Child Support Enforcement Grants

Purpose

The timely receipt of child support is critical for millions of American families and children. The Nation’s Child Support Enforcement Program is a Federal/State/local/tribal partnership to help families by promoting family self–sufficiency and child well–being. Child support agencies locate noncustodial parents, establish paternity when necessary, establish orders for support, and collect child support payments for families.

All States and some tribes run a child support enforcement program, either in the human services department or department of revenue, often with the help of prosecuting attorneys, district attorneys, other law enforcement agencies, and officials of family or domestic relations courts. Families seeking government child support services must apply directly through their State/local agency or one of the tribes running the program. The most recent State–reported data show that nearly $21 billion in child support payments was distributed.

Services are available to a parent with custody of a child who has a parent living outside of the home. Services are available automatically for families receiving assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Current child support collected reimburses the State and Federal governments for TANF payments made to the family. Those not receiving public assistance can apply for child support services. Child support payments that are collected on behalf of non–TANF families are sent to the family.

The role of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement is to help State and tribal child support enforcement agencies develop, manage, and operate their programs effectively and in accordance with Federal law. The Office provides for the major share of program operating costs, provides policy guidance and technical assistance to enforcement agencies, conducts audits, supports research, and shares ideas for program improvement. It also provides significant local assistance to child support enforcement agencies through automated resources.

The Child Support Enforcement Program is a Federal, State, and local partnership to collect child support. The CSE Program was established in 1975 as Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. It functions in all States and territories, through the State/county Social Services Department, Attorney General's Office or Department of Revenue. Most States work with prosecuting attorneys, other law enforcement agencies, and officials of family or domestic relations courts to carry out their programs at the local level.

The role of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement is to help States develop, manage, and operate their programs effectively and according to Federal law. The Office pays the major share of State program operating costs, provides policy guidance and technical help to enforcement agencies, conducts audits and educational programs, supports research, and shares ideas for program improvement. It also provides significant local assistance to child support enforcement agencies through automated resources.

How Funds May Be Used

The Child Support Enforcement Program provides four major services to customers: locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, establishing support orders, and collecting support payments. The program also provides services to noncustodial parents. States offer access and visitation services through Federal grants.

States have uniform interstate laws to make it easier to collect support across State lines. Registries of newly hired employees speed collection of support. In certain States and under certain circumstances, criminal actions can be taken against chronic delinquent parents who owe large sums of child support.

Services for Noncustodial Parents

States receive grants from the Federal Government to help with noncustodial parents’ access to and visitation with their children. Each State operates such programs under very broad guidelines. These projects can provide mediation, counseling, parenting education, visitation programs, and the development of visitation and custody guidelines. States may contract with community–based and faith–based organizations to provide these services. A number of States also have projects to promote responsible fatherhood and encourage marriage.

Special Projects

In addition to providing funds to operate child support enforcement agencies, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement offers grant opportunities for discretionary demonstration purposes that would improve program outcomes.

Under the Special Improvement Project (SIP) grant program, child support enforcement agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations (including community–based and faith–based organizations), may apply for discretionary funding to test innovative methods to improve child support enforcement program results.

State and local CSE agencies may apply for discretionary funding under the Section 1115 Demonstration Grant Program to test innovative operational methods designed to improve CSE program results. CSE agencies may partner with community–based organizations and faith–based organizations in carrying out these demonstrations. See http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS–2004–ACF–OCSE–SIP–0001.html for information about a recent SIP announcement or search the OCSE web site for SIP and/or Section 1115 announcements: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse.

Sponsoring Bureau: Office of Child Support Enforcement

FY 2005 Appropriation: $4.1 billion (most of these funds are for day–to–day program operation; a portion is available for demonstration projects or for access and visitation)

Federal funding is provided by formula grants to the States, with competitive discretionary grants also being available for Special Improvement Project and Section 1115 Demonstration Grants. Direct funding is available to federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations for comprehensive tribal child support enforcement programs.

For More Information

Office of Child Support Enforcement:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/newann.htm

State and Local Child Support Enforcement agencies:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/extinf.htm#exta
http://ocse3.acf.dhhs.gov/int/directories/ext/IVd_list.cfm

Office of Child Support Enforcement Programs to Strengthen Marriages and Families:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/healthymarriage/funding/child_support.html

Contacts
Program contact: Myles Schlank
Phone: 202-401–9329
E–mail: myles.schlank@acf.hhs.gov

Grants contact: Sylvia Johnson
Phone: 202-401–4524
E–mail: sylvia.johnson@acf.hhs.gov