DCL-04-21, Organizational Changes in International Child Support Enforcement

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

DCL-04-21

DATE: June 3, 2004

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: Organizational Changes in International Child Support Enforcement

Dear Colleague:

OCSE has reorganized the functions of the United States Central Authority for International Child Support Enforcement with the intent of improving customer service to the public and our state and international partners. This Dear Colleague Letter is to inform you of the appropriate contact information for different issues related to international child support enforcement.

The Division of Consumer Services (DCS), led by Robert Cohen, is the office’s point of contact with the public and state agencies on case-specific inquiries. DCS is responsible for handling case-specific inquiries on international cases. J. Richard Sternowski is the exclusive point of contact and can be reached for this purpose at ocseinternational@acf.hhs.gov.

In addition, as the OCSE web master, Joe Gloystein and his team in DCS have recently added a link from the OCSE homepage (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/) to a page dedicated to international information and links. These include all OCSE international policy issuances (for example, Information Memoranda, Dear Colleague Letters, and Policy Information Questions), legal references, the Department of State child support website, links to FRC-specific child support information (such as websites, where available); federal agreements; FRC policies, procedures and forms; and the Intergovernmental Referral Guide.

The Division of Policy (DP), led by Lily Matheson, is responsible for: 1) negotiating bilateral agreements with the State Department, including analysis of foreign law and procedures; 2) developing and issuing policy guidance to states and foreign reciprocating countries; 3) resolving policy questions, and; 4) representing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at the Hague Conference Special Commission on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance. DP staff are responsible for any questions related to negotiation efforts, legislation and policy guidance in the international child support arena. Stephen Grant, and Anne Miller, anmiller@acf.hhs.gov, are available to respond to these inquiries.

OCSE works in close partnership with the Department of State on international child support matters. Within the State Department, Mary Helen Carlson, in the Office of the Assistant Legal Adviser for Private International Law (carlsonmh@state.gov), is responsible for the negotiation of bilateral and multilateral child support agreements. For additional resources on international child support, see the Consular Affairs website (http://www.travel.state.gov/child_support.html)

Thank you for your efforts to ensure that children involved in international cases receive child support.

Sincerely,

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

cc: Regional Program Managers
ACF Regional Administrators