131.31 Notification to the Applicant/Recipient

Before requiring cooperation, the CAO must give oral and written notice of the following to the applicant/recipient claiming assistance for a child who has a non-custodial parent or putative father:

55 Pa. Code § 141.21(d)(1)(ii)(A)

5 5 Pa. Code § 187.25

23 Pa. C.S § 4380(b)

The cooperation requirements

The right to claim good cause

The provisions of the family violence option. S ee Section 108.71, Guidance on Good Cause Waivers of Specific Program Requirements.

The fact that the CAO must reduce TANF cash grants by 25 percent for not cooperating with support requirements without good cause. See Appendix D, Eligibility Status for Non-Cooperation with Support Requirements and Mandatory Participation in Road to Economic Self-Sufficiency Through Employment and Training (RESET) .

55 Pa. Code § 153.44(b)(2)(i)(c)

55 Pa. Code § 187.26 (c)

NOTE: The CAO must reduce the FSA by 25 percent for a grant group with an SSI parent or a sanctioned specified relative who does not cooperate with child support requirements.

Example 1 : A parent applying for cash assistance for themselves and one child and the parent does not cooperate with support requirements without good cause. The CAO must reduce the two-person Family Size Allowance (FSA) of $316 by 25 percent for a $79 reduction. The family will receive $237 per month in TANF benefits.

Example 2 : A parent applying for cash assistance for themselves and her their children , and the parent does not cooperate with support requirements without good cause. The CAO must reduce the five-person FSA of $589 by 25 percent for a $147.25 reduction. The family will receive $441.75 per month in TANF benefits.

Example 3 : A parent was sanctioned for not complying with employment requirements. The case was closed. If they reapply , the employment sanction is still in effect unless she agrees to comply. If she also does not cooperate with child support requirements, the grant for her children is reduced by 25 percent.

Example 4 : The applicant household is made up of an unemancipated minor child (child-only budget). The CAO must lower the FSA by 25 percent if the non-eligible specified relative does not cooperate with child support requirements .

Example 5 : If the applicant household is made up of a single adult who does not cooperate in getting support from an absent spouse, the CAO must lower the cash grant by 25 percent.

FSA Group 2 is used for all examples.

The CAO must use the PA/CS 647 Child Support Information Sheet and the PA/CS 173-WP Support and Good Cause form to give information about child support requirements and good cause exceptions. The applicant/recipient signs the PA/CS 173-WP to show receipt of the information. The CAO worker signs the form, gives the original to the applicant/recipient, and keeps the copy in the case record for six years.

The CAO must change cooperation procedures when:

The CAO receives notice that a child has been born to an applicant/recipient. See Section 168.812, Determining Eligibility and Payment Amount . The CAO must complete the required application for support services manually when adding a newborn child to the assistance group. See Section 131.36, Application for Support Services .

The Secretary of Human Services approves a waiver from the Domestic Relations Section (DRS) and/or court of common pleas to do away with the requirement to appear personally at the DRS before the CAO authorizes assistance.

23 Pa. C.S. 4378(a)