TAFDC Cooperation with Child Support Requirements

Requirements. (A) A grantee, or a teen parent who is not the grantee, must: (1) assign to the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) any rights that he or she may have to child or spousal support or child support for a dependent child from any other person in accordance with 106 CMR 703.510; (2) cooperate and continue to cooperate with DTA, and the Child Support Enforcement Division of the Department of Revenue (DOR) to: (a) make reasonable efforts to furnish identifying information about any noncustodial parent; (b) establish parentage; (c) establish, modify or enforce a child support order for each dependent child; and (d) pay to DOR any child and spousal support payments received from any noncustodial parent after an assignment has been made; and (3) identify and provide information that would help DTA pursue any third-party liability for medical expenses. (B) A grantee, or a teen parent who is not the grantee, is not required to cooperate when there is good cause for noncooperation as specified in 106 CMR 703.521. DTA determines whether there is good cause for noncooperation. (C) When a grantee refuses to assign any rights that he or she may have to child or spousal support from any other person, assistance for the entire assistance unit shall be denied or terminated until such time as the requirements of 106 CMR 703.510 are met. (D) When a teen parent who is not the grantee refuses to assign any rights that he or she has to child or spousal support from any other person in accordance with 106 CMR 703.510, assistance for the teen parent and his or her dependent child shall be denied or terminated until such time as the requirements are met. (E) When a grantee (including an ineligible grantee or a teen parent who is not the grantee), fails without good cause to cooperate, then he or she will be sanctioned by DTA: (1) by the reduction of cash benefits by: (a) an amount equal to his or her portion of the assistance grant, if applicable; and (b) an additional reduction that together equal a reduction of not less than 25% of the Payment Standard for the current assistance unit size until such time as the requirements of 106 CMR 703.510 are met; and (2) if it is the grantee who will not cooperate, by the establishment of vendor payments, to the extent possible, for any cash assistance for which the remaining members of the assistance unit are eligible.