Applying for good cause

If a family completes the Cooperation with Child Support Enforcement (DHS-2338) (PDF) and claims good cause, send a copy of the completed form to Child Support.

A family can apply for good cause at any time. For children for whom good cause is claimed, the family is considered to be cooperating while the good cause claim is pending. At application, by the end of the three-month eligibility period for families experiencing homelessness, or at redetermination, the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) worker should determine CCAP eligibility while the good cause claim is pending.

The CCAP worker must update the system and notify the Good Cause Committee of the request. The local agency’s Good Cause committee will approve or deny the family’s good cause claim.

Good cause claim denied

If the family’s good cause claim is denied, the Good Cause Committee will send the Notice of Denial of Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3628) (PDF) along with the Appeals to State Agency (DHS-0033) (PDF) to the family, and alert all open program areas that require child support cooperation of the denial. The CCAP worker should update the good cause status in MEC2.

Good cause claim approved

If the family’s good cause claim is approved, the Good Cause Committee will send the Notice of Child Support Good Cause Approval (DHS-3629) (PDF) to the family, and alert all open program areas that require child support cooperation of the approval. The CCAP worker should update the good cause status in MEC2.

If the good cause approval is permanent, communicate to the family that this is permanent unless they request the exemption to end.

Good cause approved for other public assistance programs

If a family’s good cause claim is approved, the exemption applies to all programs (CCAP, MFIP, DWP, and health care) for 12 months. The programs do not need to be applied for at the same time. If the family later applies for another program that requires child support cooperation, the good cause exemption also applies for that program until the good cause redetermination date.

At application or redetermination if the family has an approved good cause claim, do not require a new Cooperation with Child Support Enforcement (DHS-2338) (PDF) form. The family is considered to be cooperating.

Good cause redetermination

An approved good cause claim may not continue for more than 12 months without redetermination of cooperation and good cause. The good cause redetermination date may not be the same as the CCAP redetermination date. The worker will receive an alert 15 days prior to the approved good cause claim expiration date. When this alert is received, the worker should review case notes and contact the Good Cause Committee to confirm if anything is needed for the good cause redetermination. If so, send the Notice of Child Support Good Cause Redetermination (DHS-3630) (PDF) and Request to End Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3631) (PDF) to the family to redetermine the good cause claim. Do not take any adverse action until the CCAP redetermination. If the family’s redetermination for good cause claim is approved, send the Notice of Approval of Redetermination of Your Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3633) (PDF) to the family.

Note: Some situations are designated as "permanent" good cause exemptions when the safety reasons usually will not change. When the Good Cause Committee grants a permanent good cause exemption, good cause redetermination notices do not need to be sent annually. Do not send the Notice of Child Support Good Cause Redetermination (DHS-3630) (PDF) or the Notice of Approval of Redetermination of Your Child Support Good Cause Exemption (DHS-3633) (PDF). Since there is no indicator in MEC2, MAXIS or PRISM that shows if a good cause is permanently granted, the Good Cause Committee annually redetermines all good cause exemptions, including permanent exemptions. When an alert is received to review the good cause redetermination, the Good Cause Committee should review previous case facts and the good cause exemption approval to determine that the case still meets good cause exemption. Document the approval and update the case with the new good cause redetermination date.

Legal authority

Minnesota Statutes 142E.10 Subd. 1
Minnesota Statutes 518A.81