DCL-02-12, OCSE's 12th National Child Support Enforcement Training Conference

DCL-02-12

DATE: June 13, 2002

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: OCSE's 12th National Child Support Enforcement Training Conference

Dear Colleague:

This year's 12th National Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Training Conference will be held September 23-25, 2002 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. The theme of the conference is "Child Support -- Working Together, Keeping It Real." The CSE program has grown tremendously since its creation in 1975. Once perceived as a stand-alone program, CSE is now the cornerstone of a network of programs assisting many of America's families. Working together, these programs can meet the needs of our customers in ways that are meaningful and sustaining. This year's conference showcases many successful practices that can be replicated across the CSE program nation-wide, practices that offer real solutions to real problems.

Tentative Agenda

The enclosed tentative agenda describes the wide array of workshops included in the conference. Many workshops feature constructive collaborative activities being undertaken by CSE agencies and their partners, such as employers, financial institutions, and local agencies. Several customer service workshops provide CSE workers effective ways of assisting their clients. Others are designed to enhance the skills of the Child Support Enforcement professional through the use of automation, both at the State and Federal levels.

Customer Service Web Development Course

There also will be a course entitled "Customer Service Web Development." State IV-D Directors, under separate cover, will be invited to nominate participants for the course, which will be limited to 30 participants.

State Child Access and Visitation Program Coordinators' Meeting

OCSE's Annual State Child Access and Visitation Program Coordinators' Meeting will be held in conjunction with the conference. On Tuesday, September 24, 2002, the conference will feature three Child Access and Visitation Program workshops.

These workshops (specifically indicated on the tentative agenda) will be open to all conference participants.

On Wednesday, September 25, 2002, there will be an all day event for Access and Visitation Program Coordinators, OCSE staff, and guests only. It will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at approximately 5:00 p.m. OCSE's Division of Consumer Services will invite participants under separate cover.

All participants must register for the conference. After completing the top half of the registration form, invited participants to the Coordinators' meeting must check or click on the "State Access and Visitation Program Coordinators" line.

Research Meeting

OCSE's 2nd Annual Research Meeting also will be held in conjunction with the conference. Research-related workshops will be conducted throughout the conference. (These are also specifically indicated on the tentative agenda.) Following the conclusion of the conference, OCSE's Division of Planning, Research and Evaluation will host a meeting on Wednesday, September 25, 2002 beginning at noon (lunch provided) and concluding at 5:00 p.m. A tentative agenda for the meeting is also enclosed. All conference participants may attend this meeting. No additional payment is required. Please indicate on the enclosed registration form if you plan to attend.

Training Workshops

This year's conference also features a track of workshops designed to develop and enhance CSE staff training skills. These workshops are open to all conference participants. They are specifically indicated on the tentative agenda.

Conference Registration

The conference registration fee is $125. This fee is eligible for Federal Financial Participation (FFP) at the regular matching rate. Participants may register for the conference using the enclosed registration form, which should be faxed or mailed to the Graduate School, USDA. To register online, go to the OCSE Web Page at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/ and click on the "12^th National CSE Training Conference Online Registration" icon. The registration form will appear. The site is secure.

Confirmation Letter

Participants will be sent a confirmation letter and additional information within 4 days after receipt of registration.

Hotel Registration and Information

Information on the Hyatt Regency Crystal City is enclosed. Additional information regarding the hotel can be found at the web site. Click on http://www.hyatt.com, type in "Hyatt Regency Crystal City" in the search box for specific information (e.g., a map and directions) about the hotel. The cutoff date for hotel registration is August 30, 2002.

The lodging rate is $174.50 (i.e., the hotel rate of $159.00 plus tax at 9.75%) per night. If rooms are still available after August 30, 2002, they could be at a higher rate. We strongly urge you to make your plans to attend the conference, and call the hotel immediately for your reservation. Be sure to mention that you are with the National Child Support Enforcement Training Conference.

Please inform your staff about this opportunity as soon as possible and encourage them to attend. If you have any questions or need additional information regarding registration or hotel information, please contact:

(Contact Information Deleted 2/15/2007 - No Longer Current)

We look forward to your participation at our conference.

Sincerely,

/s/

Sherri Z. Heller, Ed.D.
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

Enclosures

cc: ACF Hub Directors and Regional Administrators
ACF/CSE Program Managers
ACF/CSE Regional Training Liaisons
CSE State Training Liaisons
National CSE Training Work Group

Tentative Agenda - September 22 - 23, 2002
Tentative Agenda - September 24, 2002
Tentative Agenda - September 25, 2002
2nd Annual OCSE Research Meeting - Tentative Agenda - September 25, 2002
Registration Form
Fact Sheet