(a) The IV-D agency must:
(1) Make applications for child support services readily accessible to the public;
(2) When an individual requests an application or IV-D services, provide an application to the individual on the day the individual makes a request in person or send an application to the individual within no more than 5 working days of a written or telephone request. Information describing available services, the individual's rights and responsibilities, and the State's fees, cost recovery and distribution policies must accompany all applications for services and must be provided to title IV-A, Medicaid and title IV-E foster care applicants or recipients within no more than 5 working days of referral to the IV-D agency; and
(3) Accept an application as filed on the day it and the application fee are received. An application is a written document provided by the State which indicates that the individual is applying for child support enforcement services under the State's title IV-D program and is signed by the individual applying for IV-D services.
(b) For all cases referred to the IV-D agency or applying for services under Sec. 302.33 of this chapter, the IV-D agency must, within no more than 20 calendar days of receipt of referral of a case or filing of an application for services under Sec. 302.33, open a case by establishing a case record and, based on an assessment of the case to determine necessary action:
(1) Solicit necessary and relevant information from the custodial parent and other relevant sources and initiate verification of information, if appropriate; and
(2) If there is inadequate location information to proceed with the case, request additional information or refer the case for further location attempts, as specified in Sec. 303.3.
(c) The case record must be supplemented with all information and documents pertaining to the case, as well as all relevant facts, dates, actions taken, contacts made and results in a case. [54 FR 32309, Aug. 4, 1989]