Any applicant or recipient who refuses to provide reasonable assistance to the local county department or to the child support unit established by the state department of public welfare in identifying and locating the absent parent of a dependent child or otherwise refuses to cooperate with the department in securing support or in establishing paternity shall be ineligible for aid to dependent children, shall not be considered a needy relative and shall not be entitled to receive or use any part of the aid in grant nor shall be eligible for medical assistance under the Mississippi Medical Assistance Act; provided, however, that aid for the support of the child of such applicant or recipient shall not be denied or terminated as a result of such refusal to provide assistance or cooperation, but that the department may provide aid to said child in the form of protective vendor payments.