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Leading Child Support Enforcement in the 21st Century

By: Jack Shaw

Last spring, 11 State IV-D Directors and Senior Executives completed OCSE's Innovative Leadership Practices in Child Support Enforcement. Lisa Woodruff-White, Louisiana's IV-D Director, Barb Austin, Washington's Chief of Field Operations, and Jerry Steele, Maryland's Deputy Director for the CSE Administration, took part in an interview regarding the Innovative Leadership Practices.

CSR: Do you see effective leadership increasing child support collections?

BA (Barb Austin): In an environment of decreasing resources, we need to deliver the maximum results with the most efficient use of human and fiscal resources. Unless we can inspire, coach, and lead our staff, we will be unable to meet this challenge.

JS (Jerry Steele): Yes. Effective leadership will increase child support collections because the techniques that were learned during the course will enhance the Directors' management philosophies and styles.

CSR: Can you explain the value of leadership training for CSE staff?

BA: This training was invaluable! The 360 degree review provided a range of insight into my leadership strengths (the fun part) and weaknesses (the humbling part). The direct reports offered a basis for discussion with my peers and my supervisor on how I could improve my effectiveness.

JS: Leadership training for child support enforcement staff is a must. In order for the staff to understand the big picture, they must understand the vision and values of the organization, which in turn will create a high performance organization.

CSR: What exactly is the leadership role in the CSE environment?

LW (Lisa Woodruff-White): Leadership plays an important role in creating and communicating a vision as well as establishing a sense of urgency, empowering staff, aligning the organization, and dealing with culture and change. It seems to be the role of the leader to evaluate and indicate activity in these areas necessary to meet organizational goals.

JS: The leader must be able to communicate the vision that sparks excitement to the staff. In the CSE environment, staff has been conditioned to operate in a less strategic thinking way and in a less decision-making process that affects the entire organization. Empowering staff is another key element for a leader.

CSR: Can you tell us what is being done in organizational action plans and why?

LW: In our organization, there seemed to be complacency in recognizing and/or reacting to issues which were important to staff. Generally, staff were fulfilled by the work that they did, but did not feel valued by upper management. We surveyed our staff and learned much about their views on communication, customers, compensation, management, training, and other issues. More than 90 percent of our employees responded to the surveys and provided valuable information.

CSR: How do you think this CSE-related leadership course can improve customer service?

LW: It stresses the need for organizational leaders to focus some energy on areas often overlooked in organizations- - for example, the formation of powerful coalitions with nontraditional partners providing services which promote families and family formation. It is also important to re-examine existing relationships, which may need to be enhanced or nurtured.

CSR: How can leadership "vision" principles impact CSE?

BA: We work in an environment that is subject to a great deal of day-to-day crisis. It is very easy to be in a response mode rather than a strategic mode. Definition of vision allows one to focus on the future, not get waylaid in the present.

JS: This can happen by keeping people focused on organizational goals, priorities and the plan; by helping others share the vision and stay focused; and by using the vision in the day-to-day decision-making process.

CSR: Do you see leadership in a CSE environment different from the "real" world?

BA: I don't know that it is different, except in the program demands that are unique. I believe many programs are stressed with political and economic restraints, but child support has those specific emotional responses from people that influence our program resource allocations. This can be for good or bad.

JS: I don't think leadership skills and ability are more different in the "real" world than in government, but there are some shortcomings such as no flexible budgets, the politics, and the lack of current technology.

CSR: Would you please discuss Strategic Plans versus Leadership Action Plans.

BA: Leadership is a neglected area of focus. We promote people and assume they know how to be effective leaders. It doesn't work that way! This training was impressive in exploring the value of strategic planning and leadership Action plans.

LW: Continuous evaluation of all areas of the organization is an important leadership goal necessary to prevent complacency. Reacting to organizational needs by creating a sense of urgency is a necessary leadership function if carefully planned and managed.

CSR: Comment on the importance of Alignment in CSE organizations.

BA: Critical. You cannot achieve success by heading in different directions, or undermining your efforts when what you say does not match what you do.

CSR: Can you lead effectively in a "political" environment?

BA: It is a challenge and a fun one at times. Politics play a part in every part of our lives: church, home, families, organizations, and communities. We must learn the social skills needed to survive and thrive in these areas. Effective leadership is what makes a positive out of a negative. People, ultimately, make a difference and especially our leaders.

CSR: Was the training successful for you personally?

BA: This training was the best I have ever attended in my career. It should be offered on a continual basis to child support leaders. Excellent course!

For information regarding this course, please contact Yvette Hilderson Riddick, Chief of OCSE's National Training Center at yriddick@acf.hhs.gov.

Faith-Based Summit

By: Carri Brown

The mission statement of the Fairfield County, Ohio Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) states that it will help ensure the healthy development of children by carrying out its mission while emphasizing accountability, customer service, and community collaboration. Community collaboration was the focus of a recent special event dubbed the Faith-Based and Partnership Summit: The Power of One. Faith-based and community groups share a common mission in providing children and families the support they need to be healthy and strong. The Summit was an opportunity for the groups to come together and open their eyes to the services and programs provided within the community.

The agency invited all faith-based and community groups in the area to join it for a full-day conference. The purposes of the Summit were to:

• Recognize the common mission of faith-based organizations and community groups in serving adults, children and families,
• Learn about the services that exist within the community,
• Produce a shared database for information and referral purposes,
• Create work groups that will focus on just one thing to accomplish together over the next six months, and
• Celebrate the work accomplished by faith-based and community groups.

Faith-based and community groups share a common mission in providing children and families the support they need to be healthy and strong. The Summit was an opportunity for the groups to come together and open their eyes to the services and programs provided within the community.

More than 107 community leaders attended the Summit, with 64 groups being represented. Each participant stated that the event should happen annually, and each stated that they received information that was helpful to their work in meeting and anticipating the needs of children and families.

Faith-based and community groups share a common mission in providing children and families the support they need to be healthy and strong.

In addition, all participants stated that the Summit effectively captured the common mission of governments and faith-based organizations. The energetic event resulted in a database for community referrals on counseling services, parenting classes, support groups, and activities for children and families.

Keynote speakers were David Ball, Associate Director of the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation and adjunct professor at The Methodist Theological School, and Rev. Nelson Meyer, president of Lutheran Social Services of Ohio. Each spoke about the role of faith-based organizations in the community, especially how this role related to the public sector.

The Summit resulted in work groups focused on six initiatives for the entire community: Crisis Awareness, Older Adult Networking and Outreach, Foster Care and Adoption, Childcare Initiatives, Parenthood Initiatives, and Healthy Marriages. Resulting pamphlets and informational packets will be placed at the Child Support Enforcement Agency, which is combined with the County Job and Family Services. Work Group members are now working on various initiatives that will result in a seamless delivery of services for customers. A follow-up meeting is scheduled in November.

From Parents' Fair Share to Work First

By: William D. Camden

The Kent County Friend of the Court office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, selected as one of the seven national Parents' Fair Share research sites, produced positive results according to a report published by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC). When the research project ended, there was some concern whether the services provided to unemployed non-custodial parents would be continued.

The work has continued. After a couple of rough tentative years, the Work First Project is thriving in Michigan, especially in Grand Rapids, where the project continues to be jointly administered by the Kent County Friend of the Court and the Hope Network of West Michigan.

After a couple of rough tentative years, the Work First Project is thriving in Michigan, especially in Grand Rapids, where the project continues to be jointly administered by the Kent County Friend of the Court and the Hope Network of West Michigan.

For the first three quarters of fiscal year 2002, the Friend of the Court identified and referred 987 non-custodial parents to Hope Network for employment services. Of these referrals, 626 were enrolled, and of those, 569 attended an orientation and at least one activity. At present, 257 are employed and, during the three quarters, have contributed $207,156 in child support via income withholding orders. The average wage of this group is $8.38 per hour.

In addition, of the original 987 referrals, 62 obligors were found to have already been employed and were therefore counted under the "smoke out" effect. Income withholding orders were placed on their employers resulting in child support collections totaling $77,962 during the three quarters.

Of the four research variables applied to the experimental group (enhanced enforcement, mediation, peer support, and job counseling and placement), all but the peer support component are active viable components of the Work First Project, and peer support is being offered, but in a much abbreviated format.

Plans for fiscal year 2003 include special targeting of 75 young unemployed non-custodial parents ages 19 through 21. For this target population, it is anticipated that a much more comprehensive version of the excellent MDRC-developed full peer support curriculum will be utilized.

The Michigan Family Independence Agency, the Michigan Supreme Court, the Kent County Family Court judges, the Kent County Friend of the Court, Hope Network, the Kent County business community, and citizens as a whole continue to support this project as a worthwhile service for unemployed and under-employed non-custodial parents.

Using Existing Resources Through Collaboration

By: Steven P. Veno

Working to enhance the self-sufficiency of the families we serve, the Kentucky Division of Child Support has made increasing child support collections one of our top priorities.

Like many other states, Kentucky has a high IV-D caseload and limited IV-D staff. As a result, Kentucky began exploring other state agencies that had not only the resources and the technology, but also the willingness to assist in child support collections. The agency that met these needs was the Kentucky Revenue Cabinet.

The Revenue Cabinet, highly successful in collecting state taxes, was more than willing to assist. Not only did they bring with them experienced collection staff and an existing computer system that can accept child support data, but also contracts with private companies that provide them with the most recent names and addresses of individuals filing for bankruptcy in Kentucky. The Revenue Cabinet agreed to transfer these data to the child support office, and is willing to make calls to non-custodial parents, complete payment agreements, and file liens with the courts in an expedited manner.

Through collaboration, a very successful pilot was initiated in April 2001, with a project beginning in late summer 2002. The pilot was designed to monitor the outcome of letters mailed to non-custodial parents who met certain criteria using the letterhead of the Kentucky Revenue Cabinet. The letters told non-custodial parents that they were delinquent in their child support payments, and they were given 20 days to respond. If they did not respond, their case would be referred to the Kentucky Revenue Cabinet where a new Child Support Collection Task Force would take immediate collection action.

The areas to be monitored by the Division of Child Support included returned mail, telephone calls from non-custodial parents who challenged the arrearages and those who wanted to make payment arrangements, and the amount of collections made by non-custodial parents as a result of the letter.

In April 2001, approximately 6,700 letters were mailed to non-custodial parents. Approximately 1,000 letters were returned because of invalid addresses, and 350 letters came back because the non-custodial parent was incarcerated. From May 1, 2001 through April 30, 2002, 4,137 payments have been received totaling $500,886.

The success of the pilot cases prompted the first collaboration meeting in August 2001 between the Division of Child Support, the Revenue cabinet and the technology staff from both agencies. Project roles and responsibilities were created which identified a core team and a steering committee. In the following months, the agency core teams held numerous in-house meetings and met collaboratively with the core team members in both agencies. As ideas and concerns developed, additional members of both agencies were included in all of the meetings. New ideas, such as providing Revenue with the Financial Institution Data Match file, were discussed, reviewed and granted. In addition, the Revenue Cabinet was successful in enacting legislation to use the federally mandated child support forms in its collection process.

The project itself will begin with the mailing of 500 letters by the Division of Child Support. Any of the letters that do not result in successful collection will be transferred to the Revenue Cabinet, where a collection process will begin. The decision to send only a limited number of letters will give both agencies time to review and adjust any discrepancies that are identified.

This collaborative effort is working to enhance the lives of the families that Kentucky's Division of Child Support serves. It is also serving to fashion a working partnership between two different government agencies.

Colorado Conducts Needs Assessment of Customer Information Needs

By: Robin Rushton

The State of Colorado, Department of Human Services is conducting an E-Commerce business area analysis needs assessment report on interactive functions that allow customers and stakeholders to interact with the child support agency online via the Internet. Other state participation in this on-line survey was solicited via the IV-D Directors Listserv earlier this year.

The on-line survey asked customers to rate the usefulness of 75 possible e-commerce functions and other information that could be made available on the state's website. A total of 519 surveys were completed. Interviews with 20 individuals as well as focus groups with custodial parents, non-custodial parents, and employers, were conducted.

The ranking of the e-commerce functions differed according to the group. For example, the custodial parent indicated that the ability to send email to the caseworker would be the most useful function, whereas the non-custodial parent and the in-state caseworkers ranked date of last payment received by the State Disbursement Unit as the most useful. Interstate professionals gave highest priority to arrears balance. Employers ranked online forms especially to notify state of termination of employee or verify employment as the most useful function.

The study also ranked the design of different types of web- financial statements.

The report raises some policy and security issues that states need to consider in developing their websites. One concerned non-custodial parent's desire for log-in by name or Social Security number since they do not always know their case I.D. Another security issue raised is the need to secure sensitive information sent via email. The State may have e-mail protocols to prevent Social Security numbers and some financial information from being sent via e-mail, but how do you stop the public from sending this kind of sensitive information via the internet?

The appendices of the report include screen prints from other States' websites as well as the results of the on-line surveys of the needs of custodial parents, non-custodial parents, employers, in-state and interstate caseworkers.

The survey will be available on the OCSE website. For further information on this survey, contact: Curtis Rose, Curtis.Rose@state.co.us.

Future Training

The results of the on-line survey on interactive functions that allow customers and stakeholders to interact with the child support agency online via the Internet will be part of the curriculum for the customer service web training to be provided in five different sites between September 2002 and March 2003. Classes are for technical staff who are, or will be, responsible for building your agency's web-based CSE customer service system. The five sites for this training are:

• September 23-25, 2002 in Arlington, Virginia (12th National CSE Training conference)
• November 14-15, 2002 in New York City
• January 13-14, 2003 in Dallas
• February 25-26 in Atlanta; and
• March 25-26 in Seattle.

Each session can accommodate up to 30 attendees each. For additional information or to submit your nominee's name and contact information, contact Michael Rifkin at mrifkin@acf.hhs.gov.

North Carolina and Oklahoma Certified

The North Carolina Child Support Enforcement System (ACTS) and the Oklahoma Support Information System (OSIS) were certified as meeting the automation requirements of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). North Carolina is the 14th State and Oklahoma is the 15th State to be PRWORA certified.

Indiana's Web-Based Payment Solution

By: Mary J. Francis

Indiana State officials have implemented a web-based, child support payment processing solution that helps states and employers collect child support payments, which speeds up the distribution of funds to families who need them.

The Child Support Online (CSO) gives states another option to improve the processing of income-withholding payments for child support. The solution automates the payment posting process and reduces the burden on child support staff. State officials said that more than 300 employers in 40 counties use CSO, which is a component of the Indiana Support Enforcement Tracking System (ISETS), a statewide child support information and disbursement system. Over $4.3 million has been processed using CSO.

"Child Support Online assists non-custodial parents in meeting their financial obligations, which, in turn, ensures that custodial parents can meet the needs of their children," said John Hamilton, Secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.

The CSO offers several web-based features. It diverts employer-withholding payments and processes them without staff involvement. It provides more timely payments and allows a web-based interface to receive answers to payment related questions. It simplifies the income-withholding process by eliminating the need to write checks or produce reports from the company payroll system, thus requiring no enhancements or changes to their existing systems. Finally, it allows connectivity to the ISETS system and flexibility to interface with other Child Support Payment Processing Systems as necessary.

The CSO uses a payment system that executes the electronic funds transfer from the employer's account based on employer input, interfaces with the existing legacy system, deposits the funds into the state account, uses the record provided by the employer online to post payments to the appropriate accounts and initiates distribution of the payment through the existing system.

Mark Your Calendar!!!

The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement Is Presenting Its 12th National Child Support Enforcement Training Conference At:

Hyatt Regency Crystal City

2799 Jefferson Davis Highway

Arlington, VA 22202

Phone (703) 418-1234

September 23-25, 2002

Contact Bertha Hammett at OCSE's National Training Center for additional information (202) 401-5292 or bhammett@acf.hhs.gov