National Electronic Child Support Resource System

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9661.htm)
I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all who helped make the New Hire Reporting Pilot such a success. It was gratifying to see such interest from the States in this initiative and how quickly States were able to send new hire data to OCSE. The Executive Order mandating the pilot was issued June 18 and in little over a month later, OCSE began receiving new hire data.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9659.htm)
The key to the success of the National Directory of New Hires is dependent on the States` ability to establish new hire directories. States which currently have new hire reporting programs and are able to realize increased collections as a result are perhaps in the best position to assist other States in bringing up new hire reporting systems. For this reason, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement is conducting a two-day conference on December 9 and 10 entitled "New Hire Reporting at the State and National Level: Making it Work". There is an add-on meeting scheduled for December 11 for members of the Expanded FPLS Work Group which met in September.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9673.htm)
Attached are copies of the Technical Assistance Needs Assessment (TANA), the Technical Assistance Report (TAR), and a Best Practices Form. These forms were developed by the Technical Assistance Workgroup, which is composed of Federal Central Office, Regional Office and State Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency staff.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9672.htm)
This will inform you of the recent joint publication by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), of a final rule implementing the provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), Public Law No. 103-31, which will make it easier for individuals to vote in elections for Federal office. The effective date for the rule is November 13, 1996.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9671.htm)
Attached is a draft Information Memorandum that compiles lists of resource persons who may be helpful in implementing the various child support enforcement provisions in the 1996 welfare reform legislation (Public Law 104-193).

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9669.htm)
With the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, the OCSE Division of Audit will no longer perform Program Results/Performance Measurements audits to evaluate whether a State has an effective child support program in substantial compliance with Federal requirements. Federal audit requirements are modified under Welfare Reform to focus primarily on performance outcomes, rather than processes. States will assume the responsibility of monitoring program operations through an annual review designed to assess whether they meet the program`s specified goals and performance objectives. Division of Audit personnel will be available to assist the States in the development of their self-assessment units. The degree of involvement by the OCSE Division of Audit in this area will depend on the level of assistance requested by each individual State.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9668.htm)
This document describes a brochure to be included in the Internal Revenue Service`s (IRS) Winter quarterly mail-out to all employers nationwide. The brochure serves as an initial introduction to employers` new hire reporting responsibilities which were contained in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. For those of you who were not able to attend the Florida meeting, we wanted to alert you to possible inquiries from your employers.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9667.htm)
This DCL accompanied the 1996 Compendium of Best Practices (AT-96-07) that helps to identify some of the tools and techniques that child support workers have used successfully in some States.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9665.htm)
We are very pleased to forward to you the Tenth Collection/Adjustment/Address and corresponding Name Change reports for the 1996 Federal Tax Refund Offset Program. Enclosed is the collection report representing the tax refund offsets for the month of November 1996 less the $5.71 per offset service fee and any adjustments made during this period for the 1991 through 1996 processing years. The net collection total for November 1996 for 22,272 offsets is $11,128,891 as compared to 11,676 offsets for $7,950,174 in November 1995.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9652.htm)
Enclosed are the results of your State`s weekly updates to the Federal Tax Refund Offset program for the 1997 processing year. During this phase of the update process, cases are updated at OCSE only since no final Master file will be established at IRS until January. Cases submitted to IRS in December will reflect any updates submitted to OCSE prior to December 6. Updates submitted to OCSE after December 6 will not be reported to IRS until IRS has created its Master file and begun processing tax returns.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9664.htm)
The attached report provides a brief description and status of all pending Research and Demonstration Projects as of October 1, 1996, for which OCSE`s Policy and Planning Division has responsibility. We are also attaching a copy of Section 1115 Waivers with Child Support Implications in which 36 States have received waivers which directly impact child support. Many of these activities such as paying for employment-related services for noncustodial parents out of JOBS (and now TANF) monies, progressive or otherwise more rigorous sanctions for non-cooperation, and pass-through of child support collections, etc., are now matters within the state`s discretion as a result of welfare reform. Waivers are no longer necessary. States will now decide whether to continue, modify or terminate these projects in addressing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9663.htm)
This DCL encourages States to pursue wage withholding or other enforcement techniques to collect delinquent child support owed identified federal obligors.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9662b.htm)
This is Part 2 which covers proceedings involving two or more states.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9662c.htm)
This is a continuation of the recommendation that States use the 1996 version for drafting State legislation to enact UIFSA.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9662.htm)
OCSE recommends that States use the 1996 version for drafting State legislation to enact UIFSA. If a State has already passed the 1992 version, it must seek the appropriate legislative amendments to ensure that its UIFSA language mirrors that of the 1996 version.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9660.htm)
Enclosed please find the unaccountables from those cases submitted to the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program for the 1997 processing year October deadline. These cases were not accepted due to various reasons listed in Exhibit K of the Action Transmittal 96-05 dated August 15, 1996.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9657.htm)
This letter concerns the Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act (Leland Act) which allows a child support deduction for legally-binding child support payments made to a different household.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9656.htm)
On October 3, 1996, President Clinton issued a proclamation declaring October National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and encouraging all States to adopt the family anti-violence provisions contained in section 402(a)(7) of title I of the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193).

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9655.htm)
We are very please to forward to you the ninth Collection/Adjustment/Address and corresponding Name Change reports for the 1996 Federal Tax Refund Offset Program. Enclosed is the collection report representing the tax refund offsets for the month of October 1996 less the $5.71 per offset service fee and any adjustments made during this period for the 1991 through 1996 processing years. The net collection total for October 1996 for 13,192 offsets is $8,634,415 as compared to 15,386 offsets for $9,784,764 in October 1996.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9654.htm)
As indicated in DC-96-51, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement will conduct three Welfare Reform Forums, titled the "New Responsibility Forums" across the country in October and November. The forums will address the major child support provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, as well as their interaction with other major features of welfare reform.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9653.htm)
Enclosed is the 1996 State-At-A-Glance Profile data of the Interstate Roster and Referral Guide (IRG). This updated information is based upon information provided by the State child support agencies and has not been reviewed for compliance with Federal statutes.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9649.htm)
The Office of Child Support Enforcement and the Head Start Bureau are engaging in an initiative to promote child support services for single-parent families enrolled in Head Start programs. We are sending you this jointly signed letter to tell you about the initiative and enlist your collaboration in its implementation.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9651.htm)
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) will conduct three Welfare Reform Forums across the country in October and November. The Forums will address the major child support provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 as well as their interaction with other major features of welfare reform. Other invited participants reflect these cross-program linkages and interactions.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9650.htm)
This DCL accompanied the 4th Quarter FY 1996 invoice for the period July 1, 1996 through September 30, 1996 for non-AFDC, locate only and parental kidnapping/child custody cases processed by the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS).

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/DCL/1996/dcl9647.htm)
Attached please find OCSE`s litigation report that we hope to issue periodically to help keep Central Office, the Regional Offices, and IV-D Directors abreast of cases involving title IV-D of the Social Security Act. These reports will focus on Federal cases in which the Federal government is a party to the lawsuit, or that may be of particular interest to child support practitioners.