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3805 Volume III | Chapter 3

MISSISSIPPI [ NON - FINANCIAL CRITERIA: CHILD SUPPORT]

Revised 08-01-0610-01-21 - -

remaining from the tax offset collection after the state obligation is satisfied. Acknowledgment of Explanations After giving verbal explanations, the eligibility worker will have the applicant sign in duplicate form MDHS-EA-941, Notice of Child Support Enforcement, to indicate his/her awareness of the requirement and his/her right to claim good cause. The applicant also will sign the MDHSEA312 Personal Responsibility Contract, which acknowledges the individual’s responsibility to cooperate with child support requirements. The signed, original form MDHS-EA-941 will be given to the individual and the duplicate will be filed in the case record. Also, a copy of the MDHS-EA-312 will be given to the individual. Upon request, a copy will be available to the staff member from the Child Support Office who is responsible for IV-D activity in the county. PENALTY FOR REFUSAL TO COOPERATE IN ESTABLISHING PATERNITY OR OBTAINING SUPPORT Applying the Penalty Federal and State laws require that the TANF case be closed when the parent or caretaker relative refuses without good cause to cooperate with Child Support Enforcement requirements. The Child Support Enforcement Office is responsible for determining when a payee has refused to cooperate in establishing paternity or obtaining child support. Verification of non-cooperation will be provided by the “ND” status on the child’s line on the CSEA screen as a result of interface from METSS to MAVERICS. The worker will receive an alert. Verification may also be made by use of the MDHS-EA/CSE-943/643, Child Support Enforcement Cooperation Verification Request. The penalty for noncooperation with Child Support will be handled as follows: 1. Deny the TANF application when the parent/caretaker states his/her refusal to cooperate at the time of application, using the “NC” COOPeration code on the CSEA screen. 2. When the non-cooperation (ND) code is received from the Child Support Enforcement Office via METSS to MAVERICS, the worker will receive an alert and the TANF case will freeze and close ten days later unless cooperation is verified. MAVERICS will send the notice of adverse action X032. 3. At reapplication, when the TANF case closed because of child support non-cooperation, or an outstanding noncooperation existed even though the case closed for another reason, the EW must request verification of cooperation. The application will not be approved until