Child Support and Cash Assistance
If a custodial party applies for or receives TEA (Temporary Employment Assistance), also called cash assistance, Arkansas law requires him or her to cooperate with OCSE in establishing paternity and pursuing a support order.
Assignment of Rights
If you currently receive cash assistance, all child support up to the amount of your assistance, including arrears will be retained by the State. This is called “assignment of support rights” and is required by Arkansas law. When you no longer receive cash assistance, child support payments will go to you for the amount of support owed to you, but any amount received over that may go to the State to repay the cash assistance that you received for your family.
Domestic or Family Violence
If domestic or family violence or other circumstances makes complying with these support requirements dangerous or inappropriate, the DHS office may excuse an applicant or recipient from cooperating based on good cause. If you feel that working with OCSE will put you or your family in danger, talk to your DHS caseworker.
