NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING (NPRM) released by federal Office of Child Support Enforcement on November 17, 2014 

Flexibility, Efficiency, and Modernization in Child Support Enforcement (updates existing rules, some of which are 35 years old, and make changes that would help modernize the program). The goals of the regulation are to:

• increase state and employer flexibility to better serve families;
• improve program effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation;
• permit certain job services to eligible noncustodial parents;
• streamline intergovernmental case processing;
• improve customer service; and
• remove barriers identified by employers, states, and families that impede efficient and timely child support payments. 

PolicyLink hosted a webinar to discuss the proposed rules on Monday January 12, 2015.  Click on links below to listen to the recording and view the powerpoint:

Webinar Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6JxVGcwhnA&feature=youtu.be 

Compiled PowerPoint: http://www.policylink.org/sites/default/files/1%2012%2015-ChildSupportRule-Slides.pdf 

And click here to read an article summarizing the proposed rule changes from the December 2014 Indiana Child Support Beacon.

New Fact Sheet on Fathers and Child Support: The State Office of Child Support released a fact sheet with information for fathers, families and fatherhood advocates on license suspension, arrears and non-support offenders. Click here to view the fact sheet.

Building Assets for Fragile Families:  The Asset Building for Financial Responsibility Program connected low-income, non-custodial parents involved in the child support system with financial education and asset building programs.  The goal was to develop financial stability among the parents, so their children will receive the support they need to lead happy, healthy lives.  The program, funded by the federal government, was an  innovative program designed to improve the financial well-being of children by increasing the financial literacy and standing of parents who pay child support

Click here to read our ohiofathers.org press release on the project.  Scroll down the page to our policy brief section for a report on Financial Literacy and Low-Income Non-Custodial Parents.

Child Support Guidelines:  The 2009 Ohio Child Support Guidelines Council released their report to the legislature and public on July 1, 2009.  The Executive Summary of the Guidelines Council Report can be downloaded here or from the Office of Child Support website: http://jfs.ohio.gov/Ocs/pubsmain.stm  Check back here for updates as these reform recommendations make their way through the State Legislature and get implemented.

Child Support Issues for Incarcerated and Reentry Fathers: In January of 2009, a Collaboration of the Ohio Office of Child Support (OCS), the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) and the Ohio Child Support Directors Association (OCDA) submitted a report to the State Directors of Job and Family Services and DRC making policy recommendations related to incarcerated and reentry obligors.  The recommendations are designed to empower parents so that they can successfully remove barriers to the payment of child support.  The Collaboration Report can be downloaded here.  Check back here for updates as these reform recommendations make their way through the State Legislature and get implemented.

Financial Literacy and Low-Income Non-Custodial Parents - a report by the Center for Family Practice and Policy on the issues low-income noncustodial parents face in regard to financial literacy and asset development services.

The Potential Impact of Increasing Child Support Payments to TANF Families - an article by Laura Wheaton and Elaine Sorensen of the Urban Institute on changes in Child Support rules that will allow up to $200 a month in child support payments to be "passed-through" directly to custodial parents and not counted when determining a family's TANF benefits.  These new rules will take affect in October of 2008.  States will have to change policy to adopt them.   Click on the link above for a pdf version of the article.

Assessing Child Support Arrears in Nine Large States and the Nation - this report, commissioned by the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement conclusively shows that the vast majority of child support arrears are owed by poor fathers with either no income or reported income of $10,000 or less.   Click on the link above for a pdf version of the article.