Giving Hope and Support to America's Children
Information Memorandum IM-95-02


Strategic Plan

                      INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
                         OCSE IM-95-02    
                                 

TO:            STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTERING CHILD SUPPORT
               ENFORCEMENT PLANS UNDER TITLE IV-D OF THE THE
               SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERESTED
               INDIVIDUALS

SUBJECT:       NATIONAL CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN

BACKGROUND:    This Information Memorandum transmits to you the
               National Child Support Enforcement Strategic Plan. 
               This five year strategic plan reflects a consensus
               among state child support enforcment agencies, the
               Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE),
               Central and Regional Office child support staff
               achieved during a February 28 videoconference. 
               Advocacy organizations and other stakeholders also
               made important contributions to the strategic
               plan.
               
               Together, we have developed a vision and set goals
               and objectives for an improved Child Support
               Enforcement program for the future.  
 
               Of course, our work is not completed with this
               document.  A representative performance measures
               workgroup has been formed and will identify
               indicators by which we can gauge the success of
               our program on the national level.  Once consensus
               is achieved on the indicators, they will be
               integrated into the text of the strategic plan as
               well. 

               We want to emphasize that the strategic plan is a
               flexible document which will always be open for
               comment, improvement and appropriate modification. 
               In the future, our operating environment will
               change, and as we all must adjust, so must the
               strategic plan.  

               We are pleased to share this strategic plan with
               you and wish to thank all who took part in this
               effort.    

ATTACHMENT:    National Child Support Enforcement Strategic Plan



Page 2 

INQUIRIES:     OCSE, Division of Policy and Planning and
               Evaluation, Elizabeth C. Matheson (202) 401-9386. 
               Inquiries may also be directed to Regional
               Offices.


                              David Gray Ross
                              Deputy Director
                              Office of Child Support 
                                Enforcement

Attachment


                                                February 28, 1995


                  CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT
               STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FY 1995-1999


INTRODUCTION

This strategic plan (Plan) describes the broad direction and aspirations of the
Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Program (Program) for the five year period
from FY 1995 to 1999.  During this time, the Program will grow and
change, becoming more results-oriented and responsive to customers. In
addition, welfare reforms will necessitate Program enhancements.  As the
Program and the environment in which it operates continue to evolve, this
Plan will change.  This is a long-range, "big picture" national plan for the
program.  State programs are at different stages and levels of progress and
State as well as Federal annual performance plans may focus on more
limited, specific areas of concentration for program improvements.  

This Plan is organized hierarchically, with goals and objectives flowing from
the Program mission and vision.  The Program vision is an outgrowth of the
broader vision of the Administration for Children and Families, OCSE's parent
organization.  Promoting the economic and social well-being of families,
children, individuals and communities is the heart of the ACF mission. 
Through Federal leadership, ACF sees:

    Families and individuals empowered to increase their own economic
     independence and productivity;

    Strong, healthy, supportive communities having a positive impact on
     the quality of life and the development of children;

    Partnerships with individuals, front-line service providers,
     communities, American Indian tribes and communities, States and
     Congress that enable solutions which transcend traditional agency
     boundaries;

    Services planned, reformed and integrated to improve needed access;
     and

    A strong commitment to working with persons with developmental
     disabilities, refugees and migrants to address their needs, strengths
     and abilities.

The widespread consensus in the child and family policy community that
multiple needs of vulnerable children cannot be addressed adequately
through fragmented service delivery systems points to the need for
coordination and building new partnerships at all levels.  A variety of social
programs have already begun to seize new opportunities to promote family
strength and stability, enhance parental functioning and protect children. 
These goals are supported by the CSE Program, and to that extent that they
can be achieved, they will alleviate the stunning caseload growth which the
Program has experienced over the last decade.  While the government and
ACF attempt to achieve these over-arching goals, the CSE Program helps
keep children who are in divided families connected financially and
emotionally with both parents.  

Trust, communication, planning, creativity, risk-taking, and respect among
Program partners are values to which ACF is committed.


MISSION

The Child Support Enforcement Program is authorized and defined by
statute, title IV-D of the Social Security Act.  The purpose and the mission
of the Program are derived from the Act:

     To assure that assistance in obtaining support (both financial and
     medical) is available to children through locating parents, establishing
     paternity and support obligations, and enforcing those obligations.


VISION FOR THE FUTURE

     The Child Support Enforcement Program will put children first by
     helping parents assume responsibility for the economic and social
     well-being, health and stability of their children.  We recognize the
     value of improved relationships with both parents.

The Child Support Enforcement program will promote stability, health, and
economic security for all children in need of support.  This will be
accomplished by assuring that a parent who lives outside the primary
residence of the children has a legal relationship with the child, pays an
appropriate level of child support on a regular and timely basis, and is
encouraged, except in cases where this is proven to be inappropriate, to
have an ongoing relationship with the child.  Child support includes providing
for medical support.

We acknowledge that fathers and mothers (and other caretakers) each play
a critical emotional role in a child's upbringing.  Thus, within the context of
first serving the best interests of the child, we must see that all parents are
treated fairly and equitably by the CSE system and that the concerns of both
parents are recognized.

The Program is committed to expanding its knowledge base through
research and demonstration projects with State and local governments that
are intended to advance the well-being of children.


OUR CUSTOMERS, PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS

For the purpose of this document, the primary customers of the Child
Support Enforcement Program are children in need of support.  Secondary
customers are the two parents of these children.  It is important to recognize
the different values and perspectives of those involved in children's lives and
to acknowledge that, while interests may conflict, the physical and
emotional needs of the child are paramount.

The Program is a partnership.  The partners operate the program and must
work together to achieve results for Program customers.  The partners
include:

    State and local child support enforcement agencies;

    Courts, law enforcement agencies, and other entities operating under
     cooperative agreements with child support enforcement agencies; and

    The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), including ACF
     Regional Offices.

Many other groups have a legitimate interest in how our customers are
served.  These stakeholders make a contribution toward, and benefit from, a
well-run Program.  They include national interest groups and community-
based organizations that help serve the interests of Program customers or
partners; other components of Federal, State and local government that
serve our customers, such as title IV-A, XIX and IV-E agencies; related
government agencies that work on particular aspects of the Program;
contractors; employers; hospitals; Congress; State legislatures; taxpayers;
and the public in general.


GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Program goals are the broad outcomes or impacts sought for program
customers.  Objectives are the results needed to be accomplished in order
for the goals to become a reality.  It is assumed that accomplishment of the
objectives will result in achievement of the goals.

As this Plan has been developed by OCSE in partnership with the IV-D State
agencies, approaches which establish how particular objectives will be
accomplished will be developed by the State IV-D managers and staff who
operate the Program in partnership with OCSE.  Those strategic and tactical
planning efforts continue the process that this Plan begins.  In addition,
OCSE will develop an internal plan, setting forth the role of Federal staff in
supporting State and local agencies' efforts in child support enforcement.  It
is expected that, over time, this Plan and individual State's strategic plans
will continue to develop and, through continued collaboration, will dovetail.


Overall Approach

The goals and objectives described below are for the entire breadth of the
Program and not simply Federal activities.

All partners in administering the Program need to be involved in developing
the initial goals and objectives and then to remain committed to achieving
results focused on children.  The strategic planning process is ongoing and
continuously improving and focusing the direction taken by the Program. 
Consequently, OCSE will continually seek input to these goals and objectives
from our partners, customers and stakeholders.

In some program areas, the best results for children will be achieved through
improving consistency and uniformity in service delivery and eliminating
conflicting program policies.  We plan to work with States to identify
activities, such as in the interstate and international arenas and data
collection, where uniform approaches yield the best results.

We recognize that to achieve broad satisfactory results for children, partners
need to work closely together and strike a balance between uniformity and
flexibility to allow for innovation in program operations.

Empowering partners with more flexibility and encouraging innovation will
also be a major operating principle.  We need to make full use of the
experience and creative talents of all partners in the program to achieve the
ambitious outcomes we are seeking.  While not a specific, child-oriented
goal of the Plan, constant effort to stimulate and celebrate innovation and
creativity is the essence of the approach to successful accomplishment of
the Plan's goals and objectives.  

In consonance with the principles of creativity and innovation, both OCSE
and our partners must commit to operating in a continuously improving and
empowering environment -- supported by opportunities for development,
modern management practices, and maximum use of technology.


GOAL 1:   ALL CHILDREN HAVE PARENTAGE ESTABLISHED

Objectives:

a.   To Increase Establishment of Paternities, Particularly Those
     Established within One Year of Birth



GOAL 2:   ALL CHILDREN IN IV-D CASES HAVE FINANCIAL
          AND MEDICAL SUPPORT ORDERS

Objectives:

a.   To Increase the % of IV-D Cases with Orders for Financial Support



b.   To Increase the % of Cases With Orders for Medical Support



GOAL 3:   ALL CHILDREN IN IV-D CASES RECEIVE FINANCIAL
          AND MEDICAL SUPPORT FROM BOTH PARENTS

Objectives:

a.   To Increase the Collection Rate


b.   To Increase the Percentage of Cases Where Health Insurance
     Coverage Is Obtained After Being Ordered

c.   To Increase the Percentage of Cases with Appropriate and Up-to-date
     Support Orders


d.   To Make the Process More Efficient and Responsive
Download FREE Adobe Acrobat® Reader™ to view PDF files located on this site.