DCL-04-01, Improving Internet-based Resources for International Child Support Enforcement

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

DCL-04-01

DATE: January 16, 2004

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: Improving Internet-based Resources for International Child Support Enforcement

Dear Colleague:

I want to share with you some exciting and important initiatives that OCSE has planned for improving cooperation and the processing of actions with countries designated as foreign reciprocating countries for child support enforcement purposes pursuant to section 459A of the Social Security Act.

As part of our continuing efforts to make our website more useful and citizen friendly, we are overhauling our web presence for international child support enforcement. For example, in response to a number of inquiries from states and the general public, we are modifying the international section of the Interstate Roster and Referral Guide (IRG) (http://ocse3.acf.hhs.gov/ext/irg/sps/selectastate.cfm) – which is being renamed the “Intergovernmental Referral Guide” – to include contact information only for those countries with which the United States has reciprocity (i.e., FRCs). By previously including contact information for non-FRCs, OCSE may have given the mistaken impression that Federal reciprocity existed with all countries listed in the IRG. This led to some confusion and unrealistic expectations among States, the international community, as well as the general public. In addition, much of the information previously contained in the IRG proved to be inaccurate. Absent an established Federal reciprocal relationship, we could not ensure that the contact information provided for non-FRCs would be accurate or useful.

We recognize that some states have State-level child support enforcement arrangements with non-FRCs. For those countries, you may wish to consult the website of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, which includes a “List of Transmitting and Receiving Agencies designated under the New York Convention of 20 June 1956 on the Recovery Abroad of Maintenance,” at: http://www.hcch.net/e/workprog/ny_conv.pdf. As we hear of other organizations providing such information, we will let you know.

We are also adding an international link from the homepage of the OCSE website (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/) which will take users directly to links for all OCSE international policy issuances (for example, IMs, DCLs, and PIQs), legal references, the Department of State child support website, links to FRC-specific child support information, such as child support websites, where available; federal agreements; FRC policies and procedures and forms; and the revised IRG. Finally, as part of our role as the Central Authority for international child support enforcement, the website soon will contain a “Caseworker’s Guide to International Reciprocity,” which will explain the basis of reciprocity with FRCs, as well as provide practical processing tips and sample bilingual UIFSA-like forms and that should facilitate international case processing with FRCs.

These are only some of the initiatives that we are undertaking to help improve service delivery to those families that have a parent living abroad. With your dedication, borders need not be barriers when it comes to child support. Please let us know if you have any additional suggestions.

Sincerely,

Sherri Z. Heller, Ed.D.
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

Enclosure

cc: Regional Program Managers
ACF Regional Administrators