at-8806.htm

OCSE-AT-88-6

April 19, 1988

Subj: Instructions for Completing Form OCSE-Local 2 -

Statistical Report

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

ACTION TRANSMITTAL

OCSE-AT-88-6

April 19, 1988

TO: STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTERING CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PLANS APPROVED UNDER TITLE IV-D OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS

SUBJECT: Instructions for Completing Form OCSE- Local 2 - Statistical Report

CONTENT: The following instructions give guidance

for completing the subject form. This form is

used to report statistical data for child support enforcement program activities that take place at the sub-state level (be it county, sub-state region, judicial district, etc.), under title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

The form should be completed, by the State, for each of the 150 reporting jurisdictions for each calendar quarter and submitted within 10 days of the end of each quarter. State agencies administering Child Support Enforcement programs under title IV-D of the Social Security Act, except for Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are required to complete this form.

Reporting burden is not increased significantly as there are only nine data elements to be reported for each county. Seven of the nine data elements are presently required to be reported at the State level on either form OCSE-56 or form OCSE-34. The same data element definitions will be followed for this purpose. The two additional data elements are number of cases under wage withholding and number of out-of-wedlock births. These items are clear cut and should be readily available.

This data is being collected to obtain information

on the operation of the Child Support Enforcement program at local levels in order to better identify program strengths and weaknesses. The information gained will be used to analyze local performance to make effective processes better and to target efforts to produce the greatest payoff at the least cost.

OCSE is aware that some States will not be able to readily provide the data by county, as requested, for various reasons. Therefore, we will accept the requested information at whatever reporting level is available. If the State will identify the local

jurisdiction, OCSE will prepare alternate reporting forms and return them to the State for completion. The important thing is to submit data that is representative of the local jurisdiction.

The use of sampling is acceptable if it is the only way accurate data can be attained within the reporting deadline.

SUPERSEDED

MATERIAL: None

ATTACHMENT: Form OCSE Local 2

EFFECTIVE DATE: Report for the Quarter ending June

30, 1988

INQUIRIES TO: OCSE Regional Representatives

Wayne A. Stanton

Director

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING FORM OCSE-LOCAL 2 - STATISTICAL REPORT

BACKGROUND

The nation's child support enforcement efforts seek to:

0 Protect the rights of children born to unmarried

parents, by legally establishing the identity of

their father.

0 Protect the rights of children to the financial

support of both parents.

0 Protect the rights of taxpayers, who often must pay

the cost of welfare dependency when parents are unwilling to fulfill the legal and moral responsibility to support their children.

The OCSE Local 2 data form was developed in order to obtain information on the operation of the Child Support program at local levels. In most areas of the United States, the Child Support Enforcement program is administered at the local level. Local data can be used as a means of better identifying program weaknesses and strengths.

Analysis of Federal tax offset data by county or other sub-state entity has provided significant insights about how to make an effective process even better. It has helped target efforts that produce great pay off at very little cost. It is imperative, if we are to discharge our responsibilities as program managers, that we analyze local performance.

The OCSE Local 2 consists of a one page form to be filled in each quarter for each of 150 selected local jurisdictions. The jurisdictions were selected as follows: First, the largest jurisdiction in each State (and the District of Columbia) was selected. Then, based on population, an additional 99 jurisdictions were added for a total of 150 targeted local jurisdictions.

In some States, local areas are divided into Parishes, administrative areas, and independent cities. For our purposes, we are using the term "county" to refer to all counties, parishes, administrative areas, and other independent cities. The attached list (Attachment I) contains the 150 selected counties, listed by State.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

The requirements contained in this Action Transmittal are essential if the Secretary is to meet the requirements contained in section 452(a)(1) and (2) to establish standards for an effective program and minimum organization and staffing requirements. The authority to collect this information is set forth in regulations at 45 CFR 302.15 (a).

This form will be pre-printed and provided to each State Child Support Agency. The State will complete the form each quarter for each of the selected counties and submit it to the OCSE Regional Representative. The due date will be ten days after the end of the quarter. The name of the County and State will be filled in by the State as well as the quarter for which they are reporting.

OCSE is aware that some States will not be able to readily provide the data by county, as requested. This may be because one local IV-D jurisdiction serves more than one county. In any event, OCSE will accept the requested information at whatever reporting level is available. If you will identify the local jurisdictions, OCSE will prepare alternate reporting forms and return them to the State agency for completion. The important thing is to submit data that is representative of the local jurisdiction.

There are nine data elements that are to be reported for each county. The information requested on this form, with two exceptions, is presently required to be reported at the State level on either form OCSE-56 or form OCSE-34. The additional data consists of: number of cases under wage withholding and number of out-of-wedlock births. There is already a requirement to report the amount of collections made as a result of wage withholding, hence, this information should be available.

The other new data item, number of out-of-wedlock births is not currently collected by the IV-D agency. This information is generally available from the Bureau or Division of Vital Statistics within the county or State. This information is critical to the success of establishing paternity.

The use of sampling is acceptable if it is the only way in which a jurisdiction can obtain accurate data within the reporting deadline. Procedures and guidelines for statistical sampling methods are contained in OCSE Information Memorandum #79-5, dated February 16, 1979. Any statistical sampling plan must be approved by the appropriate OCSE Regional Office before being implemented.

Rather than report incomplete figures, jurisdictions should estimate if necessary. All estimated data should

be identified with a capital "E" after the number. Representative data should be reported for all 150 of the selected jurisdictions.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING FORM OCSE-LOCAL 2

LINE 1 - IV-D AFDC/FC CASELOAD AT END OF QUARTER

1. A IV-D AFDC case is defined as an absent parent whose

child/children are receiving or are due to receive money payments under title IV-A of the Social Security Act (i.e. AFDC) and whose children's support rights have been assigned by the caretaker relative to the State, and for which a valid referral to the State IV-D agency has been made. Every absent parent of the child/children receiving a IV-A grant is to be counted as a IV-D case. When a case is terminated by the AFDC agency and IV-D services are continuing to be provided, the IV-D case should be closed and a IV-D Non-AFDC case should be opened. If arrearages are still owed an AFDC arrearage only case should also be opened.

2. A IV-D Foster Care case is defined as an absent parent

whose child/children are receiving foster care maintenance payments under title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Every absent parent of the child/children receiving a IV-E grant is to be counted as a IV-D case.

3. An AFDC arrears only case is defined as an absent

parent whose child/children are former recipients of IV-A payments and the absent parent owes the State reimbursement of these payments.

4. A Foster Care arrears only case is defined as an absent

parent whose child/children are former recipients of foster case maintenance payments under title IV-E of the Social Security Act and the absent parent owes the State reimbursement of these payments.

NOTE: AFDC, Foster Care, AFDC Arrears only, and Foster Care Arrears only case counts or actions should be combined.

LINE 2 - NON-AFDC CASELOAD AT END OF QUARTER

1. A IV-D non-AFDC case is defined as an absent parent whose child/children are not currently receiving IV-A AFDC payments and which the caretaker relative has made written application for IV-D non-AFDC services. Also include cases which have been terminated by the AFDC agency where the family continues to receive IV-D services. NOTE: If arrearages are still owed, an AFDC arrears only cases should have been opened. This may result in counting a case more than once.

2. IV-D cases which are non-Federal Foster Care cases are

also included in this category.

LINE 3 - AFDC/FC COLLECTIONS DURING THE QUARTER

1. AFDC Child Support Payments received on behalf of families receiving AFDC and who have assigned support rights to the State under the State plan. Include AFDC arrearage payments on behalf of families who are no longer AFDC recipients.

2. Foster Care Child Support Payments received on behalf

of children placed in foster care facilities funded under title IV-E of the Social Security Act.

Only report the collections that were actually distributed during the quarter. Distribution includes: Collections distributed as payments to families and disregarded in AFDC eligibility; other collections distributed as payments to families or foster care facilities; and collections distributed as reimbursement of assistance or foster care payments.

LINE 4 - NON-AFDC COLLECTIONS DURING THE QUARTER

1. Non-AFDC Child Support Payments received on behalf of

families who are not AFDC recipients.

2. Only report the collections that were actually

distributed as payments to families during the quarter.

LINE 5 - NUMBER OF CASES UNDER WAGE WITHHOLDING OR GARNISHMENT DURING THE QUARTER

1. Report the number of cases (AFDC, Foster Care,

Non-AFDC, AFDC Arrears Only, and Foster Care Arrears Only) for which one or more collections were made during the quarter as a result of the process of wage withholding. Include both voluntary and involuntary

withholding actions as well as withholding actions initiated prior to the effective date of Section 466 (a) (1) of the Social Security Act.

2. Each case should be counted only once, regardless of

the number of collections made for that case during the quarter. For example, if an absent parent has their child support paid through wage withholding on a weekly basis, there would be 12 or more payments per quarter. The local jurisdiction should only report one case being paid through wage withholding.

LINE 6 - QUARTERLY COLLECTIONS MADE THROUGH THE WITHHOLDING OF WAGES AND OTHER INCOME

Report all collections (AFDC, Foster Care, Non-AFDC, AFDC Arrears and Foster Care Arrears) received through the process of wage withholding or garnishment, during the quarter. Include both voluntary and involuntary withholding actions as well as withholding actions initiated prior to the effective date of Section 466 (a) (1) of the Social Security Act.

LINE 7 - OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS DURING THE QUARTER

Report the number of out-of-wedlock births that occurred in the county or jurisdiction during the quarter. This number may most frequently be obtained from the county or State public health or vital statistics agency. If current data is not available, report the most recent available quarter and indicate the period covered as a footnote to the report. Most jurisdictions count all births occurring within their boundaries regardless of the permanent residence of the mother.

LINE 8 - PATERNITIES ESTABLISHED DURING THE QUARTER

1. Report the number of children for whom paternity was established during the quarter. A paternity is defined as the legal establishment of fatherhood for a child after the opening of a IV-D case, either by court determination or voluntary acknowledgement (in States where such acknowledgments are legally enforceable). A paternity established prior to a case's referral to IV-D is not to be counted in this item.

2. If more than one child is included in a single

paternity establishment, each child is to be counted separately.

LINE 9 - AVERAGE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) STAFF DURING THE QUARTER

1. Report the number of staff employed on the last working day of the quarter in the local county or jurisdiction this report is for. Report these numbers in full-time equivalent (FTE) figures, i.e., divide the total number of hours worked by all part-time staff by 2080 hours. This makes staffing figures reported by jurisdictions with varying staffing patterns comparable.

2. Report both the total number of FTE staff employed by the IV-D agency as well as any FTE staff employed by an agency (public or private) working under cooperative agreement or a purchase of service agreement with the IV-D agency.

IMPLEMENTATION

Form OCSE Local 2 is due beginning the quarter ending June 30, 1988 and for each subsequent quarter.

** Attachment I is available in the OCSE Reference Center **