(a) An applicant or a recipient shall be considered to be cooperating in good faith with the county welfare department or the local child support agency for purposes of Section 11477 and shall be eligible for aid, if otherwise eligible, if he or she cooperates or has good cause for noncooperation. The county welfare department shall make the good cause determination.

(b) Good cause shall be found if any of the following conditions exist:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(1) Efforts to establish paternity or establish, modify, or enforce a support obligation would increase the risk of physical, sexual, or emotional harm to the child for whom support is being sought.

(2) Efforts to establish paternity or establish, modify, or enforce a support obligation would increase the risk of abuse, as defined in Section 11495.1, to the parent or caretaker with whom the child is living.

(3) The child for whom support is sought was conceived as a result of incest or rape. A conviction for incest or rape is not necessary for this paragraph to apply.

(4) Legal proceedings for the adoption of the child are pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.

(5) The applicant or recipient is currently being assisted by a public or licensed private adoption agency to resolve the issue of whether to keep the child or relinquish the child for adoption.

(6) The applicant or recipient is cooperating in good faith but is unable to identify or assist in locating the alleged father or obligor.

(7) Any other reason that would make efforts to establish paternity or establish, modify, or enforce a support obligation contrary to the best interests of the child.

(c) Evidence supporting a claim for good cause includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) Police, governmental agency, or court records, documentation from a domestic violence program or a legal, clerical, medical, mental health, or other professional from whom the applicant or recipient has sought assistance in dealing with abuse, physical evidence of abuse, or any other evidence that supports the claim of good cause.

(2) Statements under penalty of perjury from individuals, including the applicant or recipient, with knowledge of the circumstances that provide the basis for the good cause claim.

(3) Birth certificates or medical, mental health, rape crisis, domestic violence program, or law enforcement records that indicate that the child was conceived as the result of incest or rape.

(4) Court documents or other records that indicate that legal proceedings for adoption are pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.

(5) A written statement from a public or licensed private adoption agency that the applicant or recipient is being assisted by the agency to resolve the issue of whether to keep the child or relinquish the child for adoption.

(d) A sworn statement by a victim shall be sufficient to establish abuse unless the agency documents in writing an independent, reasonable basis to find the recipient not credible.

(e) Applicants or recipients who inquire about or claim good cause, or otherwise indicate that they or their children are at risk of abuse, shall be given referrals by the county welfare department to appropriate community, legal, medical, and support services. Followup by the applicant or recipient on those referrals shall not affect eligibility for assistance under this chapter or the determination of cooperation.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 478, Sec. 37. Effective January 1, 2000.)