Final Rule: Flexibility, Efficiency, and Modernization in Child Support Enforcement Programs
AT-16-06
ACTION TRANSMITTAL
AT-16-06
DATE: December 20, 2016
TO: State Agencies Administering Child Support Enforcement Plans under Title IV‑D of the Social Security Act and other Interested Individuals
SUBJECT: Final Rule: Flexibility, Efficiency, and Modernization in Child Support Enforcement Programs
ATTACHMENT: Compliance Dates Listed by Federal Requirement (PDF)
SUMMARY: The Flexibility, Efficiency, and Modernization in Child Support Enforcement Programs final rule was published on December 20, 2016, in the Federal Register, on page 93492, Volume 81, Number 244 (PDF).
This final rule makes changes to strengthen the child support enforcement program and updates current practices to increase regular, on-time payments to families, to increase the number of noncustodial parents supporting their children, and to improve program operations.
The final regulatory improvements are grouped in the following categories: (1) procedures to promote program flexibility, efficiency, and modernization; (2) updates to account for advances in technology; and (3) technical corrections. The goals of the regulations are to:
- increase state and employer flexibility to better serve families;
- improve program effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation;
- improve customer service; and
- remove barriers identified by employers, states, and families that impede efficient and timely child support payments.
To assist the reader, the following table lists subject areas in the final rule with the corresponding page numbers where the provision is (are) discussed in the Federal Register. Please note that this table is a guide and is not intended to be a comprehensive summary.
| Subject areas | FR Preamble Page Numbers[1] | Regulatory text page numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Access to justice | 494-497; 500; 515-530; 532-537 | 562-564; 567 |
| Case closure | 497-499; 540-547 | 564-566 |
| Child support guidelines | 494-496; 515-530 | 562-563 |
| Due process protections in civil contempt proceedings | 496-497; 532-537 | 564 |
| Exemptions | 496; 530 | 563 |
| Federal financial participation activities allowed | 499-500; 551-552 | 567 |
| Federal financial participation activities prohibited | 500; 552 | 567 |
| Foster Care | 494; 509 | 561 |
| Incarceration of noncustodial parents | 495; 497; 526-528; 537-540 | 562; 564 |
| Job services | 496; 531 | — |
| Limited services for applicants | 494; 509-513 | 561 |
| Medicaid referrals/ Indian health services | 498-499; 545-547 | 560; 565 |
| Medical support | 499; 547-549 | 566 |
| OMB-approved income withholding form | 499; 549-550 | 566 |
| Parenting time | 495; 551-552 | — |
| Payment processing | 493-494; 506-509; 513-515 | 561-562 |
| Review and adjustment of orders | 497; 537-540 | 564 |
| SSI/ Title II benefits | 498; 500; 543; 552-554 | 565; 568 |
| Subsistence needs | 494-498; 518-520; 523-524; 534-535 | 562; 565 |
| Tribal case transfer | 498; 544-545 | 565 |
REFERENCES: 45 CFR 301, 302, 303, 304, 307, 308, and 309.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 19, 2017 - This is the date when the final rule revisions go into effect. Compliance with individual requirements may vary. See the attached table for a list of the compliance dates.
INQUIRIES: Please contact your OCSE Regional Program Specialist or the Division of Policy and Training at OCSE.DPT@acf.hhs.gov if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Vicki Turetsky
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement
cc: ACF/OCSE Regional Program Managers, Tribal IV-D Directors
[1] The Final Rule is on pages 93492-93569 of the Federal Register. For spacing purposes, we have truncated the page numbers to the last three digits.
Files
- PDF 2016 Final Rule Compliance Dates.pdf (106.96 KB)