DCL-02-07, Guide for Auditing Data Reliability

DCL-02-07

DATE: April 1, 2002

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: Guide for Auditing Data Reliability

Dear Colleague:

Enclosed is the Office of Child Support Enforcement, Office of Audit’s "Guide for Auditing Data Reliability." This guide addresses the audit process for reviewing states’ performance indicator definitions, data systems security and the reliability of the data generated by these systems. The guide includes updates to the previous guide issued on February 14, 2000. Updates include policy and regulatory changes, such as the performance standard increase from 90 to 95 percent.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) requires the establishment of performance indicators to measure the performance of state child support enforcement programs. Under PRWORA, states receive incentives based on performance if their data are deemed to be reliable, complete, and accurate. The Office of Audit, pursuant to section 452(a)(4)(C)(i) of Part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act, is required to conduct audits to evaluate the completeness, reliability, security and accuracy of the performance indicator data reported by the states.

Future revisions to this guide may be necessitated by the results of ongoing audits. If you have any questions regarding the attached guide, please call Keith Bassett, Director, Office of Audit, at (202) 401-9387.

Sincerely,

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

Enclosure (Not Available Online)