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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 08/2020

CHILD SUPPORT GOOD CAUSE EXEMPTIONS

0012.21.06

● Notice of Denial of Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3628) (PDF).

● Notice of Child Support Good Cause Approval (DHS-3629) (PDF).

● Notice of Child Support Good Cause Redetermination (DHS-3630) (PDF).

● Request to End Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3631) (PDF).

● Request for Additional Information to Prove Your Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3632) (PDF).

● Notice of Approval of Redetermination of Your Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3633) (PDF).

The only change that counties are allowed to make to the above notice text is the letterhead and salutation. In some counties, the assistance program case worker may send these documents instead of the good cause committee.

The good cause committee should make decisions within 45 days. Caregivers are given various time frames to respond based on the information requested. Generally, if they have not responded in the time frame given, the good cause committee must deny the good cause claim. If the caregiver requests additional time to submit evidence, the good cause committee should grant the extra time if it appears that the caregiver is cooperating and is trying to obtain the information. Good cause committees must assist caregivers in gathering evidence and pay necessary costs, if requested.

WHEN GOOD CAUSE IS CLAIMED

If an applicant claims good cause, the good cause committee will contact the caregiver by sending the Important Information about Your Request for a Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3627) (PDF) and the Notice of Privacy Practices (DHS- 3979) (PDF). The Important Information about Your Request for a Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3627) (PDF) tells the caregiver about the good cause claim process, what kind of evidence is acceptable to prove the claim, and what will happen next. The good cause committee must mail this letter within 5 working days of the good cause committee’s receipt of the claim. The good cause committee will send one letter per good cause claim, or per non-custodial parent (NCP).

In some instances when a caregiver has more than one child in common with the NCP, the caregiver may want to claim a good cause exemption for only one child. Complete a separate STAT/ABPS panel for the child named on the good cause claim. The child support office will open a separate case for the child with the good cause claim.

The caregiver is asked to provide proof of good cause within 20 days of receipt of the Important Information about Your Request for a Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3627) (PDF). See 0010 (Verification), 0010.18.33 (Verifying Family Violence). Inform the good cause committee if information has already been provided to substantiate a claim of family violence. If the caregiver is a current participant in the Safe at Home program and has the SAH identification card no further proof is required. See 0029.29 (Safe At Home Program).

One type of evidence listed on the Important Information about Your Request for a Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS- 3627) (PDF) that the caregiver can submit is a sworn statement from someone other than the person claiming good cause who can attest to the caregiver’s claim. The statement must be notarized. The good cause committee may receive statements that are not notarized. Because state statute does not limit the evidence which can be considered, the good cause committee should use its discretion to determine how to use the statement in combination with other evidence. A caregiver may also submit a statement as evidence, but the caregiver’s statement does not have to be notarized.

GOOD CAUSE CLAIM ON AN OPEN PROGRAM STOPS ALL ACTION ON NCP CASE

The child support agency will not begin activity to pursue support or establish paternity while a good cause claim is pending or when there is an approved good cause claim in place under any open program. When a child support case is already open and active, the child support agency will stop all enforcement actions on the case, including income withholding. A good cause approval or pending request affects the entire child support case for that NCP (child support, child care support, and medical