OKLAHOMA

INCREASE COLLECTIONS ON DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS

Goals:

• As a cost-saving measure, reduce the number of cases referred to outside Collection Agencies for noncustodial parents more than 60 days in arrears.
• Educate noncustodial parents about payment options available to them, and provide some general information regarding child support.
• Assist caseworkers with basic locate searches and information gathering regarding non-paying noncustodial parents.
• Monitor responses of both noncustodial parents and child support caseworkers after initial contact has been made to assure case follow-up.

Strategic Plan:Supports Strategies 1, 2, 8 of the National Child Support Strategic Plan.

Description: The Alert System to Activate Payment (ASAP) was a demonstration project created to augment the Oklahoma Child Support Enforcement Division's (OK-CSED) efforts in collecting delinquent child support. The project was also implemented in order to save OK-CSED the cost of referring cases to an outside collection agency. The program provides early intervention in cases that otherwise would be referred to a collection agency.

Delinquent Letter:An essential piece of the program is the mailing of a "delinquent letter" to noncustodial parents who are at least 60 days in arrears. The letter is designed to invoke recipients to take action regarding their child support responsibility and to encourage them to begin making voluntary payments. The letter mentions the possibility of several enforcement actions that could occur if payments are not made. The noncustodial parent is instructed to contact the OK-CSED within a 10-day period and is provided a toll-free telephone number to facilitate this contact.

The foundation of the program relies on three highly skilled Customer Service Representatives (CSR's) who are trained to utilize flexible methods of response. The CSR must balance the task of emphasizing collection of payment while serving as a customer advocate with understanding and empathic listening skills.

The ASAP team's collection strategy offers more of an opportunity to learn about the noncustodial parent's situation and help with payment solutions rather than applying demands.

At the conclusion of each call, a notation is made in the Oklahoma Child Support Mainframe Database and an e-mail is immediately forwarded to the relevant Child Support Office and/or caseworker. The email informs the caseworker that a response was received from the noncustodial parent and contains any information collected. Such information can be, but is not limited to, the examples listed below:

• Telephone number via caller identification system
• New mailing address
• Employer information
• Filing of disability, unemployment, etc.
• Brief description of conversation

Quality Assurance Process: An in-house database is used to track calls and ensure pertinent information is recorded. A tickler was created to alert the ASAP team to perform a quality control procedure on each call 14 days following the original call. The ASAP team then reviews the Oklahoma Child Support Mainframe Database for any new activity resulting from the initial contact. Once the search for new activity and information is completed, the results are entered in the ASAP database. During the Quality Assurance Process, the ASAP team notes if information previously provided to the district office that could have facilitated collections (per case log and other applicable screens) has no acknowledgement or identifiable actions. This inaction is forwarded to the ASAP supervisor for further action.

Returned Letter and Locate Processes: All delinquent letters returned by the U.S. Postal Service are updated with any new information. Searches are made for any new case information and/or updates using the Oklahoma Child Support Mainframe Database. In addition, the team also searches the Department of Corrections (DOC) website. If the noncustodial parent has an active status, an email is sent to the caseworker with the noncustodial parent's DOC number. Any other new noncustodial parent information found is entered into the Oklahoma Child Support Mainframe Database so that it can be verified and appropriate action taken.

Results: The number of cases sent to an outside collection agency has been reduced. Since October 2003, the project has collected well over $2.5 million and is projected to collect more than $3 million by June 2005.

Results

Date (Quarterly)	Number of letters sent	Number of Calls Taken	Number of Cases with Voluntary Payment	Dollars Collected
10/03 to 12/03	4395	589	312	$93,384
01/04 to 03/04	3715	661	541	$164,019
04/ to 06/04	7580	1128	938	$298,481
07/04 to 09/04	8019	1223	1955	$584,237
10/04 to 12/04	4451	597	2306	$610,402
01/05 to 03/05	4322	722	2897	$808,192
Total	32,482	4920	8947	$2,558,715

Location: The Oklahoma Child Support Enforcement Division teamed with the University of Oklahoma - OUTREACH - Center for Public Management to implement this project. The call center is physically located in an off-campus location at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma.

Funding: Regular IV-D funds are used.

Replication Advice:

The key factors are:

1. the quality of the CSRs' interaction with the callers, using a combination of active listening skills, advocacy and great customer service;
2. the CSRs' extensive training in CSED policies, procedures and state-wide database activities;
3. a supportive partnership with state-wide CSED caseworkers and offices;
4. a close working relationship with CSED data services; and
5. a steady number of letters generated and disseminated each week, which ensures the ability to provide quality service to every caller and minimizes, if not eliminates, the hold time.

Contact:

Victoria Harrison

Phone: (405) 522-0032

Email: Victoria.Harrison@okdhs.org