Child Support Enforcement CASE MANAGEMENT

CASE MANAGEMENT POLICY

GENERAL INFORMATION

This topic contains information on the following subjects:

1. Participant data maintenance;

2. Types of case data;

3. Types of participant data;

4. Case closure.



PARTICIPANT DATA MAINTENANCE

Maintaining accurate participant data is the cornerstone for building and working CSE cases. When data is entered accurately entered and maintained properly, cases remain workable and CSE can provide the necessary services to the case participants.

Each case participant exists once in ACTS. When participant data is added to ACTS, the system assigns a unique identification number to that participant, the Master Participant Index (MPI) number. No participant in ACTS is assigned more than one MPI number, and no MPI number is is assigned to more than one participant.

A participant can be active in more than one CSE case and in more than one county. The same MPI number is used to identify the participant record regardless of the county or CSE caseworker taking the action. Updates to the participant record are synchronized across the counties in which the participant is active.



TYPES OF CASE DATA

Case data is divided into the following categories:

• Case status, workable status, & processing status data – Caseworkers can enter and update the case status, workable/unworkable status, and the processing status for a case. (Supervisory level workers can also close and re-open cases.)
• Interstate status & other state case data – Caseworkers can enter and update the Interstate status, the NCP and client residency status, Interstate document and payee FIPS codes, and the other state's case information in ACTS.
• Case medical support data – Caseworkers can indicate whether or not a client has satisfactory insurance other than Medicaid. They can also indicate whether an MAO client also wants Child/Spousal Support enforcement services.
• Good Cause & client noncooperation data – Caseworkers can indicate whether or not Good Cause is claimed on open CSE cases that are coded "TANF" or "MAO". They can also indicate whether or not a TANF or MAO client has been cooperative with CSE in a variety of activities.
• Miscellaneous case data – Caseworkers can suppress and resume billing, suppress the automatic generation of Show Cause documents, record CSE services application fee information, indicate whether or not a protective order is in place for the client and/or child(ren) in a CSE case, and indicate whether or not a NCP in a Locate-Only case has been submitted for "Quick Locate".

TYPES OF PARTICIPANT DATA

Participant data is divided into following categories:

• Participant name/alias & demographic data - Both ACTS and caseworkers can record a primary name and numerous alias names for each participant. Caseworkers also can enter demographic data that identifies and describes a participant, such as sex, race, date of birth, Social Security number, etc.
• Participant address data - Both ACTS and the caseworkers use address information that is stored in the system to mail correspondence to participants and to support Locate efforts.
• Participant employment data - Both ACTS and caseworkers use the employment data that is stored in the system for payment entry, obligation calculation, income withholding, and Locate activities. Caseworkers and interfaces can enter and store multiple employment records in ACTS for each participant. The employment record database allows the storage of more than one current job record and provides a chronological history of a participant's previous employment.
• Participant medical insurance data - Both ACTS and caseworkers use the medical insurance data that is stored in the system to identify participants who are carrying medical insurance and the dependents who are covered by the insurance. Medical insurance information (or its absence) is useful in identifying potential candidates for further enforcement activities. Multiple insurance records can be stored for each participant.
• Participant notes data - Caseworkers can use the notes feature in ACTS to supplement the standard formatted data for each participant.
• Participant/case relationship data - Caseworkers must define the relationship of the participants to each other in a case. Because participants have unique MPI numbers that are attached to them as individuals and cases have CSE case (IV-D) numbers attached to them, the case relationship is what describes each participant's role in a case.

CASE CLOSURE

CSE cases are eligible for closure if they meet at least one of the case closure criteria that are allowed by Federal regulation at 45CFR 303.11 or by CSE policy.

Local CSE can elect to keep open a case that meets case closure criteria if potential exists for the collection of current support or arrearage payments. The case record should include documentation that the case closure criteria have been met and why the case is being kept open. The CSE agency must retain all records for CSE cases closed pursuant to these criteria for a minimum of three (3) years in accordance with the applicable Code of Federal Regulations.

A CSE case can be closed if any one of the following criteria is met:

1. A current support order is no longer in place and arrearages are under $500 or unenforceable under State law;

2. The noncustodial parent (NCP) or putative father is dead, and no further action can be taken, such as a levy against the estate, or establishing paternity as provided by G.S. 49-14(C). For more information, see the Paternity chapter;

3. Paternity cannot be established because:

A. The child is at least eighteen (18) years old and action to establish paternity is barred by the statute of limitations, or

B. The putative father has been excluded by paternity testing or by the court, and no other putative father can be identified, or

C. The identity of the biological father is unknown and cannot be identified after diligent efforts, including at least one (1) interview with the client by the CSE agency;

4. The NCP’s location is unknown, and CSE has made repeated attempts to locate the NCP using multiple resources, all of which have been unsuccessful:

A. Over a three-year period when there is sufficient information to initiate an automated locate effort, or

B. Over a one-year period when sufficient information DOES NOT exist to initiate an automated locate effort. “Sufficient information” is defined as the availability of the NCP's name and Social Security number;

5. The NCP cannot pay support for the duration of the child's minority because the parent is in a psychiatric facility or a prison with no chance of parole, or the NCP has a medically-verified total and permanent disability with no evidence of support potential. The local caseworker must determine that no income or assets are available to the NCP that could be levied or attached for support;

6. The NCP is a citizen of, and lives in, a foreign country, does not work for the United States government or a company with offices in this country, has no reachable domestic income or assets, and CSE has been unable to establish reciprocity with the foreign country;

7. In an Non-TANF case, the agency is unable to contact the applicant within a sixty (60) calendar day period, despite an attempt of at least one letter sent by first class mail to the last known address;

8. The Non-TANF applicant's noncooperation is documented, and an action by the applicant is essential for the next step in providing services;

9. For Interstate Responding cases:

A. The local CSE agency documents the failure of the Initiating state to take action which is essential for the next step in providing services, or

B. The Initiating state has not responded to a request for case closure;

10. The client in a Non-TANF case (or a former TANF, Medicaid, or IV-E case) requests case closure, and medical support or the arrearages that accrued under the support order are not assigned to the State;

11. IV-A, Medicaid, or IV-E had made a determination that Good Cause exists for not cooperating with CSE; or

12. Location services in a Locate Only case have been provided.

CSE case closure based on the criteria in items 1-9 requires that local CSE notify the client in writing of the intent to close the case sixty (60) calendar days prior to closing the case.

Local CSE should also inform the client that the case can be reopened at a later date if a change in circumstances occurs that could lead to the establishment of paternity or a support order or to the enforcement of an order.

The case must be kept open if the client supplies information in response to the Closure Notice that might lead to the establishment of paternity or a support order (or to the enforcement of an existing order), or if contact is re-established with the applicant.

CSE cases that are closed according to the criteria in items 10-12 do not require that the client be notified in writing and can be closed immediately. When closing a case, CSE must document the reason for the termination of CSE services.