Generally speaking the Hearing Examiner is required by law to require non-custodial parents to pay some child support, even if the parent is on public assistance. You may be told either orally or in writing that you have to pay. You may receive a letter from the Department of Social Services that threatens to deduct the amount of child support you were to pay from your public assistance benefits. No, this is against the law. If you are receiving public assistance it is very unlikely that you will go to jail for not paying a minimum child support order.
Judges occasionally do sentence people who violate child support orders to serve time in jail.
Usually these cases involve individuals who can pay, have not paid child support over a long time, and owe thousands of dollars. The amount you owe is called an arrearage. When you become employed, the Support Collection Unit of DSS, any attorney, or the Court may issue an income deduction order to regularly take an amount directly from your wages until the arrearages are paid. As a result it may be in your interest to voluntarily make payments on the arrearages as soon you are able to. You also may be petitioned back into court if you do not pay the arrearages after you stop receiving public assistance.