National Electronic Child Support Resource System

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-30.htm)
Annually, each state is required to send a signed certification letter to the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) pertaining to the Federal Offset Program. This letter certifies to OCSE that the information submitted by the state meets the legal requirements for Offset and Passport Denial, and also provides information as to your state's preferences regarding mailing of pre-offset notices, holding periods, and contact information

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-27.htm)
This letter is to inform you of the annual user fees that each state will be assessed for use of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) and the Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet) for fiscal year (FY) 2005. Enclosed are summaries of your state’s fees.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-26.htm)
On December 19, 2003, the President signed into law the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), Pub. L. 108-189. This new law amends and renames the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act (SSCRA) of 1940.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-23.htm)
This is a preliminary report of financial and statistical data for the FY 2003 period.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-25.htm)
In August 2004, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) will implement provisions of Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) Release 04-01.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-24.htm)
Version 1 of the Interstate Case Reconciliation (ICR) User Guide is available on the OCSE web site at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/library/nicr/nicr.htm

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-22.htm)
This DCL conveys the “Guide for Automating Case Closure”, intended to help states increase the efficiency and accuracy of case closure in their Child Support Enforcement systems. The Guide contains case closure requirements, flowcharts, templates, case studies and discussions. Case closure automation can states reduce case closure errors, ensure actions are taken in a timely manner and uniformly across cases, reduce or eliminate backlogs so states can concentrate on cases requiring worker determination, and reduce data management demands by eliminating duplicate and outdated cases.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-21.htm)
OCSE has reorganized the functions of the United States Central Authority for International Child Support Enforcement with the intent of improving customer service to the public and our state and international partners. This Dear Colleague Letter is to inform you of the appropriate contact information for different issues related to international child support enforcement.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-20.htm)
The Office of Child Support Enforcement has been selected to take a lead role in support of the Department of Health and Human Services' activities to build electronic technology systems to communicate with states on a secure, electronic basis, including a pilot exploration of digital signatures. The pilot project will use the approach known as Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). PKI uses a combination of technology, policies, and procedures to provide confidentiality, integrity, and authentication for electronic communications. Through the use of digital signatures and encryption, PKI provides a high degree of security in information exchange.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-19.htm)
This year’s 14th National Child Support Enforcement Training Conference is the forum for “Scaling New Heights in Child Support.”

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-18.htm)
USDA proposed regulation were published 4/16/04, with comment period until 6/15/04 – Some provisions may impact state IV-D programs – OCSE encourages state IV-D program coordination with state Food Stamp program

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-16.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently agreed to renew processing 1099 requests from state Child Support Enforcement agencies.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-17.htm)
Informs State IV-D Directors that the OCSE has developed a Cost Allocation Methodologies Tool Kit to provide a simple, consistent, and objective cost allocation methodology to: help states determine equitable distributions of software development costs to Federal and State benefiting programs over the system development lifecycle; and help expedite the Federal approval process for state Cost Allocation Plans.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-15.htm)
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) invites applications from State Title IV-D agencies for fiscal year 2004 funding of demonstration activities intended to add to the knowledge and to promote the objectives of the Child Support Enforcement Program under section 1115 and Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. Only State Title IV-D agencies or the umbrella agencies of which they are a part are eligible to apply for these grants. Applications are due no later than June 2, 2004.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-14.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) conducted regional data quality conference calls with the state Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agencies.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-13.htm)
Pub. L.108-199 amended section 453 of the Social Security Act to require a new information comparison with the National Director of New Hires. Under the new match, information on participants in specified HUD programs will be matched with NDNH information to verify employment and income.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-12.htm)
Version 11 of the Federal Case Registry (FCR) Interface Guidance Document (IGD) is now available on the OCSE web site at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/library/fcr/fcr.htm.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-11.htm)
The Slovak Republic has asked the Office of Child Support Enforcement to inform state IV-D agencies who are experiencing difficulties sending collections electronically using the SWIFT network to send payments directly to custodial parents until more efficient methods of funds transfer are identified.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-10.htm)
Ideas to consider for National Women’s Health Week Event

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-09.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) hosted the National Child Support Systems Conference in Washington, DC on December 9 - 11, 2003. This event brought together state, territory, and tribal IV-D staff, Federal OCSE staff, regional staff, and OCSE contractors to discuss the role of state and Federal systems in the future of the child support program.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-08.htm)
This letter is a follow up to a recent Dear Colleague letter (DCL-03-46) in which we provided information about the Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Service’s (FMS) decision to extend the deadline for removing the Social Security number (SSN) from U.S. Treasury checks. The SSN will be removed completely from Treasury checks on December 31, 2004. To avoid a significant problem with the identification of paper Treasury checks, it is imperative that Federal agencies be converted to EFT/EDI by that time.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-07.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement published two notices in the Federal Register on February 13, 2004 (69 FR 7232 and 7233) requesting comments on revised Notice of Lien and Administrative Subpoena forms and related annual burden estimates. The notices, which are attached, explain how to obtain the revised forms and send in comments.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-06.htm)
In a continuous effort to maintain the quality of child support data and to provide you with feedback, we have prepared the attached Data Quality Profile for your state.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-05.htm)
Informs State IV-D Directors that two matrices have been developed to provide best practices and points-of contact to assist in the development and/or enhancement of their State Child Support Enforcement Program web-based customer service.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2004/dcl-04-02.htm)
OCSE will, for the first time since the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), implement provisions in the statute and regulations that permit auditing states data reliability on a cycle less frequently than annually.