A-1130, Explanation of Good Cause

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A-1130 Explanation of Good Cause

Revision 26-2; Effective April 1, 2026

TANF, TP 08 and TA 31

Good cause allows people to access benefits safely. It provides an exemption from cooperating with the OAG’s child support and medical support requirements.

Explain the family violence option and good cause exemption to all households applying for benefits, when an interview is conducted. Use of Child Support Eligibility Requirements Family Violence and Good Cause FAQs (PDF), to explain the good cause exemption from the child support and medical support requirements. Include the situations that justify good cause and the required verifications in the explanation. Explain that the applicant does not have to cooperate with child support or medical support requirements if they can prove that cooperation is not in the child's best interest.

A claim of good cause must be made separately for each absent parent. Notify the OAG of the applicant’s good cause claim. This notification is sent from HHSC to the OAG through an automated interface once staff enter the information into the eligibility determination system and the case is disposed.

After explaining Form H1712 to the applicant:

  • Review Part I of Form H1713, Service Plan for Family Violence Option and Report of Good Cause, with the applicant during the interview. 
    • Complete only Part I of Form H1713 if the applicant indicates on this form that they do not want to claim good cause. 
    • If the applicant wants to continue to claim good cause, continue completing Part II and Part III, where applicable, of Form H1713.
  • Complete Part II Assessment Referral of Form H1713 if the applicant wants to claim good cause for family violence. 
  • Complete Part III of Form H1713 to show the good cause reason and determination date.

Once the family violence specialist makes a recommendation of good cause on Form H1706, complete Part III of Form H1713 and send the form to the local child support office and HHSC Family Violence Program (FVP) staff to report the final decision.

Note: The eligibility determination system automatically notifies the local child support office of the good cause determination through the OAG interface when the EDG is disposed.

TP 08 and TA 31

Do not require an interview. Send Form H1712 and Form H1713 by mail to the household to determine if good cause applies if unable to reach the household by phone.

Related Policy

Good Cause for Family Violence Option, A-1131.1

A-1131 Good Cause Situations

Revision 15-4; Effective October 1, 2015

TANF and TP 08

Good cause exists when:

  • a child was conceived as a result of incest or rape;
  • a child or caretaker may be physically harmed;
  • a child or caretaker may be emotionally harmed to the extent that the caretaker's capacity to adequately care for the child is impaired; or
  • legal proceedings for the child's adoption are pending before a court or a licensed or private social agency is helping the individual decide whether to keep the child or relinquish the child for adoption.

Note: This issue must not have been under discussion more than three months and staff must update the absent parent referral if the issue remains unsolved beyond the third month.

A-1131.1 Good Cause for Family Violence Option

Revision 26-2; Effective April 1, 2026

TANF, TP 08 and TA 31

Cooperating with the OAG’s child and medical support requirements could pose a potential safety risk for family violence victims and their children. HHSC and OAG allow good cause for family violence to not comply with child and medical support requirements. Explain and offer the family violence option at each application and redetermination.

Staff must:

A list of family violence shelters is searchable in the eligibility determination system and on the HHS Family Violence Program page. Give the applicant the National Domestic Violence Hotline number if no shelter serves their area to help them locate the closest family violence service provider. The number is 800-799-7233 (800-799-SAFE) or 800-787-3324 TTY for people who are deaf.

If the applicant wants to claim good cause for not complying with TANF or Medicaid child and medical support requirements due to family violence:

  • the applicant arranges to speak with the referred family violence specialist to discuss their need to claim good cause;
  • the family violence specialist makes the good cause recommendation after they complete Form H1706, Good Cause Recommendation and Family Violence Exemption, and returns the form to the applicant or HHSC to use as verification;
  • provide the applicant a confidential phone interview with the family violence specialist from the local HHSC eligibility office for face-to-face interviews at a local HHSC eligibility office; and
  • in the face-to-face scenario, the Form H1706 is not required, and staff use client statement as verification.

Continue to process the TANF or Medicaid EDG. Collect absent parent information verbally or by pending the EDG for the Form H0050, Parent Profile Questionnaire. Remind the applicant that HHSC requires a completed Form H0050 if the family violence specialist does not recommend good cause or the applicant decides not to pursue good cause. If the applicant does not pursue good cause, they must complete and return Form H0050 or provide absent parent information before staff can approve the TANF or Medicaid EDG.

Note: By collecting the absent parent information or pending the EDG for the information at the time of application, staff can process the application whether or not the H1706 supports the good cause claim.

Allow the applicant at least 10 days to return Form H1706, Form H1713 and Form H0050. Certify the EDG, if otherwise eligible, without the Form H1706, if not returned or if Form H1706 does not support the good cause claim.

Staff requirements for Form H1713 are:

  • complete Part II and Part III of Form H1713;
  • send a copy to the local child support office; and
  • send a copy to the family violence coordinator by one of the following methods to report the final decision:
    • Interagency mail: Family Violence Coordinator, Mail Code 2010
    • Regular mail: Family Violence Coordinator 909 W. 45th St., Mail Code 2010 Austin, TX 78751; or
    • Email: Send completed and scanned documents only to the HHSC Family Violence Mailbox.

Once the good cause claim is established, review the claim at each redetermination. Update the absent parent referral if the recipient stops claiming good cause. Do this by removing the good cause indicator to allow the OAG to help the family get child or medical support services for their children. If the recipient continues to claim good cause, continue to uphold good cause.

TP 08 and TA 31

Do not require an interview. Staff send Form H1712 and Form H1713 by mail to the household to determine if good cause applies if unable to reach the household by phone.

A-1131.2 Good Cause Related to Adoptions, Rape or Incest

Revision 15-4; Effective October 1, 2015

TANF and TP 08

If an individual claims good cause based on an adoption, rape, or incest, advisors must:

  • allow individuals 20 days to provide evidence;
  • extend the deadline for evidence if additional time is needed to obtain the necessary information;
  • document the reason for extending the deadline and obtain supervisory approval; and
  • flag the case and evaluate the evidence when received and recommend either that the individual:
    • has good cause for not cooperating and the OAG should not continue child support locate and enforcement efforts; or
    • does not have good cause for not cooperating and the OAG should continue child support locate and enforcement efforts.

Note: For adoption situations, the issue must not have been under discussion for more than three months. If the issue is unresolved beyond the third month, staff must update the absent parent referral.