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its pertinent content, as follows:

Volume III | Chapter 3

1. Public Records: Identify the type of record, the date of the record, and the information contained in it. The worker will record the date seen and sign the entry. 2. Personal Records: State the type of record, whether family Bible, birthday book, baptismal or marriage certificate, insurance policy, or other document. State what the record shows with regard to the date of birth or other factor of eligibility for which documentation is being sought. The worker will record the date seen and sign the entry. If the record is in the possession of an individual in another county, ask the other county department to see the record and supply the information to be used. Conflicting Information When records give conflicting information about a date or other point of eligibility, the conflict must be resolved and a decision made as to the most valid piece of evidence. Base the decision either on a preponderance of evidence or the greater merit of one record compared to a more doubtful one. Preponderance of evidence means that a number of pieces of evidence agree and thus outweigh another which is different. Some examples of less reliable documents are burial policies, employment records, medical records, etc. A hospital record may give an approximate age while burial policies or employment records may contain altered ages, up or down, which are advantageous to the individual giving the information. If conflicting evidence is found, the worker must evaluate it with a supervisor if needed, make a logical decision in view of all the facts available, and then record the reasons for accepting one or more pieces of evidence and disregarding another. Comparing the document with other social history data which the applicant has given may be helpful. Sources for Establishing Age The date of birth of each child must be established before approval for TANF. Establish the age of the payee when there is doubt that the payee is under or over 18 years of age or is under or over age 60 or 65. Only when the payee's age impacts on another eligibility factor is it necessary to furnish actual proof of age for a payee. Given below are sources for establishing or documenting age and in some cases relationship as well. A public or religious record of birth established before age five (5), such as a birth certificate or baptismal record. A short form birth certificate is sufficient to establish date of birth, but will not verify relationship. The long form birth certificate may be used for both eligibility factors. 3300 MISSISSIPPI [ NON - FINANCIAL CRITERIA: AGE]

Revised 08 - 01 - 06