Dad applied for medi-cal and is not on birth certificate, I applied for TANF recently and didn’t give his name, will they go after him for child support?(we do not live in same county) (I was incarcerated at time of birth and I gave him temp custody until I got out, I now have custody

It's possible they might pursue child support, but not guaranteed. When you apply for certain benefits like TANF/CalWORKs, counties typically require cooperation with child support enforcement unless you have good cause not to (like domestic violence concerns). Since your dad applied for Medi-Cal in a different county and the father isn't on the birth certificate, there's less immediate connection, but systems do eventually share information. The temporary custody situation might also factor in. If you're concerned about this, you have options: - You can request a "good cause" exemption if pursuing child support would cause harm - You could proactively discuss the situation with your caseworker - The father could potentially establish paternity and arrange support voluntarily The county will likely eventually ask about the father's information. Being upfront with your caseworker about your specific situation is usually the best approach, as they can explain your options based on your exact circumstances.

This is a complex situation with several moving parts. Since the father isn't on the birth certificate and you're in different counties, there isn't an automatic connection in the system right now. However, California's child support system (DCSS) does share information across counties. A few important things to consider: - TANF/CalWORKs applications typically require you to cooperate with child support enforcement, but there are exceptions - The temporary custody arrangement you had might actually work in your favor - it shows he was providing support when you couldn't - Since you now have custody and he's applied for Medi-Cal, his income information is in the system You might want to think about whether pursuing child support would actually benefit you financially versus potentially complicating your current arrangement. Sometimes voluntary support agreements work better than court-ordered ones. I'd recommend being honest with your caseworker about the father's identity and your concerns. They can help you understand your specific options and whether you qualify for any exemptions from child support cooperation requirements.