M Failure to Cooperate with Division of Child Support Services (DCSS)

Revised 06/24/2025

Policy

To qualify for or to keep getting AHCCCS Medical Assistance (MA), a person must cooperate with the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) unless the person has good cause or is exempt. Cooperation includes:

• Providing information needed to determine the paternity of a child in the home who is receiving MA, and

• Taking any actions needed to get medical support from an absent parent, unless the person has good cause not to cooperate.

NOTE     There are some situations when a person does not have to cooperate with DCSS.

• A woman while she is pregnant.

• Parents whose children are on KidsCare.

NOTE     Parents must cooperate for any other children they have on Medicaid.

 

Customers who do not comply with this requirement have their MA stopped. The requirement only applies to the customer parent or caretaker relative. The children in the home do not lose their MA when a parent or relative fails to cooperate with DCSS.

Customers who have lost MA for failure to cooperate can qualify again if they meet any of the following:

• Cooperate with DCSS,

• Establish good cause for not cooperating, or

• Become pregnant and are exempt from cooperating.

 

Definitions

Term	Definition
Division of Child Support Services (DCSS)	The Division of the Department of Economic Security responsible for getting medical support orders in place and enforcing those orders.
Good cause not to cooperate with DCSS	Good cause includes: Cooperation in determining paternity or getting a support order is reasonably expected to result in physical or emotional harm to the child or the person with whom the child is living; Legal proceedings for the child’s adoption are pending before a court; The parent is working with a public or licensed private agency to give the child up for adoption, and discussions have not gone on for more than three months; or The child was conceived as a result of incest or rape.

 

Proof

Good cause for not cooperating with DCSS

Proof of good cause includes:

• Birth certificate that shows the child was conceived through incest;

• Medical or law enforcement records that show the mother was raped;

• Court or other legal documents showing that adoption proceedings are pending before a court;

• Written statement from the adoption agency that they have been working with the customer on giving up the child for adoption and for how long;

• Court, medical, criminal, child protective services, psychological, social services or law enforcement records showing that the absent parent might physically or emotionally harm the child or caretaker relative; or

• Sworn statements from friends, neighbors, clergy, or other people who know about the situation and can support the good cause claim.

When none of the above is available, the person is asked to provide any information that would support further investigation.

Good cause must be reviewed at renewal and any time there is a change that shows good cause no longer exists.

 

Cooperation with DCSS

Proof that a person has cooperated with DCSS and can qualify again for MA includes:

• Verification of Cooperation with the Division of Child Support Services form (FAA-1221A), completed by DCSS;

• Other written notice of compliance from DCSS; or

• Phone call to the DCSS to confirm compliance.

 

Programs Affected

This applies to all programs except KidsCare.

 

Legal Authority

Program	Legal Authorities
All Programs (except KidsCare)	42 CFR 433.147 42 CFR 435.610
ALTCS	AAC R9-28-401.01(B)(11)
SSI-MAO	AAC R9-22-1501
Medicare Savings Program (MSP)	AAC R9-29-208
Freedom to Work (FTW)	AAC R9-22-1909