Dear Colleague DC-94-13
OBRA Conference
DC-94-13
February 10, 1994
TO ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS
Dear Colleague:
As we announced in our "Dear Colleague" letter of 1/28/94, the Office
of Child Support Enforcement is sponsoring a conference on Paternity
and Medical Support: The Implementation of OBRA to be held April 5-7
at the Ramada Hotel Old Town, 901 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria,
Virginia 22314. Registration is limited and will be on a first come,
first served basis so we urge you to encourage your staff to register
as quickly as possible.
The Center for the Support of Children is serving as our registrar
for the conference. Please send the registration fee of $85.00 along
with the enclosed registration form to the Center at the address
listed on the form.
As indicated in our previous letter, participants will need to make
their own sleeping room reservations directly with the Ramada Hotel,
telephone (703) 683-6000. Please be sure to inform the hotel that
you will be attending the OBRA conference to ensure the rate of
$95.00 plus tax for both single and double accommodations.
We have enclosed a tentative conference agenda along with
descriptions of the proposed sessions. Because we are interested in
serving your needs by targeting the discussions as much as possible,
please complete the enclosed needs assessment form and return it as
quickly as possible to Linda Deimeke at the Office of Child Support
Enforcement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade S.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C.
20447.
If you have questions or would like additional information about the
conference, please contact Linda Deimeke at (202) 401-5439 or Carol
Callahan at (202) 401-6969. We look forward to a very productive
conference and hope you can join us. See you there.
Sincerely,
David Gray Ross
Deputy Director
Office of Child Support
Enforcement
cc: State Contacts for Paternity
Legislation
OBRA '93 CONFERENCE
DESCRIPTIONS OF PROPOSED SESSIONS
PATERNITY TOPICS
Voluntary Acknowledgments Outside of Hospitals
This session will explore operational and policy issues
associated with IV-D agencies' attempts to obtain voluntary
acknowledgments outside of hospitals.
Expedited Processes
Although Federal requirements will not be finalized until
regulations are published, states should be examining ways to
expedite paternity establishment, particularly in contested
cases. This workshop will explore administrative and expedited
judicial processes.
Genetic Testing in Light of OBRA '93
This session will discuss the OBRA '93 provisions related to the
admission of genetic test results and presumption of paternity
based on genetic test results. In addition, it will explore new
genetic testing technologies (buccal swabs, umbilical cord
samples, DNA testing with a single spot of blood) that encourage
early paternity establishment--consistent with the intent of
OBRA '93.
Interstate Paternity Establishment
This session will discuss the full faith and credit provisions
of OBRA '93 as well as other interstate paternity establishment
issues, including jurisdiction, the impact of UIFSA, and how to
conduct genetic testing when the parties live in different
States.
Building Necessary Partnerships and a Legal Base for In-Hospital
Paternity
This session will examine the different approaches used by
states in forming necessary partnerships with other agencies
critical to the success of the in-hospital program, the legal
base for their programs, and issues related to their enabling
authority.
In-Hospital Due Process Issues
This session will focus on the rights of fathers and mothers in
the in-hospital paternity establishment process and ensuring
those rights are maintained.
In-Hospital Implementation and Program Operations
This session will focus on program structure and the issues
related to implementing and operating an in-hospital program
such as policies, procedures, and monitoring performance.
Training, Outreach, and Public Education
This session will provide discussion on in-hospital paternity
establishment issues related to staff training, outreach, and
education strategies; where to target our efforts and use this
as an opportunity to change public perception and behavior.
MEDICAL SUPPORT TOPICS
Medical Support 101
This session will focus on basic medical support enforcement
issues to provide a base for understanding the OBRA changes and
impacts on the program.
Medical Support Changes
In this session we will review the medical support provisions of
OBRA '93 and the changes it makes to title XIX of the Social
Security Act, and the Employment Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974.
Qualified Medical Child Support Orders
In this session we will provide hands on instruction on how to
design qualified medical child support orders.
Medical Support Interface Agencies
In this session we will hold a discussion of OBRA '93
implementation issues with representatives of the Health Care
Financing Administration, the Department of Labor, and the
National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
REGISTRATION FORM
OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT
OBRA CONFERENCE
April 5 - 7, 1994
Ramada Hotel
Alexandria, Virginia
NAME OF PARTICIPANT:________________________________________________
TITLE:_______________________________________________________________
__
TELEPHONE:___________________________________________________________
FAX NUMBER:_________________________________________________________
ORGANIZATION/AGENCY:______________________________________________
ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________
_
____________________________________________________________
___
____________________________________________________________
___
PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM WITH YOUR $85 REGISTRATION FEE ATTACHED BY
MARCH 15, 1994. MAKE CHECKS/MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO: "CENTER FOR
THE SUPPORT OF CHILDREN".
MAIL TO: Center for the Support of Children
ATTN: Nancy Benner
3806 Underwood Street
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
NOTE: Any additional questions pertaining to registration should be
directed to Hope Butler at (202) 401-5685.
PATERNITY AND MEDICAL SUPPORT:
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OBRA '93
RAMADA HOTEL OLD TOWN
ALEXANDRIA, VA
APRIL 5 - 7, 1994
TENTATIVE AGENDA
TUESDAY, April 5, 1994
8:00 - 9:00 Registration and Coffee
9:00 - 10:00 Welcome and Introduction
New Deputy Director's Vision
for the Future
Welfare Reform
10:00 - 10:45 Overview of OBRA
10:45 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:15 Results of In-Hospital
Program Improvement Grants
12:15 - 1:30 Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 CONCURRENT SESSIONS:
þ Voluntary Acknowledgments
Outside of Hospitals
þ Expedited Processes
þ Genetic Testing in Light
of OBRA
þ Interstate Paternity
Establishment
3:00 - 3:15 Break
3:15 - 4:45 Afternoon Sessions Repeated
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1994
8:00 - 8:30 Coffee and Muffins
8:30 - 10:00 CONCURRENT SESSIONS:
þ Building Necessary Partnerships
and a Legal Base for
In-Hospital
Paternity
þ In-Hospital Paternity Due
Process
Issues
þ In-Hospital Implementation and
Program Operations
þ Training, Outreach, and
Public Education
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - Noon Morning Sessions Repeated
12:00 - 1:45 Luncheon and Guest Speaker
1:45 - 3:00 CONCURRENT SESSIONS:
þ Medical Support 101
þ Medical Support Changes In Light
of OBRA
þ Qualified Medical Support Orders
þ Medical Support Interface
3:00 - 3:15 Break
3:15 - 4:30 Afternoon Sessions Repeated
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1994
8:00 - 9:00 Coffee and Muffins
9:00 - 10:30 CONCURRENT SESSIONS:
(REPEAT OF POPULAR SESSIONS)
þ Training, Outreach, and
Public Education
þ Qualified Medical Support Orders
þ Expedited Processes
þ Interstate Paternity
Establishment
10:30 - 10:45 Break
10:45 - 12:15 Voluntary Acknowledgments Outside
of Hospitals
Genetic Testing in Light of OBRA
In-Hospital Implementation and
Program Operations
Building Necessary Partnerships
and a Legal Base for In-Hospital
Paternity
12:15 - 1:30 Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 Wrap-Up
OBRA '93 CONFERENCE
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The following needs assessment is designed to help OCSE prepare for
the April conference on the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1993. This assessment will help OCSE focus discussions and identify
experts who may be able to facilitate or lead a discussion, or
contribute to the conference in other ways.
Date:
State:
State Contact:
TITLE:
TELEPHONE #:
May we include your name on a potential list of State contacts?
YES _____ NO _____
Paternity Establishment _____ Medical Support _____
CONFERENCE TOPICS
A. For each of the following three sections below, please rank your
area of interest by numbering the topics, with 1 being most
important:
I. Paternity Establishment
Simple civil process for voluntarily acknowledging paternity.
______
Rebuttable/conclusive presumption resulting from voluntary
acknowledgment.______
Voluntary acknowledgment as the basis for seeking a support
order. ______
Rebuttable/conclusive presumption based on genetic test
results.______
Admission of genetic test results. ______
Default paternity orders. ______
Full faith and credit given to paternity determinations made by
other States. ______
Other. Please list: _______________________________________
__ ______
_______________________________________________
2. Paternity Issues Relating to In-Hospital Establishment
Developing necessary partnerships (public/private
coalitions).______
What should be included in enabling legislation (and how to get
it enacted). ______
Do incentive payments to hospitals make a difference?
______
Due process issues for both unwed fathers and mothers.
______
Various approaches to policies, procedures, and monitoring.
______
Changing public perception and behavior through
training/outreach/education. ______
Other. Please list. ________________________________________
______
________________________________________
______
3. Medical Support
How OBRA '93 helps you to enforce medical support.
______
How to design a Qualified Medical Child Support Order
(QMCSO).______
Basic review of medical support provisions of OBRA '93.
______
Discussion of OBRA with representatives from DOL and HCFA.
______
What is IV-D's role in enforcement of OBRA '93.
______
How other States are training their workers on OBRA etc.
______
Other. Please list: ___________________________________________
__
_________________________________________
____
B. Please list names, titles, and telephone numbers of potential
conference participants from your State who could serve as
facilitators, discussion leaders, panel members, or resource
persons at the conference. Please list each person's areas of
substantive expertise (e.g., genetic testing, default orders,
someone with experience interfacing with State Medicaid agencies
on medical support, etc.).
Name _______________________________________________
Title _______________________________________________
Phone _______________________________________________
Areas of Expertise _______________________________________
______________
________________________________________________________________
_______
Name _______________________________________________
Title _______________________________________________
Phone _______________________________________________
Areas of Expertise _______________________________________
______________
________________________________________________________________
_______
Please return this survey no later than March 2, 1994 to Linda
Deimeke, OCSE, 4th Floor, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20447.
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