TANF, TP 08 and TA 31

Cooperating with the OAG’s child and medical support requirements could pose a potential safety risk for family violence victims and their children. HHSC and OAG allow good cause for family violence to not comply with child and medical support requirements. Explain and offer the family violence option at each application and redetermination.

Staff must:

explain Explanation of Child Support Eligibility Requirements Family Violence and Good Cause FAQs (PDF) , and give a copy of the form to the applicant;

review Part I of Form H1713, Acknowledgement of Family Violence Good Cause Option and Contact Resource , with the applicant; and

use Part II of Form 1713 to make a referral to a family violence specialist if the applicant wants to claim good cause for reasons of family violence.

A list of family violence shelters is searchable in the eligibility determination system and on the HHS Family Violence Program page . Give the applicant the National Domestic Violence Hotline number if no shelter serves their area to help them locate the closest family violence service provider. The number is 800-799-7233 (800-799-SAFE) or 800-787-3324 TTY for people who are deaf.

If the applicant wants to claim good cause for not complying with TANF or Medicaid child and medical support requirements due to family violence:

the applicant arranges to speak with the referred family violence specialist to discuss their need to claim good cause;

the family violence specialist makes the good cause recommendation after they complete Form H1706, Good Cause Recommendation and Family Violence Exemption , and returns the form to the applicant or HHSC to use as verification;

provide the applicant a confidential phone interview with the family violence specialist from the local HHSC eligibility office for face-to-face interviews at a local HHSC eligibility office; and

in the face-to-face scenario, the Form H1706 is not required, and staff use client statement as verification.

Continue to process the TANF or Medicaid EDG. Collect absent parent information verbally or by pending the EDG for the Form H0050, Parent Profile Questionnaire . Remind the applicant that HHSC requires a completed Form H0050 if the family violence specialist does not recommend good cause or the applicant decides not to pursue good cause. If the applicant does not pursue good cause, they must complete and return Form H0050 or provide absent parent information before staff can approve the TANF or Medicaid EDG.

Note: By collecting the absent parent information or pending the EDG for the information at the time of application, staff can process the application whether or not the H1706 supports the good cause claim.

Allow the applicant at least 10 days to return Form H1706, Form H1713 and Form H0050. Certify the EDG, if otherwise eligible, without the Form H1706, if not returned or if Form H1706 does not support the good cause claim.

Staff requirements for Form H1713 are:

complete Part II and Part III of Form H1713;

send a copy to the local child support office; and

send a copy to the family violence coordinator by one of the following methods to report the final decision: Interagency mail: Family Violence Coordinator, Mail Code 2010 Regular mail: Family Violence Coordinator 909 W. 45th St., Mail Code 2010 Austin, TX 78751; or Email: Send completed and scanned documents only to the HHSC Family Violence Mailbox .

Once the good cause claim is established, review the claim at each redetermination. Update the absent parent referral if the recipient stops claiming good cause. Do this by removing the good cause indicator to allow the OAG to help the family get child or medical support services for their children. If the recipient continues to claim good cause, continue to uphold good cause.