Operating under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, this federal-state-local partnership collects child support: to ensure that children have the financial support of both parents, to emphasize that children need both parents involved in their lives, and to reduce public assistance costs. Child support handles two types of cases, TANF and Non-TANF, according to whether the custodial parent and child are receiving TANF. TANF and Non-TANF cases are divided into cases with and cases without judicial or administrative obligations to pay support on a regular basis. Non-Title IV-D cases are handled privately, generally through attorneys. The Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) is required by federal law to collect, account for, and distribute all payments from income withholding for such cases.
Collections represent the total dollars paid on existing child support obligations for TANF and non-TANF cases. The Division of Child Support Enforcement operates 20 district offices. These offices locate non-custodial parents, their employers, and income and assets; establish paternity; establish and adjust child support obligations; establish health-care orders; enforce child support and medical support obligations; and collect and disburse child support payments, including court-ordered medical support payments.
Once a child support obligation is established, the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) usually issues an income-withholding order to the non-custodial parent’s employer to ensure the obligated amount is withheld by the employer and remitted to DCSE on a regular basis. Some payments (e.g., SSI) are exempt from garnishment by federal and state law.
Child support administers two types of cases, TANF and Non-TANF, according to whether the custodial parent and child are receiving TANF. TANF and Non-TANF cases are categorized as either with or without judicial or administrative support orders or obligations to pay support on a regular basis.
Before a child support case can be obligated, the paternity of the child must be established. This may be done administratively through any of the 20 district offices, by court order, or through the in-hospital Paternity Establishment Project (PEP). Under the hospital-based Paternity Establishment Project, hospital staff are required to give unmarried couples the opportunity to voluntarily acknowledge the paternity of their child, shortly after the child's birth. This project is distinct from paternities established in child support cases, and applies statewide to all unmarried parents with a hospital birth.
In order for a case to be obligated for payment of child support, paternity must be established. The Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) may establish paternity at any time before the child's 18th birthday. Child support administers two types of cases, TANF and Non-TANF. “Non-TANF” is a case where the custodial parent and child do not receive TANF benefits. (Also, see entries for Child Support Enforcement Collections and Child Support Enforcement Obligations.)
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