Commissioner Tanguler Gray

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when everyone — including state and tribal child support professionals — can recommit to end domestic violence. We can join in solidarity and support the approximately four million parents in the child support program who’ve experienced domestic violence. It’s important for our program to be mindful of and responsive to domestic violence safety concerns every day, but during October we shine the light on abuse a little brighter and with a little more focus. State and tribal child support agencies planned many special activities, and I want to elevate some of them.

Conferences

I was thrilled to learn that several state agencies hosted domestic violence summits or emphasized prevention and services in their statewide conferences. I sent a video message to New York for their summit that brings child support and public assistance workers together to learn skills for responding to domestic violence. Oklahoma hosted a two-day symposium for child support professionals, judicial officers, and community partners to address DV issues and share prevention strategies. Minnesota and Ohio also prioritized DV sessions at their statewide conferences, including the OCSS “If You Had To Decide” DV simulation, a judicial officer training, and survivor panel presentations.

Virginia worked closely with their state domestic violence coalition, the Virginia Action Alliance, to plan a series of activities that include:

• Hosting a virtual DV summit for child support staff and domestic violence professionals
• Collecting personal items to donate to local domestic violence service providers
• Posting social media messages about safety options available for receiving child support
• Kicking off the “#1 Thing” campaign where child support staff will post one thing they can do to address domestic violence

Social media

Social media campaigns are also a part of activities in Ohio, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas. Missouri promoted brief videos on specific media outlets — and longer videos on their website — as part of a larger social media campaign. Texas relaunched its groundbreaking website GetChildSupportSafely.org with improved user experience and updated resources for those navigating the child support process. The focus was on safety and support for survivors of family violence.

Training

Ohio, Oklahoma, and Washington rolled out more domestic violence training for staff. Ohio conducted statewide training on the Family Violence Indicator and Good Cause rules. Ohio provided a DV awareness toolkit to all child support professionals. Oklahoma’s training focused on domestic violence and child support safeguards geared toward child support staff and tribal offices.

OCSS Resources

Our office hosted domestic violence training for tribal staff this month, and you can email michael.hayes@acf.hhs.gov to schedule our “If You Had To Decide” DV simulation. We also have resources to help support state and tribal programs responding to families affected by domestic violence:

• Survivor guide for getting child support
• Caseworker desk card for safely pursuing child support (PDF)
• Model screening questions and practices (PDF)
• DV tear sheet posters in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF) and for tribal communities (PDF)

Together, we can help survivors safely pursue child support, which could be a source of income that helps them leave an abusive relationship. For more information and resources, visit the OCSS Family Violence webpage. 

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New York Child Support Services

In the two years since receiving the Safe Access for Victims’ Economic Security (SAVES) demonstration grant, New York has taken important steps to increase safe access to child support and related services for survivors of domestic violence. But it hasn’t been without its challenges.

Child support is a primary source of income for custodial families. SAVES seeks to enhance economic stability for survivors and help them safely get child support so they can stay away from an abusive relationship. Working with a diverse group of partners across 12 pilot social services districts required extensive logistical planning in our first year. It took time and sensitivity to build trust with survivors to share their experiences. The differences in practice across the locations—sometimes among workers at the same location—made it difficult to understand the landscape of survivor-centered and trauma-informed approaches.

Lessons learned

We identified gaps in service delivery that underscored the need to implement best practices to better promote safe access to child support services. We discovered that the only family safety question on the child support application and referral documents was rarely answered. Clearly, we needed a better screening tool.

We also learned that survivors simply didn’t have enough information about what to expect when pursuing child support. This led us to create Getting Child Support Safely: What You Should Know  (PDF), a new flyer given with the screening tool to help bridge that divide.

Later, we learned that local child support staff were unsure what to do when someone self-identified through the enhanced screening tool. This led us to create a desk reference for child support workers, Warm Referrals to Domestic and Sexual Violence Service Providers.

We also identified other needed reforms, including:

• Increasing collaboration between internal and external partners with regular communication, streamlined procedures, and improved referral processes
   
• Providing referrals to advocates who can help survivors navigate the process of obtaining child support
   
• Improving access to safety options and resources, including things like hanging posters with QR codes in private spaces and discussing the benefits for survivors in using the New York State Address Confidentiality Program
   
• Offering regular training on topics like domestic violence dynamics, language access, and trauma-informed approaches, accompanied by tools and procedures that support survivor-centered services

Goals for second year

In year two, we launched a pilot program to test the effectiveness of two different sets of screening questions focused on giving applicants the chance to disclose a safety concern. One set of questions focused on the child support process and program operations. The other set focused on specific situations experienced with the other parent.

This work led us to create a consolidated screening form combining the most frequently answered and affirmed questions from both sets. We’re currently gathering feedback on the consolidated screening from survivors and our advisory council. We hope to launch the revised form early next year.

There is still much work to do, but we hope that sharing these practical examples helps other programs learn from our experience and ensures the process of applying for and receiving child support is easier and safer for all parents.

For more information, email the New York SAVES Project Director at Susanne.Dolin@otda.ny.gov. 

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Shaun Edwards, Sacramento County Department of Child Support Services

In August 2020, OCSS awarded funding to eight state child support agencies through the Economic Mobility and Responsible Parenting Demonstration Grant. In July 2021, OCSS awarded funding to an additional cohort of seven state and two tribal programs. This article is part of a series that features awardees’ efforts to leverage the child support program's responsible parenting expertise. For more information, email michael.hayes@acf.hhs.gov or donna.steele@acf.hhs.gov.

Sacramento County’s “My Empowerment” (M.E.) Project is designed for youth aged 13 to 19, a critical age range where their decisions can significantly shape their futures. Our mission is to empower these young individuals by giving them tools, resources, and guidance to make informed choices and plan for success in their personal and professional lives.

The teenage years are a time of rapid change and development when many teens face pivotal decisions about their education, career paths, and personal lives. The M.E. Project focuses on sequence planning—a concept that helps teens think through the steps to achieve their long-term goals. This isn’t just about planning for the future; it’s about understanding how the choices they make today could open doors or create challenges down the road. Whether they’re considering higher education, entering the workforce, or exploring other opportunities, we want to make sure every participant has a clear, actionable plan for their future.

Program details

Our program offers a comprehensive approach to youth empowerment. We host workshops that cover essential topics like financial literacy, goal setting, career exploration, and an introduction to child support. We also connect our participants with community resources that can support them in areas such as academic achievement, mental health, and personal development. This holistic approach ensures we’re addressing the full spectrum of needs for our teens.

One of the key strengths of the M.E. Project is our focus on real-world skills and practical knowledge. We understand that it’s not enough to encourage teens to dream big; we must also equip them with the tools to turn those dreams into reality. Our workshops and mentoring sessions are designed to be interactive and hands-on, giving participants the chance to practice what they’ve learned in a supportive environment. Whether it’s creating a budget, drafting a resume, or planning their education and career paths, we want our teens to leave the program feeling empowered and prepared to take the next steps toward their goals. We also expose them to aspects of child support through scenarios to give them a basic understanding of the financial and emotional costs to raise a child. We want to set them up for a successful life while they’re still attending school. 

We’re excited to see the transformation in the teens who participate. Some may come to us feeling unsure about their futures, but they can develop a sense of clarity and purpose through our program. They learn to set realistic goals, plan the steps needed to achieve them, and make decisions that align with their aspirations. This newfound confidence not only helps them in the short term but also sets them up for long-term success. When our teens have the confidence, skills, and support they need to succeed, we all benefit.

For more information about the M.E. Project, email Courtney.Watts-Cole@dcss.ca.gov. 

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OCSS issued recent guidance to help states and tribes develop and operate their child support programs according to federal laws and regulations:

• Submittal of the OCSE-75 for FY 2024 (10/23/24)
• Open Comment Period — State Self-Assessment Report (09/30/24)

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