What are the child support cooperation requirements if I receive any of the following public assistance benefits: Family Independence Program (FIP), Medicaid (including Healthy Kids), child day care (CDC), or food assistance (FAP)?

What happens if I do not cooperate with child support requirements and I receive public assistance?

Why do I have to cooperate with child support requirements if I have an agreement with the father and/or our divorce order states no support is ordered?

I signed up for MIChild medical services for my child, why do I have to cooperate with child support requirements?

Is there anything that allows me not to cooperate with child support requirements?

How do I apply for a good cause exception to the child support cooperation requirements?

How do I cooperate with child support requirements?

What information do I need to have about the absent parent in order to cooperate with child support requirements?

I have received a child support First Customer Contact Letter (or a second). Why did I receive this?

I have already provided information to my public assistance worker. Do I still need to respond to the child support Customer Contact Letters?

I received a Customer Contact Letter but the father of my child is in the home. What should I do?

I am not the parent of this child. Why am I receiving a child support Customer Contact Letter?

I provided the information to the Child Support Specialist to start my case and I am still in non-cooperation status. What should I do?

Once my Child Support Specialist has sent a referral to start a child support case, how long do I need to wait and how do I check the status of my case?

What is a child support Continued Eligibility Letter and why am I receiving it?

If I am receiving public assistance, do I receive any of the child support that might be paid?

Who do I call if I have questions?

What are the child support cooperation requirements if I receive any of the following public assistance benefits: Family Independence Program (FIP), Medicaid (including Healthy Kids), child day care (CDC), or food assistance (FAP)?
State and federal law require that in order to receive any of the public assistance benefits listed above, you must cooperate with the Office of Child Support to establish paternity and establish a child support order if the other parent does not live in your home. To cooperate, you must provide reasonable information about the other parent so that a child support case can be started.

Return to top

What happens if I do not cooperate with child support requirements and I receive public assistance? Because cooperation is required by law, if you do not cooperate with child support requirements, your benefits could be reduced or stopped completely.

Return to top

Why do I have to cooperate with child support requirements if I have an agreement with the father and/or our divorce order states no support is ordered?
When you receive public assistance benefits the law requires that a child support case must be started to collect support from the non-custodial parent even if you have a personal agreement or a divorce order that states no support is ordered. If your order does not require the parent to pay child support, a child support worker will try to change that order so that the parent is required to pay support, if appropriate.

After public assistance is provided, the law requires the custodial party to cooperate with child support workers in seeking any needed changes to the order.

Return to top

I signed up for MIChild medical services for my child, why do I have to cooperate with child support requirements?
MIChild eligibility is based on your income. If you applied for MIChild and you are receiving a request to cooperate with child support requirements, your income level may have been below the level required for MIChild, and instead of MIChild, your child may have been enrolled in the Healthy Kids program. Healthy Kids is a Medicaid program and anyone receiving Medicaid must cooperate with child support requirements.

If you have questions about what program your child is enrolled in, contact your assistance worker, but continue to cooperate with the Office of Child Support to ensure your child receives the medical coverage for which they are eligible.

Return to top

Is there anything that allows me not to cooperate with child support requirements?
You may not have to cooperate with child support requirements if you have "good cause" reasons not to comply. Good cause reasons include:

• If the child was conceived due to incest or rape
• If you are putting the child up for adoption or are adopting the child
• If there is a risk of harm to the child or you (or any caretaker of the child) due to domestic or family violence
• If it is not in the best interest of the child

Return to top

How do I apply for a good cause exception to the child support cooperation requirements?
Good cause claims are decided by your Department of Human Services (DHS) public assistance worker at the local DHS office. You can contact your Child Support Specialist, Prosecuting Attorney, Friend of the Court worker or DHS assistance worker to apply for a good cause exception.

Return to top

How do I cooperate with child support requirements?
If you received Family Independence Program (FIP), Medicaid, child day care assistance (CDC) or food assistance (FAP), you should automatically receive a Customer Contact letter from the Office of Child Support that lets you know what information is needed in order to cooperate with child support requirements. If you have not received a letter from the Office of Child Support within three months of your assistance case opening, please call toll-free 1-866-540-0008, or complete a DHS form 842 and send it to the address on the form.

Return to top

What information do I need to have about the absent parent in order to cooperate with child support requirements?
You will need to provide your Child Support Specialist with reasonable information regarding the absent parent(s). This can include:

• Legal name
• Date of birth
• Physical description
• A verifiable current or last known address
• Employer
• Social security number

If you do not have all of the above information, you can provide:

• Names of his/her parents
• Names of his/her brothers and sisters
• Names of any other children he/she may have
• Any address they have ever lived
• Driver's license number
• Personal identification number
• Vehicle registration information
• Car license plate number

Even if you do not have any of the above information, you must contact your Child Support Specialist to determine what to do next.

Return to top

I have received a child support First Customer Contact Letter (or a second). Why did I receive this? When a Family Independence  Program (FIP), Medicaid, child day care assistance (CDC) or food assistance (FAP) case is opened, you will automatically receive a First Customer Contact Letter (and if no response, a second) requesting information to determine if a child support case will be started or what we can do to assist you.

You need to provide the information requested in the Customer Contact Letter. If you have any questions, call 1-866-540-0008.

Return to top

I have already provided information to my public assistance worker. Do I still need to respond to the child support Customer Contact Letters?
Yes, there may be more information that the Child Support Specialist needs from you. Also, your Child Support Specialist will be able to answer any questions you have about child support and the impact on you.

Return to top

I received a Customer Contact Letter but the father of my child is in the home. What should I do?   
Contact your Child Support Specialist at the number provided in the Contact Letter and provide him or her with the information about the father. 

You must also make sure that your DHS public assistance worker knows that the father lives in your home.

Return to top

I am not the parent of this child. Why am I receiving a child support Customer Contact Letter?
The letter is sent to you because you are listed as the grantee (receives the benefits) or as the caretaker for the child on the DHS public assistance case. This means you have responsibility for the child and are considered the "custodial party" for child support purposes.

Contact the Child Support Specialist at the number listed in the letter to discuss the issue.  If both parents are out of the home you may be required to cooperate with child support requirements for both parents.

Return to top

I provided the information to the Child Support Specialist to start my case and I am still in non-cooperation status. What should I do?
Call your Support Specialist. While you may have provided information, if the case is still in non-cooperation, additional information may be needed.

If you do not have your Support Specialist's number, call 1-866-540-0008.

Return to top

Once my Child Support Specialist has sent a referral to start a child support case, how long do I need to wait and how do I check the status of my case?
The Child Support Specialist sends the referral to start a case to the Prosecutor in the county where you live. The length of time that you wait depends on the county. Some counties take longer than others.

To check on the status of your case after it has been referred to the county Prosecutor, contact the office of the Prosecutor in your county.

Return to top

What is a child support Continued Eligibility Letter and why am I receiving it?
The law requires that the Office of Child Support must provide you, in writing, an explanation of your right to continue child support services even if you are no longer receiving public assistance.

If you have received this letter, the Office of Child Support has received notice that there has been a closure or change in your public assistance case.

If you have a question regarding the closure or change in you public assistance case, contact your DHS public assistance worker.

Return to top

If I am receiving public assistance, do I receive any of the child support that might be paid?
If you receive Family Independence Program (FIP) cash assistance you will get your FIP grant and up to $50 of the support that we collect each month. When you are receiving FIP and you get more than $50 of support in a month, you may be required to return or repay it to a county Department of Human Services (DHS) office. If you have questions about whether or not you can keep your support, contact your local DHS office. You must return the money you cannot keep to DHS. If you do not return this money, you may lose your FIP grant or your grant may be reduced.

If you get Medicaid (MA) for your children, you give (assign) your rights to current and past medical support to the Department of Community Health (DCH). This means that when you receive MA, medical support payments you get from someone else will go to DCH.

Return to top

Who do I call if I have questions?
For questions or assistance call 1-866-540-0008.

Return to top