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Chapter: 1400 Technical Requirements Program: FS 15 1410.1700 CHILD SUPPORT COOPERATION (FS) Under state and federal law, the state must take action to locate non-custodial parents, establish paternity, and secure all child support, medical support, or other benefits for children receiving public assistance.

Applicants for and recipients of food stamps (including caretaker relatives receiving food stamps) must cooperate with Child Support Enforcement (CSE) as a condition of eligibility, unless it is determined that good cause for non-cooperation exists. 1410.1702 Child Support Cooperation Requirements (FS) Cooperation with Child Support Enforcement (CSE) by a parent or caretaker relative is required when:

1. the parent or caretaker is applying for or receiving food stamps, 2. paternity has not been established and the alleged father is not in the home, 3. one or both parents are absent from the home, or 4. good cause for non-cooperation does not exist as determined by CSE.

The parent or caretaker relative must cooperate with the following:

1. identifying and locating the parent(s) of the child, 2. establishing the paternity of the child, and 3. obtaining child support payments for the child or amending a court order. 1410.1704 Definition of Cooperation (FS) Cooperation includes the following:

1. providing complete information required to obtain child support (if information about the non-custodial parent is known by the individual but is withheld, the individual may face a possible penalty of perjury); 2. completing and signing affidavits attesting to paternity of the child; and 3. making court appearances and providing testimony in paternity hearings and support actions. 1410.1705.01 Definition of Non-Custodial Parent (FS) The term “non-custodial parent” refers to non-custodial (absent) legal fathers, non-custodial (absent) mothers, and all putative (non-legal biological) fathers. 1410.1705.02 Legal Father and Natural Father (FS) If both a legal and putative father exists, or the responsibility for support is not clear, the parent or caretaker relative must provide information on both the legal and putative father. 1410.1706 Cooperation by a Pregnant Woman (FS) Pregnant women who are receiving food stamps for themselves and other dependent children are required to cooperate with CSE unless they have good cause reasons not to cooperate. A pregnant woman with no other children is not referred for CSE cooperation until the child is born. 1410.1707 Good Cause for Failure to Cooperate (FS) Cooperation in establishing paternity and/or securing support may be contrary to the best interest of the family. In those situations, a parent or caretaker relative may have good cause for not cooperating. Child Support Enforcement (CSE) must advise these individuals of reasons for good cause.