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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 18

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 37 Chapter 18 WV WORKS Activities/Requirements

18.6 CHILD SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS Federal law mandates that efforts be made to locate absent parents, establish paternity and/or obtain support for the children. The specified relative receiving WV WORKS must cooperate with child support activities and redirect to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) any child support payments received. The major responsibility for this effort rests with the BCSE through its Child Support Specialists.

Referrals to the BCSE are automated in the eligibility system. Participants who claim good cause are not required to cooperate with BCSE, but a referral is made. All WV WORKS AGs which include a child under age 19 with at least one absent parent must be referred to BCSE. In addition, a currently unmarried minor parent who is unable to live with a parent(s) must be referred. The Case Manager must appropriately code the eligibility system and complete the Acknowledgement of Automatic Assignment of Support Rights and of Cooperation Requirements, DFA-AP-1, to complete the referral to BCSE.

The WV WORKS participant is required to cooperate with BCSE unless good cause is established. If the participant who refuses to cooperate asserts that one or more of the factors listed below is the reason for non-cooperation, a good cause claim has been made. A participant who refuses to cooperate and who gives as the reason some factor other than one of those listed below is considered to have refused to cooperate without claiming good cause. 18.6.2.A Definition of Good Cause The participant has good cause for refusal to cooperate with BCSE if one of the following conditions exists: