N.D. Cent. Code § 50-33-04

A caretaker, temporarily living apart from the remaining members of the child care assistance unit due to employment, education, training, medical care, incarceration, or uniformed service, is not considered absent from the home as long as the caretaker continues to function as caretaker, even if the level of support or care is reduced. The caretaker is counted as a child care assistance unit member and all gross countable income of that caretaker is included as child care assistance unit income used to determine the child care assistance payment.