Amended Guidance for SNAP-Only Cases on Federal Reporting Forms

ACTION TRANSMITTAL

ACF-OCSS-AT-24-10

DATE: November 6, 2024

TO: State IV-D Agencies

SUBJECT: Amended Guidance for SNAP-Only Cases on Federal Reporting Forms

State IV-D agencies are required to submit the OCSE-157 (Child Support Annual Data Report) data collection form. These data are collected, compiled, and presented in the Annual Report to Congress and used to compute individual state incentive and program performance measures. State IV-D agencies are also required to submit the OCSS-34 (Child Support Services Program Quarterly Collection Report) to report quarterly collections made under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

Section 454(4)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act includes a provision that requires state child support agencies to provide services relating to the establishment of paternity or the establishment, modification, or enforcement of child support obligations, as appropriate, in accordance with their state plan, for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) referred cases when, at the state’s option, “cooperation is required pursuant to section 6(l)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.”

States that receive non-mandatory SNAP referrals must require applications from recipients pursuant to 45 CFR 302.33. States that require cooperation of SNAP recipients must determine that the referral is an appropriate referral to the IV-D agency. SNAP-only IV-D cases must be reported on the OCSE-157 and OCSS-34 federal forms as outlined below to enable OCSS to accurately account for these cases:

       On the OCSE-157, report SNAP-only referred cases as Never Assistance cases.

       On the OCSS-34, report SNAP-only referred cases as Other Never Assistance cases.

The following documentation requirements apply in accordance with the case record requirements of 45 CFR 303.2(b) and (c) for SNAP-only referred cases:

       States that require cooperation of SNAP recipients must document the SNAP recipient’s referral to the child support program in the IV-D case record.

       States that receive SNAP-only referrals but do not require cooperation of SNAP recipients must include a completed application for IV-D services in the case record.

ACTION REQUIRED: For states reporting SNAP-only cases, report as indicated above.

SUPERSEDES: ACF-OCSS-AT-24-08

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective immediately.

INQUIRIES: Contact your OCSS Regional Program Manager.

Tanguler Gray
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Services