AT-08-02, Distribution of Federally Approved Standard Intergovernmental Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Forms

ACTION TRANSMITTAL

AT-08-02

DATE: Jan. 29, 2008

TO: State and Tribal Agencies Administering Child Support Enforcement Plans under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act and Other Interested Individuals

SUBJECT: : Distribution of Federally Approved Standard Intergovernmental Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Forms

BACKGROUND: The last set of standard interstate CSE forms was distributed via OCSE-AT-05-03. In addition to publishing the required 60-day notice in the Federal Register on June 21, 2007 in Volume 72, Number 119 on pages 34252-34253, we solicited comments from the CSE community to provide suggestions for form revisions via DCL-07-19.

The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) also established a work group to review the forms. The group was comprised of State and Tribal representatives in addition to OCSE Regional and Central Office staff.

The changes were endorsed by the National Council of Child Support Directors, and were limited to minimize changes to State automated systems. The changes are as follows:

Changed the title of the forms to "Intergovernmental" to reflect their use by States, Tribes, and foreign countries.
Provided Paternity Establishment Percentage (PEP) documentation, which addresses audit issues by:
- adding a label to transmittals for Born Out of Wedlock Y/N, Paternity Established Y/N, Date Paternity Established; and
- adding instructions for these new fields.
Provided Tribal affiliation to identify Tribes to facilitate Tribal and State communications by:
- adding a label to transmittals for Tribal Affiliation; and
- adding instructions for this new field.
Updated instructions on Transmittal #1 - Initial Request, Transmittal #2 - Subsequent Actions, and Transmittal #3 - Request for Assistance/Discovery as follows:
- made the instructions which are common to Transmittals #1, #2, and #3 consistent on the Uniform Support Petition, Registration Statement, Locate Data Sheet, Notice of Determination of Controlling Order, Affidavit in Support of Establishing Paternity, and General Testimony forms; and
- made minor changes to label names contained in Transmittals #1, #2, and #3 as recommended by the work group, e.g., Social Security No. and Social Security Number to SSN, E-mail to E-Mail, consistent use of Fax/FAX.
Highlighted policy information that is included with the instructions so it is distinct.

REFERENCES: 42 U.S.C. 666(f) required all States to enact the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) by January 1, 1998. UIFSA, at section 311(b) requires the use of federally approved forms in interstate CSE proceedings. Tribal IV-D agencies are not required to use these forms.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These revised forms are effective January 31, 2008. States will need time to make changes to their forms. Therefore, please continue to honor previous forms and implement the revised ones as soon as possible. The forms are available on http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/forms/. We will provide a WORD version of the forms in the near future.

INQUIRIES: ACF OCSE Regional Program Managers

Margot Bean
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement