1. (a)

   1. (1) The child’s age and relationship to the parent or other adult caretaker must be verified.
   2. (2) The inability of the casehead to verify the age or relationship of one (1) child does not affect the eligibility of other children in the family.

2. (b) Acceptable documents to verify age and relationship include the following:

   1. (1) Birth certificates/hospital certificates.

      1. (A)

3. (i) Original birth certificates are considered the strongest proof of age.

   1. (ii) Delayed birth certificates will be accepted.

      1. (iii) A hospital certificate is also acceptable proof.

      2. (B)

         1. (i) County staff has online access to the Department of Health birth records through the Unique Client Directory Vital Records on DHS SHARE.
         2. (ii) Birth information from this file may be printed and used to verify age and relationship in lieu of an actual birth certificate.
         3. (iii) If the birth information is not available through the Department of Health’s birth records, the household will be allowed additional time, if needed, to verify the birth.

      3. (C)

         1. (i) For verification of births out of state, the applicant is responsible for obtaining the necessary verification.
         2. (ii) If the applicant cannot obtain such verification, the agency may assist by writing the social service agency in the other state to request their assistance in obtaining verification;
   2. (2) Government records. Civil records, court records, draft records, military records, records of the United States Bureau of the Census, Social Security records, and other government records may furnish conclusive proof of age and/or relationship;
   3. (3) Organization records. The records of public and private agencies, fraternal societies, organizations such as trade unions, or medical records that give the age or birth date of an individual will be acceptable evidence of age;
   4. (4) School records. School enumeration records or registration records will be acceptable proof if made at the time the child was first registered or at least one (1) year prior to the date of the application;

   5. (5) Employment records.

      1. (A) The records kept by an organization or individual who has formerly employed the applicant will considered acceptable proof of age.
      2. (B) This record must be at least five (5) years old;
   6. (6) License. The applicant may be able to provide a marriage license that will furnish conclusive proof of age;

   7. (7) Family birth records.

      1. (A) Family records of births, marriages, and deaths of members are kept in a permanent register, usually a Bible.
      2. (B) For evidence of birth dates for children, such a record may be accepted.
      3. (C) The condition of entries should show the siblings in the sequence in which they were born.

      4. (D) When a family record is accepted, the case record must contain:

         1. (i) A description of the birth record;
         2. (ii) The reason it was determined to be authentic and longstanding;
         3. (iii) The permanent location of the record; and
         4. (iv) The date and place it was seen by the worker;
   8. (8) Record of physician. A copy of a birth record of a physician can be accepted as verification; and

   9. (9) Statement of witness to birth.

      1. (A) A notarized statement of a witness, such as a doctor, nurse, midwife, or other person present at the time of birth, is acceptable.

      2. (B) The following facts must be included:

         1. (i) Name of the child and parents;
         2. (ii) Date and place of birth;
         3. (iii) Relationship of the witness to the family, such as attending physician or nurse; and
         4. (iv) Facts showing that knowledge is primary and direct, not hearsay.
         5. (c)
   10. (1) If proof of one (1) child’s age or relationship cannot be obtained, or the client is having difficulty obtaining it, this will not affect the eligibility of any other child in the family.
   11. (2) Assistance will be approved for the otherwise eligible children.
   12. (3) When proof of the excluded child’s age or relationship is provided, that child will be added.
   13. (4) See the example below.
   14. (5) Note. A new application will not be required to add the child in this situation. Example: Ms. Jones applied for three (3) children. The two (2) youngest children were born in Arkansas, and Ms. Jones provided their birth certificates to verify their ages and relationship to her. However, the oldest child was born in Maine, and Ms. Jones lost the copy of the birth certificate she had in a house fire. She has written to the state of Maine to get another copy but has not received anything back yet. All other factors are met, so the application is approved with Ms. Jones and the two (2) younger children included as eligible family members. As soon as the birth certificate is received for the oldest child, he will be added.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: “08/10/11”