Background

Congress established the Child Support Enforcement Program in 1975 under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act to collect child support. The program's goal is to ensure that all children are supported financially by both parents and to reduce the number of children receiving public assistance.

The increase in the rate of divorce, separation and out-of-wedlock births has been dramatic in the United States. There are more than one million children in Ohio who are entitled to child support.

The Child Support program is a joint effort involving federal, state and local agencies administered in Ohio by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Office of Child Support (OCS).

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Structure of Child Support in Ohio

The responsibility for implementation of the Child Support (IV-D) program is shared by federal, state and local agencies, each with clearly defined roles. The federal agency responsible for child support enforcement is the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) which is located in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It establishes standards for state programs. In Ohio, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is the designated IV-D agency and within ODJFS, the Office of Child Support has the primary responsibility for the child support program. Each county in Ohio is required to establish a separate child support enforcement agency (CSEA). Thus, responsibility for the child support program in Ohio is shared by the state and each of Ohio's 88 counties.

Click here to read more about child support services available in Ohio.

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Local Child Support Enforcement Agencies

Child support services, such as those listed below, shall be available to all OWF(Ohio Works First) Medicaid, or IV-E foster care applicants or recipients upon referral, and to any other person upon request.

Services provided through the CSEAs include:

• Location of non-custodial parents
• Paternity establishment
• Establishment and enforcement of child support orders
• Establishment and enforcement of medical support orders
• Review and modification of support orders

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Within the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Office of Child Support oversees the child support program operations and acts as an advisor to the CSEAs on policy and technical issues. The Office is divided into Bureaus with distinct responsibilities relative to ensuring compliance with state and federal rules. The Bureaus and their responsibilities are described as follows:

The Bureau of Customer Service provides both general program and specific case information to the internal and external customers of the child support program. The Customer Inquiry section responds to customers of the child support system when they have questions or concerns involving their child support orders or local agency actions; to questions from state legislators on behalf of their constituents; and to issues forwarded from the ODJFS Director's or Governor's Office. Staff answer phone calls, emails and other written correspondence, research case and payment situations, contact county CSEAs for clarification of enforcement actions, return calls and prepare written correspondence. The Bureau's Customer Inquiry Call Center (CICC) has a toll free inquiry line.

The bureau is also responsible for communications, public awareness and education projects, including internal activities such as newsletters and the OCS Strategic Plan, and external initiatives including Annual Reports, Fact Sheets, the Internet, Program Guide, Child Support Program Guide, State Fair exhibits, and Child Support Awareness Month.

The Bureau of Policy develops Title IV-D (child support) program policy in response to changes occurring in federal and state law, federal regulations, court/hearing decisions, and other events impacting on child support operations. This policy is contained in the Child Support Program Manual (CSPM). The Bureau interprets and disseminates program policies to be followed by the county CSEAs. These functions are performed to achieve compliance with the Child Support State Plan, which represents a "compliance agreement" between federal and state levels of the IV-D program. The bureau works closely with the automated tracking system to ensure system compliance with state and federal program regulations.

The Bureau of County Services is responsible for monitoring county agency compliance with the federal and state policy governing the child support program. It conducts formal evaluations of the quality, efficiency, effectiveness and scope of services provided by county CSEAs. Staff performs in-depth review (often on site) and provides technical assistance with emphasis on case management and activities that impact county performance in the federally established categories that earn federal incentive dollars. The bureau also handles the federal and state offsets, creation of the state's Most Wanted Poster,reinstatement of passport denials and oversees the Statewide Sheriff's Roundup.

County Services provides coordination of activities pursuant to, and assurance of compliance with, the requirements of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act for child support cases through the operation of the Interstate Central Registry. The Registry receives all Title IV-D cases sent into Ohio from other states and distributes them to the appropriate CSEA for action in order to secure payments if the non-residential parent is living in another state or foreign country.

The Bureau of Payment Analysis and Reconciliation works with the counties, the Child Support Payment Central (CSPC) and ultimately with all departments of the Office of Child Support to ensure that when the child support payments are received at CSPC, the child support payments are posted and checks are mailed to the residential parent/caretaker for the intended recipient, each child entitled to receive support. The Bureau provides oversight of the activity of CSPC, works all payments that CSPC is unable to resolve and works with the counties to complete resolution in the fastest possible time. The reconciliation division of the Bureau ensures that the funds are on deposit to clear the payments and that a suitable audit trail exists through the reconciliation of all accounts. The correspondence division of the Bureau distributes all non-monetary items received at lockbox to the counties or other appropriate bureaus.

The Bureau of Fiscal Administration is responsible for developing and monitoring the Office of Child Support (OCS) budget and general financial processes. It processes invoices for OCS and PA (Public Assistance) refund requests from the CSEAs. It prepares or assists in preparing quarterly and annual federal financial reports.

The bureau is responsible for the development and monitoring of statewide vendor contracts for child support services such as, collections, DNA testing, financial institution data matching, new hire reporting, Central Paternity Registry and interagency agreements. Bureau staff provides guidance and assistance to the counties in the preparation of their local contracts for service, then reviews all contracts and invoices between the CSEAs and other entities such as courts, prosecutors, clerk of courts, and private vendors. The bureau also oversees the implementation and monitoring of special child support projects.

The Automated Systems Bureau documents federal, state and user system and software requirements for the Support Enforcement Tracking System (SETS) or associated software/system applications. The bureau is responsible for providing direction regarding the on-going development and operation of the federally mandated statewide automated child support tracking system and the interface between SETS and other systems such as Child Support Payment Central (CSPC), the federal and state tax refund intercept programs and the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS).

The Bureau is divided into three main units. The Business and Function Requirements unit works closely with the Department's Office of Management Information Services. This staff is responsible for developing, documenting and testing the business requirements which result in the on-going refinement and maintenance of the statewide system.

The SETS Help Desk provides fast, courteous on-line support to all SETS users. This unit also maintains the Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVR) that provides payment status information for child support customers.

The Reports section is responsible for reviewing and validating state and federal child support reports. In addition, they respond to administrative and county requests for ad hoc reports.

The Bureau of Child Support Payment Central (CSPC) was developed by ODJFS in response to federal legislation mandating the implementation and operation of a state disbursement unit (SDU) for collecting and disbursing child support payments. ODJFS utilizes a contractor to perform many of the SDU functions and the CSPC bureau conducts on-site program, quality and contract management.

The CSPC bureau is charged with utilizing the highest level of automation and efficiency in the operation of the SDU. In response, CPSC developed programs such as:
     Electronic Bill Presentment which provides employers with a simplified means of remitting payments electronically through ExpertPaySM.
     Obligor Direct Debit which provides payors an opportunity to make child support payments on-line through ExpertPaySM by debiting either their bank account or their credit card.
     Ohio e-QuickPay,SM an electronic disbursement option for child support recipients, which loads funds onto a debit MasterCard that can be used to purchase goods and services or used to get cash at banks and ATMs.

Additional administrative functions performed by the Office of Child Support include:

• Training:staff coordinating a wide range of training available to OCS and to CSEA employees
• Personnel functions for OCS operations
• Administrative leadership and direction for the Office of Child Support