FY 2012 OCSE Grant Awards

1115 Grants:  National Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration

On September 30, 2012, the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) awarded eight competitive grants to state child support agencies to develop and implement programs that provide employment services to noncustodial parents in the child support system as part of a national demonstration framework.  These child support-led employment programs will include the following components:  1) case management; 2) employment-oriented services that include job placement and retention services; 3) fatherhood/parenting activities using peer support; and 4) child support order modification, programs to reduce child support debt owed to the state and help with parenting plans.  All grantees will participate in an OCSE-funded national cross-site evaluation that will use random assignment of potential participants into treatment and control groups. 

FY 2012 Section 1115 Grant recipients:

California Department of Social Services, Stanislaus County                                                      
Pathways to Self-Sufficiency Project                                                                   
FY 2012 Award: $200,000

Colorado Department of Human Services                                                  
Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration Project                                       
FY 2012 Award: $198,935

Iowa Department of Human Services                                                        
Connecting Noncustodial Parents to Employment                                                   
FY 2012 Award: $200,000

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Stark County
Right Path for Fathers Partnership                                                                            
FY 2012 Award: $200,000

South Carolina Department of Social Services
Family Economic Stability Services
FY 2012 Award: $196,024

State of Tennessee                                                                                 
Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration Project                                 
FY 2012 Award: $198,935

Texas Office of the Attorney General                                                    
Noncustodial Parents Choices – Peer                                                                          
FY 2012 Award: $199,995

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families                               
Supporting Parents Supporting Kids                               
FY 2012 Award: $194,416

The State of Wisconsin also received a grant to manage the evaluation.  This evaluation will serve to inform state child support agencies conducting national child support noncustodial parent employment demonstrations about the effectiveness of these programs and common implementation challenges and successes.  The evaluation will utilize a random assignment design in which eligible noncustodial parents are randomly assigned into treatment and control groups in each of the demonstration sites.  The evaluation will also include an implementation study component and a benefit and cost analysis.

Special Improvement Project (SIP) Grants:  Parenting Time Opportunities for Children Pilot Program

OCSE made grant awards to five child support agencies to develop, implement, and evaluate service delivery models to establish parenting time orders along with child support orders.  Parenting time is defined as the amount of time a child spends with each parent that is agreed upon by the parents in a parenting plan and/or ordered by a court. Over the 4-year project period, demonstration grant funds will provide state and local child support agencies with the opportunity to plan and pilot strategies to establish parenting time responsibilities and related access and visitation services in coordination with the child support program and to fund thorough evaluation of the pilot program.  Family violence safeguards will be required.  Additionally, applicants will be required to coordinate with their state Access and Visitation program authorized by 42 U.S.C. §669(b). 

FY 2012 SIP Grant recipients:

County of San Diego, CA Department of Child Support
Establishing Parenting Time Orders for Children in Title IV-D Cases
FY 2012 Award:  $99,999

Fairfield County, OH Child Support Agency
Ohio’s Coalition to Increase Parenting Time Opportunities for Children
FY 2012 Award:  $97,967

Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Enforcement Program
Miami-Dade Child Support and Parent Time-Sharing Plan Establishment Project
FY 2012 Award:  $100,000

Monroe County, IN
Safe Parenting Program
FY 2012 Award:  $99,690

Oregon Department of Justice Division of Child Support
Online Interactive Parenting Plans and Mediation Services
FY 2012 Award:  $100,000

More information and an overview of FY 2012 Competitive Grants can be found in the resource, State Child Support Offices to Lead $6.2 Million Employment Project.