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601.2 TANF MANUAL 7/17 Page 2a

It is the responsibility of the eligibility worker to obtain as much information as possible at the time of application and when an individual is added to the TANF case. When any new information regarding the absent parent becomes known to the agency at each redetermination or when a change is reported, this information is to be transmitted to DCSE via the Absent Parent screens in VaCMS.

In order for DCSE to have a "workable case," it is vital that certain key information be obtained by the Eligibility Worker when completing the form or transmitting information on the Absent Parent screens in VaCMS.

When interviewing the applicant/recipient, concentrate on securing the following information on the absent parent screens:

• name • date of birth • residence address (current and past) • Social Security Number • employer's name and address (current and past) • parents' name and address (even if deceased)

Any of the above information, either in whole or a combination thereof will be beneficial to DCSE in locating the absent parent.

If the applicant/recipient cannot give the absent parent's name or can only provide the absent parent's name and no other identifying information, the Eligibility Worker should obtain as much information as possible on the Absent Parent screens in VaCMS for submission to DCSE.

The following criteria are to be applied when referring an absent parent to DCSE:

1. In all cases where the child's parents are married or were married at the time of the child's birth and when someone other than that parent is identified as the child's father, the putative or acknowledged father is to be referred as well as the legal father.

2. If the father's name appears on the child's official birth certificate issued in 1996 or later by the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, or by the vital records section of any other state government, evidence of paternity exists for TANF purposes.

TANF Transmittal 62