November 2024 Child Support Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Child Support and Reducing Child Poverty
- Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Stands Up Child Support Program
- Nooksack Tribe Launches Initiative for Parents with Groundbreaking Waiver
- LIHEAP: Helping Families with Energy-Related Costs
- What Payroll Managers Should Know About Tribal Withholding Orders
- Resource Alert: Working with the Military on Child Support Matters
- Policy Recap
Child Support and Reducing Child Poverty
Commissioner Tanguler Gray
Child support is a critical income support program and has an important role in reducing child poverty. In January 2024, I was excited to join the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) for a national convening that focused on the child support program’s current ability and future potential to help address child poverty.
The convening had experts from many fields, including child support and child poverty researchers, state and local child support and antipoverty programs, different human services agencies, community organizations, tribal programs and organizations, and individuals who have lived experience with child support programs.
The convening offered several presentations each with a representative from a federal agency, a researcher or practitioner, and an individual with lived child support experience. Following the presentations, we transitioned into roundtable discussions where facilitators used human-centered design methods to engage, communicate, and focus on the three questions:
- What’s going on in child support: We discussed the root causes and effects of child support participation decline.
- What’s going on with programs and institutions that intersect with child support: We explored the key issues related to collaborating with government agencies and various institutions and how these partnerships can enhance participation in child support programs.
- What’s going on that’s new and innovative in child support and related programs: We focused on identifying resources to enhance child support participation. We also brainstormed strategies to improve the child support program.
Report and findings
ASPE released their brief from the national convening in October 2024, Factors that Impact the Child Support Program’s Role in Reducing Child Poverty: Convening Summary . It identified several key findings:
- Various factors were suggested that may contribute to current child support program participation trends, including difficulty navigating the program, negative perceptions, potential disruption of family dynamics, and not adequately meeting needs of low-income and diverse family structures.
- Partnerships with other programs were viewed as important factors to consider when addressing the child support program’s ability to tackle child poverty.
- Experts offered factors that can contribute to successful program partnerships, including alignment of goals and policies across partners, the ability to exchange data, and how partners can leverage and share resources.
- Several opportunities to improve how the child support program addresses child poverty were offered, including:
- Distributing all child support to the families on whose behalf it is collected
- Re-examining cooperation requirements
- Formally recognizing informal and in-kind child support contributions
- Providing access to services to establish parenting time orders
- Offering flexible, holistic services
- Providing staff training to enhance customer service and equity
I encourage you to read the entire report for more details. OCSS is committed to working with ASPE and others to identify ways the child support program can help reduce child poverty.
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Stands Up Child Support Program
Cheryl Reid-Drayton, OCSS
On January 1, 2024, OCSS welcomed the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) as one of our newest comprehensive tribal child support programs. MBCI is the state’s only federally recognized Indian Tribe with a membership of over 11,000 enrolled individuals. The tribe held its ribbon cutting ceremony for the child support and TANF programs in September where Chief Cyrus Ben expressed his excitement and what it means for families in the community.
Oklahoma-based 1 Family Services in Indian Country has been contracted to run the child support and TANF programs in Choctaw, Mississippi. Jerry Sweet, 1 Family Services co-founder, said they’re “very excited to work with Chief Ben and staff to provide services to stabilize and enhance the tribal program.”
They’ve implemented many initiatives to build the program and focus on collections. They’re partnering with the state child support program to implement policy and procedures on the acquisition of cases and with the tribal courts to build the caseload. They’re also partnering with community organizations to share information about child support and its benefits for children and families. Staff accept applications and answer questions during outreach events.
Special initiatives
One of the tribal program’s major initiatives involves working with the TANF program to provide a more holistic approach to serving families. Staff from both programs worked together on the TANF application. They’ll meet regularly to ensure the programs are successful in their individual missions and combined goal to put families first.
The program plans to eventually launch a Fatherhood Program. The tribe has many manufacturing, retail, hotel, and construction companies, and they’d like to host job fairs to help parents find jobs so they’re able to make payments. The program would also like to launch an effort to help grandparents who are raising grandchildren because the tribe has seen an increase in that demographic.
How to launch a tribal child support program
Tribes and tribal organizations interested in applying for funding to operate a child support program can use Guidance for the Tribal Child Support Program Start-Up Application Process. This resource has Start-up Application Guidance, a Program Development Plan Work Aid, and a Tribal Program PowerPoint.
For more information, visit the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians website .
Nooksack Tribe Launches Initiative for Parents with Groundbreaking Waiver
Nooksack Child Support Program
The Nooksack Indian Tribe is proud to announce that it has become the first tribe in the United States to receive approval for the 1115 waiver under the Social Security Act. This waiver enables the tribe to launch its innovative “Partnering with Parents” initiative, a five-year program designed to provide critical support to parents and caregivers within the tribal community, helping them overcome barriers to employment and meet their child support obligations.
Despite the availability of tribal services, many parents within the child support caseload face significant challenges, including limited access to quality employment opportunities, insufficient job skills, and difficulty balancing work and family responsibilities. These barriers create instability for families, especially in tribal communities where economic opportunities are scarce.
Addressing systemic barriers
The “Partnering with Parents” initiative aims to tackle these challenges head-on, recognizing the pivotal role parents and caregivers play in the well-being of their families. Prior to launching the project, listening sessions will be conducted to better understand the needs and aspirations of the parents involved. This community engagement will allow the program to tailor services to address the unique circumstances of tribal families.
“Our approach centers on proactive engagement,” said Amber Barrett, Child Support Director at the Nooksack Indian Tribe. “By listening to the voices of the parents and caregivers within the Nooksack community, we can offer solutions that not only meet their needs but also empower them to achieve long-term stability.” The goal of the initiative is for parents in need of help who all too often hear “no” to instead hear “How can we help?”
This is an excerpt from the Noonsack Indian Tribe’s monthly Snee-Nee-Chum newsletter. You can read about Partnering with Parents program features and goals on page 2 of their October issue .
Tribes interested in these waivers can visit the OCSS 1115 Waiver webpage to learn how they’re funded, the application and evaluation process, and technical assistance available.
LIHEAP: Helping Families with Energy-Related Costs
Office of Community Services
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps keep families safe and healthy throughout the year by easing the burden of energy-related costs. LIHEAP provides payment assistance for residential energy bills, energy crises, weatherization, and certain home repairs.
Maintaining a healthy temperature within one’s home is crucial for well-being. The World Health Organization (PDF) recommends a minimum indoor temperature of 64.4°F (18°C) during cold winter months, and certain populations like older adults, children, and people with disabilities may require warmer baseline temperatures. Temperatures below 64.4°F are associated with negative health effects , including respiratory and cardiovascular health symptoms, increased instances of depression and anxiety, and poor sleep. Unfortunately, the ability to afford home energy bills is out of reach for many households.
An analysis (PDF) completed by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy found that nearly 25% of all households with low incomes have an energy burden above 15.2% (10% is the threshold at which a household is considered energy impoverished ) and 23.4% of households were unable to pay at least one energy bill this past year. Nearly 25 million (PDF) reported reducing food or medicine to pay for home heating and cooling in 2020, and 12.6 million households (PDF) received a disconnection or delivery stop notice.
As temperatures drop, millions of families with low incomes face the anxiety of higher energy bills and the possibility of a utility shutoff. In FY2023, an estimated 5.1 million households received help with heating costs through LIHEAP. The program prioritizes energy assistance for populations especially vulnerable to extreme temperatures, including individuals with disabilities, households with young children, older adults, and households with high energy burden.
Covered costs and how to apply
The program provides financial assistance for bills and weatherization and energy-related upgrades. Households may use funding to update heating and cooling equipment and make homes more energy efficient. LIHEAP may also be used to address crises, such as providing immediate relief to those who lose power and are reliant on home medical equipment. During disasters, LIHEAP flexibilities allow funding to be used for emergency response.
In many states, applications for heating assistance are now open, and you can find more information on program eligibility and services at energyhelp.us
(available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Yup’ik, Diné, and Cherokee). You can also call toll-free, 24/7 at 1-866-674-6327.
Visit the Office of Community Services website for outreach and informational resources including seasonal toolkits and spotlight videos
.
What Payroll Managers Should Know About Tribal Withholding Orders
Alice P. Jacobsohn, Esq., Director of Government Relations, PayrollOrg
As of November 2024, over 60 tribes participate in the national child support program, providing services to Native American families consistent with tribal values and cultures. In FY23, the tribal programs collected $50 million in child support and served more than 56,000 children. Payroll managers play an important role in this work by ensuring they process all orders received on an OMB-approved Income Withholding for Support (IWO) form and withhold child support through payroll deductions.
Tribes with a child support program
Employers must comply with IWOs issued by tribal child support agencies in accordance with regulations on income withholding found in 45 CFR 309.110. A tribal IWO will appear the same as an IWO received from a state agency except the payment may not be directed to a state disbursement unit. Instead, the tribal IWO may instruct employers to send payments directly to the custodial parent or to the tribal child support agency. It’s important for payroll managers to review the IWO closely to identify the form of payment and where to send it.
Employers who do not withhold and send child support payments as ordered are subject to penalties as determined by the tribe or tribal IV-D agency. These may include repayment of the amount of the child support plus penalties and fines.
Tribes without a child support program
Tribes without a IV-D child support program may issue withholding orders in other formats, such as on the tribe’s letterhead. The format should provide the withholding amount and the frequency of deductions. Payroll professionals should verify these orders before processing child support.
OCSS has a flyer that highlights an employer’s requirements (PDF) when they receive an IWO from a tribe.
PayrollOrg is a nonprofit providing education and resources to help payroll professionals understand legal requirements. You can find webinars and other resources on the PayrollOrg website .
Resource Alert: Working with the Military on Child Support Matters
OCSS has a two-day course curriculum, Working with the Military on Child Support Matters, that helps state and local trainers teach their child support staff how to effectively process cases involving military members.
Policy Recap
OCSS issued recent guidance to help states and tribes develop and operate their child support programs according to federal laws and regulations:
About Child Support Report
Child Support Report is published monthly by the Office of Child Support Services. We welcome articles and high-quality digital photos to consider for publication. We reserve the right to edit for style, content and length, or not accept an article. OCSS does not endorse the practices or individuals in this newsletter. You may reprint an article in its entirety (or contact the author or editor for permission to excerpt); please identify Child Support Report as the source.
| Meg Sullivan Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, performing the delegable duties of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families | Tanguler Gray Commissioner, OCSS |
| Crystal Peeler Director, Division of Customer Communications | Andrew Phifer Editor, CSR.Editor@acf.hhs.gov |