Child Support Report

Vol. XXVI, No. 11, Nov 2004

Child Support Report is a publication of the Office of Child Support Enforcement, Division of Consumer Services. CSR is published for information purposes only. No official endorsement of any practice, publication, or individual by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Office of Child Support Enforcement is intended or should be inferred.

African American Forum Observations, Perceptions, and Concerns Best Practices: Nebraska Child Support and Rural Development Responsible Fatherhood Programs Bring Results Child Support Incentive Payment Reinvestment Options Coming Together: Understanding State and Tribal Child Support Georgia's Robert Riddle Takes the Helm as NCCSD President NOTICE

African American Forum Observations, Perceptions, and Concerns

By: Ja-Na Bordes and Frank Fajardo

OCSE hosted its first African American Forum on Aug. 23 and 24, 2004, with a high level of enthusiasm and dedication from 60 representatives of state and local child support enforcement offices, national African American, and local community-based organizations. This forum was designed to provide information to empower the participants for continuing efforts in their communities, as well as to obtain impressions about the nation's child support enforcement program and improving services for the African-American community. This was a great opportunity for sharing the successful impact of collaboration among programs.

The first day of the forum was specifically related to child support enforcement, the second to other ACF children and family programs.

The participants were influential African American leaders from across the country who came together to share a sound understanding of the African American community, and a desire to make a difference.

The first morning sparked everyone's concern and commitment with an energetic presentation by Dr. Ronald Mincy on research studies and demographic analyses, and preliminary findings on how child support enforcement programs may be reflected in the African American community.

Since the participants came from many different backgrounds, the forum included a brief overview of child support enforcement and initiatives. Everyone was very receptive of the new child support National Strategic Plan for FY 2005-2009, and had high hopes for changes in their communities to improve customer service and provide more culturally relevant services.

There's much concern about the plight of the "dead broke" dads. There was an agreement among the participants that the child support community needs to distinguish between "dead beat" and "dead broke" in its approach to those who aren't paying their ordered child support.

Actions that OCSE committed to taking were:

• developing an African American Forum Listserve to encourage communication;
• providing technical assistance;
• making technology transfer available;
• providing examples of child support/community-based organization collaborations;
• sharing information on teen parenting;
• presenting the National Child Support Enforcement Strategic Plan at every opportunity so the information will reach all service providers, and states will be encouraged to incorporate the concepts;
• participating at other African American events, conferences, meetings, etc.

The participants identified areas for further discussion, possible roles for their organizations, and preliminary planning strategies for next steps. The overall reflection was that this forum was a great success and should be continued. Participants were appreciative of being a part of this historic forum and believed that it was worthwhile to have gone through whatever steps were necessary to be present.

OCSE is making preliminary plans for our next African American Forum in 2005.

Best Practices: Nebraska Child Support and Rural Development

Goal: To develop a centralized customer service center to handle incoming calls more efficiently, enhance the delivery of quality child support services to constituents, and support economic development by placing it in a rural Nebraska county.

Description: Child support caseworkers in Nebraska were overburdened with incoming customer calls. This took valuable time and limited their ability to efficiently work caseloads and increase collections. Staff in Nebraska kept these concerns in mind when developing the State Distribution Unit and Statewide Customer Service Call Center (Call Center).

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Child Support Enforcement Unit, partnered with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). A Request for Proposal (RFP) was developed jointly and made available to all communities that met the population criteria. As an economic development initiative, DHHS and DED chose Wausa, population 600, as the location for the new Call Center for child support cases. Staff then selected a contractor to create and manage the Call Center operations and staff, hire and pay competitive wages, offer an employee benefit package and be responsible for training staff to handle child support calls.

Nebraska's IV-D caseload is approximately 98,000. The Call Center takes approximately 23,000 calls per month and is linked to the State's Voice Response Unit (VRU) system and the State's Automated Child Support System, Children Have a Right to Support (CHARTS).

Results: The Call Center, which employs 28, has had a great impact on rural economic development in Wausa and the surrounding Nebraska counties. Many of these individuals were commuting great distances for employment. The Call Center gave them the option of finding employment closer to their homes and families. There has been very little staff turnover. Limited turnover ensures experienced staff are helping the customers.

Call Center staff have consistently met their contractual obligations of a four-minute average talk time; less than 5 percent abandon call rate; less than 10 percent transfer rate; and hold times of less than four minutes.

In addition to meeting these contract goals, staff have developed a written protocol document, desk guide, customer complaint process, disaster recovery plan, safety plan, and a process for measuring quality assurance. There is a full-time Spanish speaking Customer Service Representative, and an installed TDD line to further assist callers. The Call Center also provides services to customers beyond the normal business day, by being open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (CST) Monday through Friday.T

The Call Center has also updated CHARTS with return mail address and staff name changes, updated health insurance information, and tested the Voice Response Unit's Spanish language response.

Funding: Regular 66 percent funding with reimbursement based on performance measures.

Location: Wausa is in northeast Nebraska. The Call Center serves the whole state.

Replication Advice: Nebraska utilizes a team approach by including Call Center staff in meetings to discuss program issues, training issues, problem solving, etc.

Responsible Fatherhood Programs Bring Results

By: David Arnaudo

The largest Responsible Fatherhood Project that OCSE has ever funded has presented its results. This Project included programs designed to increase employment and incomes for non-custodial parents and facilitate more involved parenting and better compliance with child support. The sites were: San Mateo Co., CA; El Paso Co., CO; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Cape Girardeau Co., MO; Belknap, Hillsbourgh Co. and Merrimack Co., NH; Pierce Co., WA and Racine, WI. The study was done by Policy Studies Inc.(PSI) and Center for Policy Research, Denver, Co; the evaluation was jointly funded by OCSE and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

Results of the study reflect that 52 percent of the NCPs needed help with employment or increasing incomes. Employment increases from 8 to 33 percent were reported by employer wage reports. These findings were statistically significant. Earnings increases of 25 to 250 percent by site were statistically significant.

More than 57 percent of the NCPs needed assistance with child support. Half of the fathers had not paid child support within six months and average arrearages varied from $3,600 to $9,881 by site. Those making child supports payments increased from 4 to 31 percent by site; although most were not making full payments. Compliance with child support for those making payments ranged from 36 to 72 percent by site. Among those with incomes of less than $10,000 per year, child support orders were a large portion (21 to 61 percent) of their reported income.

Fifty-one percent of fathers wanted help getting to see their children more often. Thirty-nine percent were interested in improving their parenting skills, and 30 percent were interested in improving the relationship with the child's mother. Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of the fathers lacked a formal visitation order.

San Mateo County focused heavily on mediation for visitation and the results show that, when a parent who was not paying child support, it was due to lack of child visitation. Forty percent of both parents showed up for mediation, and of those that appeared, two-thirds reached a visitation agreement.

Overall about 30 percent of the fathers in all the sites reported improved contact with their children.

This study is on the OCSE Website at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/pubs/2003/reports/fatherhood_programs/responsible_fatherhood_programs.pdf.

Child Support Incentive Payment Reinvestment Options

By: Joanne Benson

The current system for awarding child support incentive payments based on state child support enforcement performance was implemented in FY 2000. One of its requirements is that states reinvest incentive payments into the child support program. However, states are allowed to use payments to fund non-IV-D activities when approved by the Secretary, HHS, whether or not the expenditures are eligible for reimbursement. OCSE Action Transmittal 01-04 describes the process for requesting the Secretary's approval. The state must show how the activity will contribute to improving the effectiveness or efficiency of its child support enforcement program. Some examples of nonreimbursable activities that may qualify for funding with incentive payments include, but are not limited to:

• fatherhood programs
• education and job programs for NCPs
• teen pregnancy programs
• parenting programs
• mediation or couples counseling
• visitation issue resolution when linked to nonpayment of support

Several state requests to use incentive payments for non-IV-D activities have been approved. These states include Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, and South Dakota.

An example of funding for a non-IV-D activity with IV-D incentive payments is South Dakota's "Non-Custodial Parent Work and Job Readiness/Training Program." The program, located in Pennington County, provides NCPs with training and skills to obtain employment and to make ongoing child support payments. South Dakota has been using IV-D incentive payments for this program since 2001, and it is offered to NCPs as an alternative to incarceration. The program has two tracks; NCPs are assigned to either the Department of Labor Job Club or to the Sheriff's Work Activities program. The State Office of Child Support Enforcement identifies delinquent NCPs and determines an appropriate enforcement action on the case. When cases are referred to the prosecutor for civil court action, the caseworker makes a recommendation on which activity the court should order the NCP to participate in, based on the NCP's job history. The Job Club is a comprehensive job search assistance workshop, which provides NCPs with job search techniques and instruction on applications, resume and letter writing. Parents are also instructed on interviewing and telephone skills, and given information on how to access the job market. The Sheriff's Work Activities program is a work release/community service program in which the NCP is assigned to a Work Release Coordinator (WRC). The WRC is responsible for assigning daily work activities and monitoring the NCP's efforts to find employment. When employment is found, the WRC monitors that employment and ensures that child support payments are being made.

Since the inception of this program, South Dakota reports the cost-effectiveness ratio to be $3.51 for every dollar expended. This is an excellent example of how the incentive program works, since no collections were received on these cases before the program began.

The State strongly believes this project has made a positive impact on its overall cost-effectiveness. Program performance has improved, with more NCPs becoming employed, increased child support payments, elimination of some cases from future court hearings, and allowing more prosecutor and court scheduling time for serious and problematic child support offenders. The State has indicated the project acts as an increased incentive for NCPs to take steps necessary to pay their child support.

OCSE encourages states to review AT 01-04 and, when appropriate, take advantage of the flexibility offered in funding other activities that can contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the program.

AT 01-04 can be found on the OCSE web site from acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/AT/at-01-04.htm.

Coming Together: Understanding State and Tribal Child Support

By: Jan Jensen

Ray Weaver, IV-D Director, Washington State, and Linda Tresaugue, IV-D Director, Puyallup Tribe in Tacoma, WA, recently discussed ways to strengthen the relationship between the State Division of Child Support (DCS) and Washington Tribes. This was an effort to help child support staff gain a better understanding about some of the differences between state and tribal child support programs.

A meeting was held Sept. 29 and 30, 2004, at the Quinault Beach Resort Hotel, a tribally owned facility in Ocean Shores, WA. The meeting was a cooperative effort, with the agenda being developed by State, Federal and Tribal staff. Invitations were sent out to Tribal leaders in 28 Federally recognized Tribes in the State. Over 90 people attended, including 43 staff from 14 Tribes, 40 from the State, and 9 Federal staff.

Day one focused on increasing participants' awareness of tribal cultural impacts on program policies and approaches. Steven Darden, a Navaho member and consultant, talked with attendees during the plenary session, and there were two separate break-outs for Tribal and State staff. Staff also had the opportunity to meet separately to discuss specific program issues, including effective communication, technology enhancements and other concerns. Mr. Darden also provided closing remarks to bring together some of the thoughts and ideas that had surfaced throughout the day.

Day two was devoted to the practical side of IV-D programs. The opening plenary session included a brief summary of the Federal funding for Tribal child support, a comparison of state and tribal IV-D requirements, and an explanation of central and regional office responsibilities. The Tribal IV-D directors talked about changes that occur in the State/Tribal relationship after a tribe becomes a IV-D program, as compared to operating under an arrangement with a state. Small group sessions provided several opportunities for Tribal and State staff to learn about several aspects of Tribal child support. One session was an opportunity for Tribal staff to talk with Linda Tresaugue and Melody Bidtah, Program Manager, Port Gamble S'Kallam Tribal Child Support Program. The participants received information on steps to take before applying for funding, developing a budget, what to include in the application, and ideas about the connection to other tribal programs such as TANF, Domestic Violence, and Child Welfare. Another session included a presentation by selected State and Tribal liaisons and staff from the Quinault Nation TANF program, who are working together on a non-custodial parent program. The day concluded with break-out sessions for tribes to meet with the DCS staff in their respective regions to talk about improving communication and identifying service needs.

Evaluations indicated that the meeting was a great success. Linda Tresaugue commented, "The fact that line staff, not just managers, were very involved in this meeting makes it an historical event. It was an opportunity for them to learn about tribes' concerns and the change in relationships." Other comments included, "Fantastic job! A great learning experience and also entertaining. I feel fortunate to be able to attend," and "The conference was a perfect blend of formal presentations and opportunities to network." Charlanne Quinto, a program director from the Colville Tribes wrote, "…overall, a very good meeting. Let's do it again!"

Georgia's Robert Riddle Takes the Helm as NCCSD President

By: Elaine Blackman

In his new role as President of the National Council of Child Support Directors (NCCSD), Robert Riddle says strategic planning ranks high for the coming year. This means the council will be working toward implementing the national child support enforcement program's strategic plan for FY 2005-2009, which includes assisting state IV-D agencies with the task of blending the national plan into each state's strategic plan.

Riddle, the IV-D Director in Georgia's Office of Child Support Enforcement since June 2000, also looks forward to working with NCCSD members on three additional priorities: developing the medical support operations, preparing for TANF reauthorization, and working toward fair distribution of incentive monies.

Regarding medical support, states need to understand what is expected with the new indicators in the strategic plan, explains Riddle. Addressing the customer viewpoint, states should ensure "that we deliver a service that benefits the customer, something fairly consistent." He adds that states need to be prepared for an additional medical indicator down the road for making sure that children are covered by health insurance.

In preparing for changes that TANF reauthorization might bring, Riddle refers to the healthy marriage initiative and decisions regarding pass-through of child support payments to families receiving TANF. Pass-through can have a "significant impact on the TANF program and significant impact on us," such as changing computer systems, says Riddle. The changes also will affect "some of our customers and the way we do things."

The task of developing a fair method to distribute incentive monies, says Riddle, is about finding a way that rewards states for being more effective and for greater productivity, rather than putting states in competition with each other.

Looking back to his start in the IV-D program, Riddle admits he was enticed with "the prospect of helping a new agency" get off the ground in 1978, having worked in public welfare. The mission at the time was to refund the government welfare program with child support payments, and Riddle was ready to chip in, so to speak. His work in the State OCSE eventually propelled him to the top spot where he now oversees such innovations as an online system with credit and debit cards, an initiative with Western Union for offering various locations to customers paying child support, and online and interactive voice systems to keep customers informed.

Riddle views the NCCSD as a forum for state directors to share issues facing the IV-D program "so the individual director doesn't feel alone out there. …Chances are there are others experiencing the same things," he says, including issues surrounding administration and management, interstate and international cooperation, and Federal-state-local relations. In addition, NCCSD takes positions on national policy or legislative issues, and the council serves as the vehicle to express common interests.A

Also, because state agencies are located under various umbrella organizations, "We have different viewpoints that are important for us to share," says Riddle. The council "gives us that forum for sharing, and provides feedback for folks on the issues."

Bob Richie, OCSE Region IV Program Manager, credits Riddle with fresh ideas and getting things done. Having partnered with Riddle and his staff on such issues as organization, child support guidelines, and the Georgia fatherhood network, Richie says, "Robert obviously has the respect of his peers, and he has mine as well."

As for forward-thinking strategies that can lead to results in child support collections, Riddle is all for early intervention-taking action on a case before the arrears build up. "Intervening in a case early on goes along with implementing the strategic plan," says Riddle. "It has a lot to do with making sure customers understand where their money goes and that it's getting to their families properly."

NOTICE

As part of OCSE's 14th National Training Conference, in September 2004, nine sessions addressing topics important to the child support enforcement community nationwide were webcast. Videos can now be viewed by clicking on the "14th National" icon on the OCSE homepage.

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/

Child Support Report is a publication of the Office of Child Support Enforcement, Division of Consumer Services. CSR is published for information purposes only. No official endorsement of any practice, publication, or individual by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Office of Child Support Enforcement is intended or should be inferred. Internet: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/ Permission to reprint articles is granted Acknowledging CSR is appreciated

---

Download FREE Adobe Acrobat® Reader™ to view PDF files located on this site.

OCSE Home | Press Room | Events Calendar | Publications | State Links
Site Map | FAQs | Contact Information
Systems: FPLS | FIDM | State and Tribal | State Profiles
Resources: Grants Information | Información en Español | International | Federal/State Topic Search (NECSRS) | Tribal | Virtual Trainer's Library