Child Support Report XXIV, No. 8, 20020801

It is clear from the latest U.S. Census report that our society has undergone rather dramatic shifts in the make-up of its population in recent years. Ethnic/racial minorities now make up almost one third of the total population. The Hispanic/Latino population has grown to 35.3 million in ten years, an increase of 58 percent, and represents 12.6 percent of the total population. If public service programs - such as child support enforcement with all its - are going to achieve optimal effectiveness, they must find ways to adapt their services to meet the needs of this changing society.

The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) made a major move in this direction a few years back when it published a Spanish edition of the Child Support Handbook (Mi Familia, Neustra Vida). That was followed with the Spanish production of its paternity establishment video, "The Power of Two" (El Poder de 2).

Although language differences are more obvious, other cultural differences need to be seen as major factors in planning programs to effectively serve our expanded customer base.

For instance, some ethnic, cultural and language minority populations experience more than the normal difficulties in working through the requirements of the child support system in order to obtain the needed support. For this reason, OCSE believes that an increased effort to reach as broad a customer base as possible should form an integral part of our basic program services and be on our list of goals for improvement.

It is for this reason that OCSE issued Section 1115 Demonstration and Special Improvement Project (SIP) grants to design and test new methods of providing services and materials for traditionally under-served communities with language/culture issues. These grant opportunities encouraged community-based organizations, state agencies, researchers, and advocates to seek improvements in their customer service and outreach in communities with language and cultural needs.

Eight grants were awarded to states and non-profit and faith-based organizations to enhance outreach to the Hispanic/Latino community:

The California "Latino Outreach" uses media and community-based organizations in developing/testing targeted approaches/materials to enhance the understanding and use of child support by the urban Latino population in Los Angeles.

Minnesota "Paternity Establishment Percentage Improvement Initiative" uses advocacy groups and medical professional groups to identify cultural barriers and develop materials for use in "in hospital paternity establishment" by non-English speaking fathers. Minnesota will also test different approaches to helping non-English speaking clients by using bilingual child support workers in different working arrangements in a leading county.

New Mexico's "Comprehensive Outreach Supporting Paternity and Support Order Entry" will develop an outreach program and a centralized bilingual staff to increase the rate of paternity and support order establishment and to create a national model of outreach to Hispanics.

Washington's "Madrina Project" is attempting to remove barriers to effective child support service and providing targeted consumer education in Yakima County. Local community leaders, "madrinas" (godparents) receive extensive training and are providing community outreach, education, and assistance on child support services.

United Migrant Opportunities Service (UMOS) "Latino/Hispanic Community Child Support Outreach Project" in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is testing new models for conducting outreach activities (radio advertising, brochures, billboards, transit signs, direct mail) with separate custodial and non-custodial target campaigns within larger campaigns.

Christian Family Gathering "Nuestro Hijos (Our Children) Advocacy Project," also in Milwaukee, is a faith-based organization providing outreach with trained church members as advocates to assist individuals in need of child support services.

Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund, "Strengthening Support: Building Bridges Between Communities," is providing outreach, awareness campaigns, education and advocacy services in child support to Latino communities in Bridgeport, Hartford, New Britain, and Willamantic areas. This project empowers parents to become child support advocates for community members who need help navigating the child support system.

Ecumenical Child Care Network Resources for Families Project is developing a collaborative effort with child support enforcement, family support, and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) agencies to sponsor four community forums, in four different cities, to forge new collaborations among houses of worship, welfare agencies, and early childhood and other community programs.

Not enough is known about how child support enforcement is viewed among ethnic, cultural, and language minority populations. Our success as a government service agency will be measured by how well we adapt to these changing times and adapt our programs in order that we might more adequately serve this significant and growing part of our customer base. A SIP grant announcement (OCSE 99SIP-02) for Child Support Enforcement Demonstration and Special Improvement Projects has been issued on May 30. 2002 in the Federal Register (67 FR 37811). This grant announcement has a Priority Area for improving child support services for ethnic and culturally diverse populations, tribes and the international community.

For more information on the eight grants listed, and to submit any ideas you might have, contact Frank Fajardo, 303-844-1144.

Frank Fajardo is the Minority Initiatives Coordinator in OCSE's Division of Special Staffs.

OCSE Commissioner Sherri Z. Heller represented the Department by testifying on July 9, 2002 at the subcommittee's hearing on Federal agency processes related to the approval of state information technology (IT) projects supporting state-administered Federal human services programs. The programs include: Child Support Enforcement, Child Welfare, Medicaid and Food Stamps. Other Federal officials testifying represented the General Accounting Office (GAO), which recently studied the issue, and the Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also sent a representative to answer questions. Also testifying, were chief information officers from the States of Kentucky and Georgia and a representative of the private sector. Commissioner Heller's testimony was on the general topic of IT systems approval, and not specifically related to child support enforcement systems.

Commissioner Heller and the other Federal representatives pointed out that the GAO study showed that, in the vast majority of cases looked at, Federal responses (i.e., funding approvals) were within legislatively-established time frames. They stated that, due to the potential for large amounts of funds being wasted on poor decision making, appropriate oversight is necessary and indicated a willingness to continue to work with the states and each other to come up with a fair and balanced process that satisfies the need for accountability. During the question-and-answer portion of the hearing, Dr. Heller drew attention to the importance of data security and privacy issues, noting that the Federal oversight can address disclosure protections when states are building cross-program automation systems.

Dr. Heller's statement can be viewed at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/new/it_hearing_testimony.htm.

The Office of Child Support Enforcement is sponsoring five "Customer Service Web Development" training workshops which will be two days in length. These workshops will showcase best practices and lessons learned from states and provide information for participants in defining, building, and operating a Child Support Enforcement (CSE) web-based customer service system in your state or territory. The first of five workshops will be held during the 12th National Child Support Enforcement Training Conference in Arlington, Virginia on September 23-25, 2002. Other workshop dates and locations are:

November 14-15, 2002 in New York City;

January 13-14, 2003 in Dallas;

February 25-26,2003 in Atlanta; and

March 25-26, 2003 in Seattle.

The intended audience for this workshop is technical staff who are, or will be, responsible for building state's web-based CSE customer service system. We ask that these staff members be given first priority to attend. Each workshop can accommodate up to 30 attendees each. A Dear Colleague letter, DCL - 02 -16, was dated and sent to IV-D Directors on July 8, 2002 encouraging them to nominate staff to participate in these training sessions. OCSE will pay travel, lodging, and per diem expenses for one participant per state, but states are welcome to send additional staff at their own expense, space permitting.

During the workshop, participants will receive relevant information and documentation collected from various states and a contact list of Federal and state personnel who can assist after the workshop ends. Participants will also leave the workshop with a "to do" list with three to five specific actions they can take after training to facilitate progress in their agencies toward initiating or enhancing a web-based CSE customer service system.

For further information, please contact Michael Rifkin at (202) 401-6501, mrifkin@acf.hhs.gov

A new program is helping fathers in Northern Minnesota with custody, parenting, child development and other issues.

Since September 2001, child support officers have been able to refer fathers to a program called DADs. DADs promotes the positive involvement of fathers in the lives of their children and connects parents to mentors and peer groups.

"We feel good that we finally have a place to refer parents," said Mary Lou Feroni, St. Louis County child support supervisor. "Anything that strengthens the relationships between fathers and mothers and their children benefits us and the families."

DADs promotes the positive involvement of fathers in the lives of their children and connects parents to mentors and peer groups.

DADs recently hosted two law clinics. Approximately 60 parents, mostly fathers, attended each clinic and asked questions about support, paternity establishment, parenting time and custody. Feroni called the clinics a success and said child support will continue to participate quarterly.

Velura Peterson, who has more than 20 years' experience assisting fathers, spearheaded the program. Peterson attended the Family Ties Collaborative Summit in 2000 on a scholarship from the Minnesota Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED). "We knew Velura Peterson had a vision and a determination to make things happen," said Mary Anderson, CSED supervisor of awareness and education.

Since then, Peterson has created opportunities to support fathers where nothing existed before. She now coordinates the DADs Program through a nonprofit organization called the Wesley House Project. Wesley House secured a $20,000 grant from the Northland Foundation, a private organization in Duluth that serves people in greater Minnesota. The grant, "Through the Eyes of the Child," aims to develop and enhance healthy relationships between fathers and their children. An additional $35,000 grant from the Hibbling Family Services Collaborative pays for office space, supplies and staff at the Family Investment Center in Hibbling.

The location is critical because it strategically places the program with seven other organizations that deal with youth and at-risk populations. "Being there helps us be involved and helps all of us to provide wraparound services," said Peterson.

For additional information about the program, contact Velura Peterson at 218-749-9779

The Child Support Reform Shareholders' Group (CSRSG) was formed in April 2001 to assist the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and county child support enforcement agencies in their efforts to improve the quality of services in the child support program. The CSRSG is comprised of county and State staff, a Federal government representative (Gale Quinn, Program Specialist, Region V), parents, judges, prosecutors, advocacy groups, legislators, employers, and prosecutors.

The CSRSG's task is to review financial, administrative, program, policy, customer service, technology, and inter-system issues. After examining their effectiveness and accountability, it will make recommendations in October 2002 to the ODJFS Director, the Governor, and the State legislature, for improvements that are specific, realistic and measurable.

Since the recommendations will be strongly supported by research and will have the buy-in of the shareholders, it is expected that, over the long run, many of the recommendations will be implemented. After implementation, it is expected that child support customers will benefit from improved quality in the delivery of services. In fact, customers and shareholders have benefited already from improved program awareness.

The purpose of the Child Support Reform Shareholders' Group is to assist the State of Ohio, counties, and child support partners in improving programs and the delivery of quality services to all parents and their children. The shareholders' group will take a holistic approach to establish long-term priorities and to develop innovative strategies to create a more effective and efficient child support program in Ohio.

The CSRSG has spent the past year gathering and reviewing information from every facet of child support service delivery in Ohio. In order to cover all areas involved, seven subcommittees were asked to concentrate on various areas. The committees formed were: Parents for Rights and Responsibilities, Accountability and Dependability, Customer Service, Funding and Legislation, Staffing and Training, Structure, and Technology/Work System Design.

The CSRSG subcommittees have mounted various public awareness campaign efforts to maximize use of research, review, and analysis efforts. They include:

The CSRSG's efforts to collect, research, and analyze information about Ohio's child support system have brought public awareness to CSRSG's mission of making targeted recommendations to improve the delivery of child support services.

Susan McKinley is Program Manager of the Child Support Reform Shareholders' Group.

The Northeast Hub is convening once more to discuss the increasingly important issue of effective arrears management. The meeting will take place this September in Arlington, VA, in conjunction with the 12th National OCSE Training Conference. The Northeast Hub met twice last year in Philadelphia: first to establish a discussion framework and a second time to report on the progress of new initiatives.

The outcome of these meetings is captured in two summaries that provide extensive detail on arrears management issues and solutions, accompanied by numerous descriptions of State best practices, initiatives and on-going pilot projects. The summaries are now available on the OCSE website's National Electronic Child Support Resource System, by searching for "Managing Child Support Arrears: A Discussion Framework" under the topic of Best Practices or the State of Maryland, Connecticut or New Jersey. The website address is: ocse.acf.dhhs.gov/necsrspub.

The September meeting will focus on the outcomes and results of on-going initiatives and new policy implementations. States will also report on new initiatives and the status of pending or recently enacted arrears management legislation.

Finally, States plan to discuss the possible impact of changing economic times upon arrears management issues, and whether or not it may be appropriate to prioritize respective arrears management solutions in response. Meeting outcomes will, once again, be summarized and made available to all interested parties. For more information about the Hub meetings, please contact Jens A. Feck, ROII Program Specialist, at (787) 766-5196 or jfeck@acf.hhs.gov.

Jens A. Feck is a Program Specialist in OCSE's Region II

Georgia's Fatherhood Program video "The Father's Side" won a second place bronze Telly Award.

The video was produced by Elaine Tillier, executive producer of Georgia Public Television (GPTV) Client Projects at Georgia Public Broadcasting. Tillier submitted the video, which was one of more than 11,000 entries in the 2001 national competition among leading advertising agencies and top corporations.

The Georgia Child Support Enforcement office contracted with Georgia Public Broadcasting to produce the 30-minute video, which aired on GPTV in June 2001. It profiles three Georgia Fatherhood Program participants who have problems with visitation and transportation, have criminal backgrounds, and are substance abusers. The project was shown on Georgia Public Broadcasting on Fathers' Day, 2001 and was seen in over 111,000 homes.

Copies of the video were distributed to all state IV-D offices. Additional copies are available for $3. For more information, call 1-888-432-8437.

Telly Awards are a well-known, highly-respected national competition to honor outstanding non-network and cable commercials, video productions, and films.