Ohio Code 5107.22 – Cooperation in establishing paternity and obtaining child support
As used in this section, “caretaker” means the parent of a minor child or a relative acting in the parent’s place.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 5107.22
- Assistance group: means a group of individuals treated as a unit for purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of assistance provided under Ohio works first. See Ohio Code 5107.02
- Child: includes child by adoption. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Minor child: means either of the following:
(1) An individual who has not attained age eighteen;
(2) An individual who has not attained age nineteen and is a full-time student in a secondary school or in the equivalent level of vocational or technical training. See Ohio Code 5107.02
- Ohio works first: means the program established by this chapter known as temporary assistance for needy families in Title IV-A. See Ohio Code 5107.02
Unless good cause for failure or refusal exists as determined pursuant to rules adopted under section 5107.05 of the Revised Code, the caretaker of a minor child shall cooperate, if the caretaker is a member of the child’s assistance group, in establishing the child’s paternity and establishing, modifying, and enforcing a support order for the child. The child support enforcement agency with responsibility for administering the assistance group’s paternity and support order requirements shall determine whether the caretaker is cooperating under this section. Cooperation includes providing sufficient information available to the caretaker to verify the identity of the minor child’s father and establish, modify, and enforce a support order. With respect to charter counties only, cooperation also includes appearing at all proceedings to establish, modify, or enforce support for, and to establish paternity with respect to, the child.
A child support enforcement agency shall notify the county department of job and family services serving the county in which a caretaker resides if the agency determines that the caretaker has failed or refused to cooperate under this section without good cause and the caretaker is a member of an assistance group participating in Ohio works first.