CHILD SUPPORT COOPERATION
A person who applies for Temporary Family Assistance (TFA), must provide specific information about the father, unless the person can claim an exemption (see below). The State will use this information to try to establish paternity and child support orders. "NCP" means noncustodial parent.
| FIRST AND LAST
NAME OF THE OTHER PARENT AND |
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| ONE FROM THIS LIST | OR | TWO FROM THIS LIST: |
| Social Security Number | birth date and town and state, or foreign country, of birth | |
| Current or Former employer of absent parent, enough info so DSS can reach employer by phone or mail | NCP’s approximate age and - mother’s and father’s full names and (if still living) addresses or -license plate number of any motor vehicle owned or -make, model and approximate year of any motor vehicle owned |
|
| name and town and state of any secondary or postsecondary school that NCP went to | ||
| name and location (or phone #) of union NCP was
in within last 5 years OR name and jurisdiction of license profession or occupation of NCP within last 5 years |
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| approximate date and town and state of arrest
within last five years OR approximate date, name and state of correctional institution where NCP was incarcerated within last five years |
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| branch and approximate date of any military service | ||
| any other information which can be verified and could reasonably be expected to lead to NCP’s social security number | ||
EXEMPTIONS FROM
CHILD SUPPORT COOPERATION REQUIREMENT
You may be excused from providing information for child support enforcement in any of the following situations:
1. Domestic Violence – If you are a past or current victim of domestic violence and at risk of further domestic violence, and the Department of Social Services determines that cooperating with child support enforcement would make it harder for you to escape domestic violence.
2. Deceitful Noncustodial Parent – If the other parent lied to you about the information the Department of Social Services is requesting.
3. Mental Impairment – If you have a mental impairment that affects your memory or your ability to get information about the other parent.
4. Other Good Faith Reason – If Department of Social Services determines that you have another "good faith reason" for not being able to supply the requested information.
HOW TO CLAIM AN EXEMPTION
Your regular DSS worker will ask you for information about the father as part of your TFA application. If you cannot provide the information, you will be referred to a child support worker.
The child support worker will ask you more questions to see whether you have any information that would help locate the father. If you cannot answer the questions, that child support worker should ask why you don’t have the information.
If you claim to be exempt because of domestic violence, you will be sent back to the regular DSS worker who will decide whether your claim does excuse you from cooperating with support enforcement.
If you claim to be exempt for any of the other reasons listed above, the worker must ask for a sworn statement and decide whether or not you should be exempt.
If you disagree with the worker’s conclusion you can request a fair hearing.