1995-1999 Plan: February 28, 1995

1995-1999 Measures: July 18, 1996

2000-2004 Plan & Measures: June 13, 2000

CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN WITH OUTCOME MEASURES FOR FY 2000-2004

INTRODUCTION

Under the first Child Support Enforcement Program strategic plan over the past five years, there were enormous strides made in improving program outcomes for children and families in need of support from both parents. Collections have risen to over $15.8 billion and for the first time, more children had paternity established than were born outside of marriage in a given year. These are noteworthy outcomes. And yet, with a national caseload in excess of 19 million cases, more needs to be done by the nation’s child support system.

This revised strategic plan, for the period FY 2000-2004 is our vision at the start of a new century. It is our commitment to do more. It is our commitment to lead the child support program into the new century as a key component to assist families to become self-sufficient or to remain self-sufficient. It is our vision that child support is an important line of defense against children living in poverty. It is our vision that medical child support is an important line of defense against children living without health insurance. It is our commitment to provide world class service to children and families in need. It is our commitment to go beyond what we have done in the past by using all the new tools provided to us in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Welfare Reform). It is our commitment to continually find new and creative ways to enhance program success. It is our commitment to crack down on those parents who can pay but refuse to support their children, while providing necessary and appropriate assistance to those who want to pay but are unable to pay their fair share due to their current life circumstances.

Over the past five years, there has been enormous change in the environment that surrounds the nation’s child support program. We will respond to these changes by dynamically leading the program. We acknowledge that the child support program is much more than cost recovery, though that remains an important focus. The program must also be much more than just a partnership among Federal, State, local and tribal governments if we are to be truly successful. We must enlist our stakeholders and the general public to join with us to promote the economic and social well being of families, children, individuals and communities, which is at the heart of the child support program’s mission. Through our joint vision we continue to see:

Families and individuals empowered to increase their own economic independence and productivity;
Strong, healthy, supportive communities having a positive impact on the quality of life, safety and development of children;
Partnerships with individuals, front-line service providers and communities, States and Congress, Federal agencies, Indian tribes and tribal organizations that enable solutions which transcend traditional boundaries;
Improved access to services which are planned, reformed and integrated .

Trust, communications, planning, creativity, risk-taking and respect among program partners and stakeholders are the values to which we in the nation’s child support community pledge ourselves.

MISSION

The Child Support Enforcement Program is authorized and defined by statute, title IV-D of the Social Security Act. The purpose and the mission of the Program are derived from the Act:

To assure that assistance in obtaining support, including financial and medical, is available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity and support obligations, and monitoring and enforcing those obligations.

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

The Child Support Enforcement Program will put children first by helping both parents assume responsibility for the economic and social well-being, health and stability of their children. We recognize the value of improved relationships with both parents.

The Child Support Enforcement program will promote stability, health, safety and economic security for all children in need of support. This will be accomplished by assuring that a parent who lives outside the primary residence of the child(ren) has a legal relationship with the child(ren), pays an appropriate level of child support on a regular and timely basis, and is encouraged, except in cases where this is proven to be inappropriate, to have an ongoing relationship with the child(ren). Child support includes providing for medical support.

We acknowledge that fathers and mothers (and other caretakers) each play a critical emotional role in a child's upbringing. Thus, within the context of first serving the best interests of the child, we must see that all parents are treated fairly and equitably by the CSE system and that the concerns of both parents are recognized.

The Program is committed to expanding its knowledge base through research and demonstration projects that are intended to improve the operations of the program and advance the well-being of children.

The Program is sensitive to the fact that we now have access to a vast array of personal information about people receiving our services as well as others outside the child support program. We recognize the responsibility that comes with access to this data and we are committed to respecting and ensuring the privacy and security of this information.

OUR CUSTOMERS, PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS

For the purpose of this document, the primary customers and beneficiaries of the Child Support Enforcement Program are children in need of support. Secondary customers are the parents or custodians of these children. It is important to recognize the different values and perspectives of those involved in children's lives and to acknowledge that, while interests may conflict, the physical and emotional needs of the child are paramount.

The Child Support Program is operated by a number of entities that must work together in partnership to achieve results for Program customers. The partners who operate the program include:

State, local and tribal child support enforcement agencies;
Courts, law enforcement agencies, and other entities operating under cooperative agreements with child support enforcement agencies; and
The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), including ACF Regional Offices.

Many other groups have an important role in helping us serve our customers. Without the active cooperation of these additional partners, we would be unable to operate our Program effectively. These additional partners include, but are not limited to:

Employers, financial institutions, hospitals, the medical insurance community, contractors;
Other components of Federal, State, and local government such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (title IV-A), Medicaid (title XIX), Child Welfare (including title IV-E) agencies; and
Related government agencies that work on particular aspects of the program such as the Department of Labor, Department of Treasury, and Social Security Administration.

Many other groups have a legitimate interest in how our customers are served. These stakeholders make a contribution toward, and benefit from, a well-run Program. They include national interest groups and community-based organizations that help serve the interests of Program customers or partners; Congress; State legislatures; taxpayers; and the public in general.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Program goals are the broad-based outcomes or impacts sought for program customers. Objectives are the results to be accomplished in order for the goals to become a reality. Accomplishing the objectives will move the program forward in achieving its strategic goals.

The goals and objectives described below represent the most important outcomes the Program seeks to achieve. They were developed in collaboration with Federal, State, local and tribal child support partners. Specific strategies for meeting these objectives rest with Federal, State, local and tribal child support agencies depending on their individual roles. Many of the objectives were part of the first Strategic Plan and have since gained additional importance as they evolved into the performance measures included in the “Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998.” We agreed that the establishment of paternity and support obligations, the collection and enforcement of support, the establishment and enforcement of medical support, and the operation of a customer-focused and cost effective program continue to be the desired outcomes of the child support program.

GOAL 1: ALL CHILDREN HAVE PARENTAGE ESTABLISHED

Objective A:

To Increase Establishment of Paternities, Particularly Those Established within One Year of Birth

Objective A Indicators:

1. The Ratio that the Total Number of Children in the IV-D Caseload in the FY or, at the option of the State, as of the end of the FY, who have been Born-Out-of-Wedlock, the Paternity of Whom has been Established or Acknowledged, Bears to the Total Number of Children in the IV-D Caseload as of the end of the preceding FY who were Born Out-of-Wedlock

(Statutory Caseload Paternity Establishment Percentage)

2. The Ratio that the Total Number of Minor Children who have been Born Out-of-Wedlock and for whom Paternity has been Established or Acknowledged during the FY, bears to the Total Number of Children Born Out-of-Wedlock during the preceding FY

(Statutory Statewide Paternity Establishment Percentage)

3. The Percentage of Children Born Out of Wedlock with Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgments

4. The Percentage of Children in the IV-D Caseload with Paternity Resolved

GOAL 2: ALL CHILDREN IN IV-D CASES HAVE FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL SUPPORT ORDERS

Objective A:

To Increase the Percentage of IV-D Cases with Orders for Financial Support

Objective A Indicator:

1. The Percentage of IV-D Cases with Support Orders

(Statutory Support Order Performance Level)

Objective B:

To Increase the Percentage of IV-D Cases With Orders for Medical Support

Objective B Indicator:

1. The Percentage of IV-D Cases with Medical Support Orders

Objective C:

To Increase the Percentage of Interstate IV-D Cases with Orders for Support

Objective C Indicator:

1. The Percentage of Interstate Responding IV-D Cases with Orders for Support

This indicator may be revisited while the Interstate Reform Initiative continues its work to improve case processing so that these cases are treated as "one state" cases.

GOAL 3: ALL CHILDREN IN IV-D CASES RECEIVE FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL SUPPORT FROM PARENTS AS ORDERED

Objective A:

To Increase the IV-D Collection Rate

Objective A Indicators:

1. Total Dollar Amount Distributed in IV-D Cases

2. IV-D Collection Rate for Current Support

(Statutory Current Payment Performance Level)

3. Percentage of IV-D Cases with Orders Where Some Child Support is Paid

4. Percentage of Arrears Cases with a Collection on the Arrears.

(Statutory Arrearage Payment Performance Level)

Objective B:

To Increase the Percentage of IV-D Cases Where Medical Support Is Obtained After Being Ordered

Objective B Indicator:

1. Percentage of IV-D Cases Where Health Insurance is Provided as Ordered

This measure may be revisited after the HHS/Labor Medical Support Working Group has completed its work. Following their report and possible legislation, the Medical Support Incentive Work Group will reconvene to develop a medical support measure for the performance-based incentive system.

Objective C:

To Increase the Collections on Interstate IV-D Cases

Goal 3 Con’t.

Objective C Indicator:

1. The Percentage of Interstate Responding IV-D Cases with Collections

GOAL 4: THE IV-D PROGRAM WILL BE EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE IN ITS OPERATIONS

Objective A:

To operate an efficient program

Objective A Indicators:

1. Total Dollars Collected per $1 of Expenditures

(Statutory Cost-Effectiveness Performance Level)

2. Placeholder for Future Cost Avoidance Indicator

Objective B:

To operate a responsive program

Objective B Indicators:

Periodic surveys including:

1. Children First Customer Satisfaction Survey of Custodial and Noncustodial Parents' Satisfaction with Child Support Services

2. Survey of State Child Support Enforcement Programs' Satisfaction with Federal Performance