DCL-06-37, National Judicial - Child Support Task Force Strategic Plan

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

DCL-06-37

ATTACHMENTS: National Judicial-Child Support Task Force, Model Strategic Plan, 2006 & 2007

Date: October 30, 2006

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: National Judicial - Child Support Task Force Strategic Plan

Dear Colleague:

In September of 1998, OCSE worked with NCSC (National Center for State Courts) to host a national judicial symposium entitled "Children, Courts and the Federal Child Support Enforcement Program." Five years later, in May 2003, a second national judicial symposium with the same title was convened. In each instance the goal was to improve collaboration between child support agencies and our partners from the courts and judiciary.

Those symposia resulted in the issuance of resolutions by the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) in early 2004 calling for greater collaboration between IV-D agencies and their judicial/court counterparts to deal with, among other issues, three crucial areas of mutual interest focusing on (1) the reduction of default orders, (2) reduction in uncollectible arrears, and (3) improvement of interstate case processing.

Later that same year, OCSE facilitated the formation of the National Judicial/CSE Task Force to aid in the process of attempting to reach those goals. The task force is made up of State and Tribal child support officials, State and Tribal judicial representatives, national court/judicial organizations, and regional as well as OCSE central office staff. Its mission is to engage Federal, State, and Tribal child support programs and the judicial/legal systems in collaborative efforts to better serve the needs of children and families. The task force operates through the following six subcommittees: 1) arrears management/order modification, 2) inter-jurisdictional case processing/electronic data exchange, 3) problem solving courts, 4) reducing inappropriate orders, 5) collaborative planning, and 6) education /cross training.

As part of its ongoing work, the task force has developed a series of work products intended to help interested jurisdictions initiate or enhance a cooperative atmosphere with their local court/judiciary. One of those products, a model strategic plan, is attached to this letter for your information and use in considering regional, state, or local collaborative efforts with our colleagues from the court arena.

Questions regarding this document or other work products under development by the National Judicial/CSE Task Force can be addressed to Larry R. Holtz, Judicial Liaison, larry.holtz@acf.hhs.gov or (202) 401-5376.

Sincerely,

Margot Bean
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

Cc: Regional Program Managers
ACF Regional Administrators