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808 Chapter 4:Working with families • Section 6: Child support programs (07/2026) Collecting absent parent information Voluntary questions about absent parents at intake and renewal ODHS may ask a TANF applicant or participant if there is any information they would like to voluntarily provide about the absent parent. Applicants and participants are not required to give ODHS information about absent parents and are not penalized for not providing this information to ODHS. Once TANF is open, OCSP may require this information from the case members and can request TANF sanctions if it is not provided. Absent parent information that a participant may voluntarily provide needs to be entered in ONE on the absent parent referral screen in post eligibility. The participant may choose to voluntarily answer questions such as: • What is the absent parent’s first name, middle initial, and last name? • What is the absent parent’s last known address? • The absent parent’s sex, SSN or DOB • Has paternity been established? • Has the absent parent ever been ordered (by a court or administrative agency) to pay child support for your child? If so, what is the civil action #, date, county court name, and state? What was the date of the order, amount of the order and frequency? • Does the NCP (absent parent) work? Where does the NCP (absent parent) work, or where has the NCP (absent parent) worked? Do you have the name/ address of the NCP’s (absent parent) last employer? Is the NCP (absent parent) self-employed? What is the name and address or location of the business and what kind of business is it? • Has the NCP (absent parent) ever signed an acknowledgment of paternity, or any other documents that he is the father? If so, do you have a copy? If so, in what state? TANF cases to be reported to OCSP The following cases must be reported to OCSP unless there is good cause for noncooperation with support: • New TANF cases (except for a two-parent family) • Ongoing TANF cases. Note: This does not apply to participants who are in the SFPSS or JOBS Plus programs, or who are getting employment payments or who are a two-parent family. Spousal support/alimony cases: OCSP will not establish an order for spousal support. However, OCSP will enforce an existing order for spousal support for a participant receiving assistance or if the absent parent of a child on the grant has been ordered to pay spousal support for the participant and OCSP is enforcing a child support obligation for the child. Spousal support collected by OCSP is applied to the unreimbursed assistance (URA). Caretaker relative other than a parent: When both parents are absent, and the caretaker is someone other than a parent, OCSP will pursue support from both the absent parents. Parents of a minor parent (grandparents): If a minor parent is receiving a TANF grant, OCSP will generally not pursue enforcement against either parent of that minor parent unless there is an existing order. When there is no