R986-200-207. Participation in Child Support Enforcement

  (1) Receipt of child support is an important element in increasing a family's income.

  (2) Every natural, legal or adoptive parent has a duty to support his or her children and stepchildren even if the children do not live in the parental home.

  (3) A parent's duty to support continues until the child:

  (a) reaches age 18;

  (b) is 18 years old and enrolled in high school during the normal and expected year of graduation;

  (c) is emancipated by marriage or court order;

  (d) is a member of the armed forces of the United States; or

  (e) is self supporting.

  (4) A client receiving financial assistance automatically assigns to the state any and all rights to child support for all children who are included in the household assistance unit while receiving financial assistance. The assignment of rights occurs even if the client claims or establishes "good cause or other exception" for refusal to cooperate. The assignment of rights to support, cooperation in establishing paternity, and establishing and enforcing child support is a condition of eligibility for the receipt of financial assistance.

  (5) For each child included in the financial assistance payment, the client must also assign any and all rights to alimony or spousal support from the noncustodial parent while the client receives public assistance.

  (6) The client must cooperate with the Department and ORS in establishing and enforcing the spousal and child support obligation from any and all natural, legal, or adoptive non-custodial parents.

  (7) If a parent is absent from the home, the client must identify and help locate the non-custodial parent.

  (8) If a child is conceived or born during a marriage, the husband is considered the legal father, even if the wife states he is not the natural father.

  (9) If the child is born out of wedlock, the client must also cooperate in the establishment of paternity.

  (10) ORS is solely responsible for determining if the client is cooperating in identifying the noncustodial parent and with child support establishment and enforcement efforts for the purposes of receipt of financial assistance. The Department cannot review, modify, or reject a decision made by ORS.

  (11) Unless good cause is shown, financial assistance will terminate if a parent or specified relative does not cooperate with ORS in establishing paternity or enforcing child support obligations.

  (12) Upon notification from ORS that the client is not cooperating, the Department will commence reconciliation procedures as outlined in R986-200-212. If the client continues to refuse to cooperate with ORS at the end of the reconciliation process, financial assistance will be terminated.

  (13) Termination of financial assistance for non cooperation is immediate, without a reduction period outlined in R986-200-212, if:

  (a) the client is a specified relative who is not included in the household assistance unit;

  (b) the client is a parent receiving SSI benefits;

  (c) the client is participating in FEPTP; or

  (d) the client is an undocumented alien parent.

  (14) Once the financial assistance has been terminated due to the client's failure to cooperate with child support enforcement, the client must then reapply for financial assistance. This time, the client must cooperate with child support collection prior to receiving any financial assistance.

  (15) A specified relative, undocumented alien parent, SSI recipient, or disqualified parent in a household receiving FEP assistance must assign rights to support of any kind and cooperate with all establishment and enforcement efforts even if the parent or relative is not included in the financial assistance payment.