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[NON-FINANCIAL CRITERIA: CHILD SUPPORT]

3806 Volume III | Chapter 3

MISSISSIPPI Revised 08-01-0610-01-21

verification of cooperation is received via the MDHS-EA/CSE-943/643. Applicants who fail to cooperate by the 30th day from application will be denied. 4. When the failure to cooperate with Child Support affects the TANF case in combination with a food stamp case, appropriate steps must be taken to disqualify the individual in the food stamp program. 5. When denying an application or terminating the TANF case for failure to cooperate with Child Support, send the notice of action explaining why the family is not eligible for TANF. Removing the Penalty for Non-Cooperation There is no minimum time period for the child support non-cooperation penalty. However, benefits may not be authorized or reauthorized until verification of satisfactory cooperation with child support requirements has been received from the Child Support Enforcement Office. Eligibility for assistance following non-cooperation may be reestablished in one of the following ways: 1. When the TANF case closes for failure to cooperate with Child Support Enforcement, the sanction may be removed and TANF benefits continued without a break only when the individual cooperates before the effective date of closure. The cooperation status must be verified by the IV-D Office and the cooperation status interfaced back to MAVERICS before the effective date of closure. If the cooperation occurred before the effective date of closure but the manual verification of cooperation, MDHS- EA/CSE943/643, is not received until after the end of the month, the Supervisor may follow MAVERICS instructions to revert the case to open and continue benefits. 2. The individual may reapply and state his intent to cooperate or that he/she has already met cooperation requirements. Benefits will not be reauthorized until satisfactory cooperation is verified by Child Support Enforcement. 3. At any time there is a reapplication for assistance or an application for assistance in a new case and MAVERICS shows an existing noncooperation status for that individual from a prior case, the system will fail the case. In order to establish eligibility, verification of satisfactory cooperation must be provided before the assistance can be approved. The