted your income or assets in a child-only TFA application, that conflicts with the non-parent relative rule. Review the full notice for any other eligibility issue, and request a hearing if you disagree with the decision.

The Two Deadlines That Matter

When you receive a denial, reduction, or termination notice from DSS, two clocks start:

60 days — You have 60 days from the date on the notice to request an administrative fair hearing through DSS's Office of Legal Counsel, Regulations, and Administrative Hearings (OLCRAH). Miss this window and you lose the right to challenge the decision.

10 days — To preserve existing TFA or HUSKY benefits pending the hearing, submit the appeal within 10 days of the notice date, subject to any exceptions stated in the notice. After 10 days, existing benefits may be reduced or stopped while the hearing is pending.

For a new application that was denied outright, the 10-day preservation rule doesn't apply — there are no existing benefits to preserve. But the 60-day deadline still matters.

How to Request a Fair Hearing

You must submit your hearing request in writing. Options:

• Use the Hearing Request Form attached to the DSS Notice of Action. If you do not have it, send a signed letter to the Hearing Office explaining why you are requesting a hearing.
• Include your name, address, DSS identification number, and the program decision you are appealing. Follow the contact instructions on your notice.

In your request, state clearly that you are a non-parent relative caregiver who applied for a child-only TFA grant, and that the denial incorrectly applied household income rules to a child-only assistance unit. Reference the DSS Uniform Policy Manual provision that excludes non-parent relative income from child-only TFA eligibility.

What Happens at the Hearing

A fair hearing is conducted by an administrative hearing officer — not the same worker who denied your application. You'll present your case, usually by phone or in person.

Bring or submit:

• The denial notice itself
• Proof that you are a non-parent relative (birth certificates showing the relationship)
• Proof that the child lives with you
• Any notes or records showing what happened during your application (dates you visited DSS, names of workers you spoke with, what they asked you to provide)

The hearing officer reviews the facts against the regulation. If the denial was based on counting your income in a child-only application, the regulation is straightforward — your income should not have been counted.

Getting Free Legal Help for Your Hearing

You do not have to do this alone. Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut (1-800-453-3320) and regional legal aid organizations routinely represent kinship caregivers at DSS fair hearings. CTLawHelp.org also has self-help guides with step-by-step hearing preparation instructions.

If your case is clearly an intake error — the worker counted income that regulations exclude — legal aid attorneys can often resolve it quickly.

Other Benefit Appeals

The fair hearing process also applies to SNAP and HUSKY denials, reductions, or terminations through DSS. Care 4 Kids appeals go through a separate process at the Office of Early Childhood. DCF guardianship subsidy disputes have their own appeal track through the DCF Subsidy Unit.

Each program has its own timeline and procedure, but the principle is the same: you have the right to challenge any adverse decision, and free legal help is available.

Our Connecticut kinship financial help guide covers the appeal procedures for every program, along with the documents you need and the deadlines to track, so you can respond quickly when something goes wrong.

See more Connecticut guides →