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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 05/2017

CHILD SUPPORT SANCTIONS

0012.24

compliance.

● FOR THE 7TH OCCURRENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: Close the MFIP case (100% sanction). Closure during the first 60 months is NOT permanent. The case must be closed for 1 full month but can be reopened in the month following the month that the caregiver cooperates with the support requirements.

A good cause review is required when the MFIP case is sanctioned at 30% for 6 months. The county must attempt to meet face-to-face with the caregiver before case closure. At this face-to-face meeting the county must give the caregiver the Cooperation with Child Support Enforcement (DHS-2338) (PDF), or send it to the caregiver before closing in the 7th month if a face-to-face meeting does not occur. The caregiver may make a good cause claim even if good cause has previously been denied. If the caregiver claims good cause, send the signed Client Statement of Good Cause form to the good cause committee. The committee must review the good cause claim following normal procedures. While the committee is reviewing the claim, the caregiver is considered to be cooperating. If the claim is denied, then the 7th occurrence sanction would be imposed. See 0012.21.06 (Child Support Good Cause Exemptions).

Do not continue a prior child support sanction for new MFIP applications or for MFIP cases that have been closed for more than 30 days and reapply if a complete application is received. The completed application is considered cooperation with child support. See 0005.12.03 (What is a Complete Application).

Sanction the case at 30% if the case that was closed for non-compliance (100% sanction) is reopened after compliance and has another occurrence of non-compliance. Close the case if there is a subsequent occurrence of non-compliance for a case reopened after closure for non-compliance.

NOTE: The sanction policy for non-compliance with child support is the same for households in the 1st 60 months and for extended households.

Closure for non-compliance does NOT make the participant ineligible for SNAP, if otherwise eligible. Determine eligibility for SNAP at the time of closure. Case closure also does not affect health care eligibility.

FOR DUAL SANCTIONS: Impose sanctions as follows for participants who refuse to comply with child support requirements AND have a concurrent sanction for failure to attend orientation or to develop or to comply with their Employment Plan:

● If the child support non-compliance and other program non-compliance occur in the SAME month, reduce the Transitional Standard and MFIP food portion, whichever applies, by 30% for the 1st month, then vendor pay shelter costs (and utilities, if applicable) for the 2nd month.

● The participant remains subject to vendor payments and 30% sanction until BOTH issues of non-compliance have been resolved.

DWP: Follow MFIP, EXCEPT when notified by IV-D that the caregiver with children is not cooperating, send a notice of termination and close the case. There are no sanction or vendoring provisions in DWP. The unit may be eligible for DWP again if the unit cooperates. A family unit that has been disqualified from DWP due to non-cooperation will not be eligible for MFIP or any other TANF cash program for the remainder of the 4-month DWP eligibility period.

If the family unit that has been closed due to non-cooperation applies for MFIP after the 4-month DWP period ends, the disqualification does not carry over to MFIP. IV-D will determine cooperation or non-cooperation based on the MFIP IV-D referral.

SNAP, MSA, GA, GRH: No provisions.