Child Support Services CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES POLICY MANUAL

CSS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

GENERAL INFORMATION

This topic contains information on the following subjects:

1. CSS Policy & Procedures Manual;

2. CSS Public Web Site;

3. The Early Intervention Program;

4. eChild Support Web Site (Clients & NCPs);

5. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System.



CSS POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

Each local CSS agency must make the CSS Policy and Procedure Manual available for review to anyone desiring information regarding the policies and procedures of the CSS program. CSS agencies should provide access to this information during all normal business hours.

For this purpose, a "public" version of the CSS Manual that contains only CSS policy and some business process information is also available through the North Carolina DHHS Web Site: "http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/cse/man/".

CSS PUBLIC WEB SITE (AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NC DHHS WEB SITE)

The CSS Public Web Site ("http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dss/cse/index.htm")

provides general information about the Child Support Services Program in North Carolina. It contains a variety of program information for the general public, custodial and noncustodial parents, employers, and attorneys, as well as links to the CSS Manual and the eChild Support Web Site.



EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM

The Early Intervention Program uses an automated calling system to contact noncustodial parents (NCPs) and clients. These contacts are an effort to support and maintain the consistent payment of child support and to improve customer service. The Program Enhancement Unit at the CSS Central Office is responsible for this program.

This system retrieves phone number information for participants from ACTS. The automated dialer contacts NCPs to remind them of upcoming hearings and appointments. It also calls NCPs who have new support orders or have cases that are in "DELQ" (Delinquency) status for the first time to encourage consistent payment of child support.

The automated dialer contacts clients who have upcoming appointments scheduled. It also calls clients who have recently enrolled in the "ncKIDScard" program to give them information about the program, including changes (such as the issuance of new cards when the old ones are about to expire).

Foster care, interstate, and NIVD cases are excluded from this program, as well as cases for which a Family Violence indicator has been is set to "Y" (Yes). The Early Intervention Program protects participant confidentiality, since CSS is not identified as the caller.



ECHILD SUPPORT WEB SITE (INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO CLIENTS AND NONCUSTODIAL PARENTS)

The eChild Support Web Site ("http://www.ncchildsupport.com") provides registered users (clients, noncustodial parents, employers, in-state and out-of-state CSS workers) with detailed information about child support cases in North Carolina. It contains the same case-specific information as the CSS Customer Service Center's Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system.

Clients and NCPS can register online to access their case information by entering identifying information and assigning themselves a user ID and password. The type of information that is available is determined by whether the registered user is a CSS worker, client, NCP, or employer.

ECHILDSUPPORT - INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS

The information available to clients includes:

• Case summary information (including processing status and caseworker name and telephone number);
• The last twelve (12) payments disbursed to the client (with the mailing dates);
• An obligation summary (current support and arrearages);
• Child support guidelines and a worksheet calculator;
• Client appointment dates (past and future);
• Hearing dates (past and future).

Clients can also:

• Download the Direct Deposit Authorization form (also available in Spanish);
• Request a 13-month payment history via email.

ECHILDSUPPORT - INFORMATION FOR NCPS

• Case summary information (including processing status and caseworker name and telephone number;
• The last twelve (12) payments paid by the NCP;
• An obligation summary (current support and arrearages);
• Child support guidelines and a worksheet calculator;
• NCP appointment dates (past and future);
• Hearing dates (past and future).

NCPs can also:

• Request a 13-month payment history via email;
• Request payment coupons via regular mail.

INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE ON THE ECHILD SUPPORT WEB SITE

The eChild Support web site does not display case information for:

• Cases closed because they are duplicates;
• Cases for which family violence is indicated. However, clients and NCPs are able to obtain payment information for these cases. Users are directed to contact the local CSS agency for case information on family violence cases.

INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) SYSTEM

The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system allows CSS customers to access financial and case data over the telephone. ACTS copies this data from other locations in the ACTS system to the IVR system and to INQUIRY ONLY Interactive Voice Response (IVR) screens. Customer Service Center (CSC) staff use these IVR screens to provide financial and case data to callers. These screens are available for all other CSS staff to use as well. A special screen is also available that allows EIS workers to access information about disbursements to custodial parents/clients without giving them access to other IVR screens that contain sensitive data.