National Electronic Child Support Resource System

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-28.htm)
State Directors examine the linkages between Child Support and TANF programs for quality assurance.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-47.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement published two notices in the Federal Register on December 19, 2003 (68 FR 70810 and 70811) requesting comments on the UIFSA standard interstate forms and the National Medical Support Notice and related annual burden estimates.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-46.htm)
There are some updates to provide you concerning the payroll initiatives and changes outlined in DCL-03-23, dated August 1. In that letter, we informed you about the Department of Treasury's plan to remove Social Security numbers (SSNs) from paper checks as of January 1, 2004 and provided the Federal agency Electronic Funds Transfer/Electronic Data Interchange (EFT/EDI) conversion schedule.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-45.htm)
Poland has asked the Office of Child Support Enforcement to inform state IV-D agencies of changes in procedures for transferring payments through US Money Express Co. (formerly PEKAO Trading Company) to obligees residing in Poland.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-44.htm)
The Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) provides state Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agencies with a vast amount of Social Security number, address, income and asset information. With such a large amount of data to process, many states have taken advantage of Federal Case Registry (FCR) data suppression and optional implementation capabilities.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-43.htm)
This letter is to remind you of the importance of correcting and resubmitting any child support data reported for FY 2002 that the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) determined to be incomplete or unreliable.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-42.htm)
The Slovak Republic has informed the Office of Child Support Enforcement that it can no longer accept child support collections sent by paper check from state IV-D agencies. This DCL provides instructions for states to send collections by SWIFT (Society for Worldwide International Financial Telecommunication) wire transfer to the Slovak Republic.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-40.htm)
The Department of Labor (DOL) has promulgated a new Compliance Guide for Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs) to help employers, health plan sponsors, service providers, and state officials understand the health benefits law regarding QMCSOs, including the revisions resulting from the development of the National Medical Support Notice (NMSN). The new DOL Guide answers general questions about QMCSOs, NMSNs, and the role of the child support enforcement agency in obtaining available health care coverage and medical care for the children. Employers and health care plan administrators will find the information useful in understanding the rights and obligations of those involved in child support proceedings and those responsible for administrating health care plans. The DOL Compliance Guide is on the OCSE website. Go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pubs/2003/guides/dept_labor_qmcso.html

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-39.htm)
DCL to advise states of Office of Personnel Management (OPM) interim rule implementing the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Children’s Equity Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-394), which mandates the enrollment of a Federal employee for self and family coverage in the FEHB Program, if the employee is subject to a court or administrative order requiring him/her to provide health benefits for his/her child(ren) and the employee does not provide documentation of compliance with the order. OPM must receive comments to this interim rule on or before December 1, 2003.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-38.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) is hosting a National Child Support Systems Conference, to be held at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC from December 9th through 11th, 2003

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-37.htm)
This letter announces the next evolution of the report submittal process. The Online Data Collection (OLDC) system is a convenient new method for submitting required reports to the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). State agencies administering child support enforcement programs under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act may use the Internet to submit and retrieve information pertinent to their states through an electronic form that closely resembles the paper OCSE 157 form.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-41.htm)
This letter announces the posting on the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement website of Version 8 of the NDNH Guide for Data Submission. This version is posted at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/library/ndnh/ndnh.htm. The previous version of the guide was published on February 18, 1999.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-36.htm)
For the past three years, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, in conjunction with the state and Regional Offices, has promoted electronic payments for child support to employers.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-35.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) is pleased to report the following fee-related information for the Federal Offset Program.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-33.htm)
Annually, each state is required to send a signed certification letter to the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) pertaining to the Federal Offset Program. This letter certifies to OCSE that the information submitted by your state meets the legal requirements for Offset and Passport Denial, and also provides information as to your state's preferences regarding mailing of pre-offset notices, holding periods, and contact information. This letter requires a signature from the IV-D Director or his/her designee.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-31.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) contracted with the State Information Technology Consortium (SITC) to complete a feasibility study that examines the viability of an electronic data and document exchange capability between state child support agencies and their respective courts. The intent of an electronic exchange capability is to be benefit states by saving time and improving the accuracy of data and documents exchanged. This feasibility study is enclosed for your review and comment.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-34.htm)
This letter is being issued as a reminder for states to submit their OCSE-157 reports for fiscal year 2003 by October 30, 2003.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-32.htm)
This letter is to inform you of the annual user fees that each state will be assessed for usage of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) and the Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet) 2000 for fiscal year (FY) 2004. Enclosed, please find summaries of your state's fees.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-30.htm)
This is the Data Reliability Audit Requirements for the Fiscal Year 2003 Reporting Period.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-29.htm)
In our continuing effort to support you in serving the needs of the nation's children, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) has initiated a project to modernize the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS).

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-27.htm)
As part of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement’s (OCSE) efforts to improve interstate case processing, I am pleased to provide you with two products recently developed under OCSE interstate initiatives: the Determination of Controlling Order/Reconciliation of Arrears (DCO/ROA) Guide and the Arrears Reconciliation Calculator.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-25.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) has undertaken a number of activities to improve interstate case processing. With this Dear Colleague Letter, I am pleased to update you on a project to improve the availability of interstate information: The OCSE Interstate Workgroup on Interagency Access. Attached is the report from the workgroup on its initial work.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-24.htm)
The Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) annually requires all states to submit certifications of compliance with safeguard and security requirements relating to locate information received from the FPLS (i.e., Federal Case Registry or the legacy FPLS). Managers of local offices with direct access to the FPLS are equally responsible for safeguarding and securing these data; therefore, annual certifications are required from IV-D Directors

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-23.htm)
OCSE has been working closely with the Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Service (FMS) to promote electronic payments for child support. We are happy to announce that several large Federal agencies will soon convert from paper checks to electronic payments for child support

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/2003/dcl-03-26.htm)
In August 2003, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) will implement FPLS Release 03-01. This release introduces enhancements to the Federal Case Registry (FCR), the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), the Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet) and the Federal Offset system.