WISCONSIN

MILWAUKEE COUNTY:

CHILD SUPPORT/PUBLIC ASSISTANCE COLLABORATION

Goal: To increase access to Child Support Services.

Strategic Plan: Supports Strategy 6 of the National Child Support Strategic Plan.

Description: Previously, TANF recipients could not have their applications fully processed until cooperation with the child support office was complete. The W2 Outstations project moved Child Support staff to the front end of the TANF application process (CSE staff were relocated to the TANF agency site) to ensure that IV-A/IV-D cooperation was immediately determined.

The W2 Outstations project began in 1998 and continues to the present. The project involves Maximus, United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) and the YMCA as key partners. Outstationing began as a one-site pilot. The pilot looked at how cases could be screened for Child Support services. The initial data (see results) were positive. A refinement of the workflow followed and then the pilot was replicated in seven additional locations in Milwaukee.

In Milwaukee County, private vendors process TANF/cash assistance (W2) and the Milwaukee County Department of Human Services processes food stamp, medical assistance and child care applications. The introduction of Child Support into the process is demonstrated in the diagram below:

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TANF application

Anecdotal Information:

• Individuals prefer to be seen in community-based facilities and not at the Courthouse which houses the Child Support main office. The Courthouse atmosphere is intimidating and parking is expensive and hard to find.
• Interviewing individuals at the front end of the process decreases non-cooperation and sanctions.
• Gathering and entering information at the front end (front loading data) prevent bad data in the IV-A/IV-D interface, provide accurate case numbers, and decrease duplicate individuals/cases in the child support data system.
• Individuals understand the benefits of the Child Support program better when it is presented in this setting.
• When NCPs apply for food stamps, the interview includes an assessment of their child support status. A case review can be performed to determine if the order is appropriate to their current circumstances. Cooperation is achieved since during the interview the payer's employment status is on record. Any employability plan is communicated to Child Support and a contempt action is avoided. The paralegal working for Child Support and the Food Stamp case manager can coordinate to help the client with job placement services.

Results:The Paternity and Order Establishment rates improved dramatically. Currently, over 50% of legal actions are initiated from outstation locations.

Milwaukee County

Paternity and Order Establishment Rates

Year	PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT RATE	ORDER ESTABLISHMENT RATE
1998	Â	57.94%
1999	59.29%	59.89%
2000	68.62%	65.91%
2001	73.24%	66.84%
2002	79.25%	71.58%
2003	89.95%	73.76%
2004	92.03%	75.15%
2005	93.25%	78.11%

Location:The project is located in the urban jurisdiction of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The practice was modified and adopted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Funding:The project is funded with regular Federal matching funds. Additionally, each TANF vendor pays Milwaukee County Child Support $20,000 per site for an on-site staff person.

Replication Advice:

• Understand the business requirements of your key partners to create a win-win proposal.
• Test and measure for desired results.
• Do not be afraid to fail.
• Assess both the successes and failures. Keep the successful parts of the approach and stop doing what does not work.
• Continue to enhance standard operating procedures to improve services.

Contact:

Lisa J. Marks, Deputy Director

Milwaukee County Child Support Enforcement

Phone: (414) 278-5239

Email: lmarks@milwcnty.com