Maryland TCA Denial Rate and Missed Interview Rejections

In September 2025, Maryland's statewide TCA application denial rate reached 86.6%. That figure comes from the Department of Legislative Services operating budget analysis — not anecdote, not advocacy math. Nearly nine out of ten applications were rejected. For kinship caregivers raising a grandchild or relative's child, understanding why can make the difference between months of cash help and a denial letter.

Why So Many Applications Get Denied

The DLS budget reports identify three primary drivers behind the spike:

Missed caseworker interviews. After pandemic-era waivers expired, Maryland reinstated mandatory interview requirements. The interview call often comes from an unlisted number during business hours. If you miss it and do not contact the office promptly, the application is denied for failure to complete the process. In peak months, missed interviews accounted for up to 18% of all denials.

Child support non-cooperation. TCA requires you to cooperate with the Child Support Administration to pursue the child's biological parents. If you do not complete the CSEA referral and have not filed for a Good Cause Exemption, the application is denied. Many caregivers abandon the process entirely rather than pursue a parent who is incarcerated, violent, or simply unreachable — not realizing the exemption exists.

Missing or incomplete documents. The local DSS must verify the child's identity, residency, relationship to the caregiver, and the child's income (or lack of it). When verification deadlines pass without the required paperwork, the application closes.

What You Can Do

Request a specific interview date and time when you file. If the caseworker cannot commit to a window, ask which number the call will come from and answer unknown numbers during that period. If you miss the call, phone the office the same day.

Gather documents before you apply — birth certificates, proof of residency, and relationship documentation. If a document is hard to get (an out-of-state birth certificate, for instance), the local DSS is legally obligated to help you obtain it rather than deny you outright.

If pursuing the biological parent for child support would put you or the child at risk, file for a Good Cause Exemption under COMAR 07.03.03.10 at the same time you submit the TCA application. Bring evidence: a protective order, police reports, medical records, or a domestic violence agency statement.

The Maryland Financial Help Guide includes an application tracker that logs your filing date, scheduled interview windows, and document submission receipts — built specifically to prevent the procedural errors that drive Maryland's denial numbers.

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