Child Support Enforcement 30 Years of Exchanging Data

1
Child Support Enforcement30 Years of
Exchanging Data
Experiences Lessons Learned
2006 Global Justice XML Data Model Users
Conference
September 2006
2
Agenda

• Legislative History
• Child Support Enforcement Program
• Data Exchanges
• Data Access
• Experiences
• Data Sharing Initiatives
• Future Directions

3
Legislative History
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 Purpose To
restructure the welfare system
1996
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) Purpose
To increase paternity establishment
1993
Family Support Act (FSA) Purpose Place
increased emphasis on enforcement remedies and
paternity
1988
Child Support Enforcement Amendments
(CSE) Purpose Major reform and required
techniques
1984

• Title IV-D of Social Security Act
• Purpose Established federal program

1975
4
The Child Support Enforcement Program
5
The Child Support Enforcement Program

• Federally Funded
• State Administered
• State or County Operated

Challenges.... Cross Jurisdictional Program
6
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Responsibilities

• Provide Policy Guidelines to States
• Provide Funding
• Provide Technical Assistance
• Ensure Compliance
• Operate the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS)
  Federal Income Tax Refund Offset

7
State Responsibilities

• Administer the Child Support Enforcement (CSE)
  Program
• Deliver Program Services
• Operate State Parent Locator Service (SPLS)

8
State Functions

• Locate Non-Custodial Parents
• Establish Paternity
• Establish Orders Using State Guidelines
• Enforce Orders
• Review and Adjust Orders
• Monitor and Distribute Collections
• Cooperate in Interstate Enforcement

9
The National Community

• Numerous Jurisdictions
• Various Operating Modes Judicial,
  Administrative
• Numerous Systems
• Common Business Need to Exchange Data

Challenges.... A need for automation
10
The Child Support Enforcement Process
Locate
Missing Data Is Sought To Locate The
Non- Custodial Parent And His/Her Assets
11
Data Exchanges
12
Child Support Community

• Communication link for 54 diverse CSE automated
  systems for the purpose of exchanging interstate
  case information between IV-D agencies

Various platforms Technologies

• 50 States
• District of Columbia,
• Puerto Rico,
• Guam,
• and the Virgin Islands

13
The Big Picture - State/Federal
FI
FI
EFT/EDI
EFT/EDI
Legacy Systems
SDU
SDU
SCR
SWS
CSENet
EFT/EDI
EFT/EDI
SDNH
SDNH
Empl.
Empl.
CD
Direct Income WH
Case Registry Data
New Hire Data
QW UI
SWA
FederalAgency
QW NH
14
The Big Picture - State Level
15
The Big Picture - Interstate
EFT/EDI
EFT/EDI
EFT/ EDI
EFT/ EDI
16
The Big PictureFederal Parent Locator Service
NDNH
17
Each State is Unique
Differences in rules, policies, and procedures
can make communications difficult. Each state
also has its own child support language.
CSE operates under the state domestic relations
law
18
National Data Exchange

• Provide automation where it is most effective and
  at the appropriate level
• National locate

Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS)
19
Data Access
20
Data Access
IRS Criminal Investigations
NDNH
21
Data Sharing Challenges

• 54 different child support systems
• More than 8 different agency systems
• Paper, Fax, Phone, Mail, E-mail, Flat file, XML
  mediums of communications
• Batch Real-time delivery
• Non standard definitions

Where to start?
22
Data Sharing Improvements

• Develop a common language for data exchange.
• Data Standards
• Data Quality
• XML

23
Data Standards
The absence of a common frame of reference,
common business term definitions, and an
agreed-to format for exchange makes it difficult
for parties to understand each other.
24
Improving Communications
OCSE is committed to ensuring that information
and communication is
Consistent
Timely
Actionable
25
Current Definition and Standards Activities
Data Modeling Activities
Interstate Interagency Data Access
Business Definitions Data Standards
State System Certification
Data Submission Guides
Court (XML)
Data Quality Management
Modernization Planning
All of these activities either depend on or
influence the definition of common business
terminology and the subsequent capture of data
standards for information exchange.
26
Business Objectives Drive Both Standards and
Models
Business Objectives

• Interstate Data Access Workgroup
• Court XML

Influence
Influence
National State interests drive this
Influence
State Data Models
Federal Data Model
Data Standards for Information Exchange

• ICR State Extract File Record Format
• Financial Data Match Specifications Handbook

27
What Makes a Data Standard?

• Participants desire a common framework for
  communicating
• Participants select key stakeholders to define
  and publish a draft standard
• Participants have opportunity to read and comment
  on draft

Most Importantly. All participants agree to use
the standard
28
OCSE Data Standards Program
Governance policies and processes that provide
the framework within which managers make
decisions and take actions to optimize outcomes.
OCSE Data Standards Governance Policies and
Procedures
Harmonization a process that compares the
meaning and format of related data elements
across multiple systems and media.
Data Harmonization Guide
Metadata data that describes the content,
quality, condition, and other characteristics of
data.
XML
Data Standards Registry
29
OCSE Data Standard Definitions

• Authoritative Sources for Definitions
• Statute
• Regulation
• Action Transmittal/ Policy Interpretation
• Dear Colleague Letter (DCL)
• Subject Matter Expert
• Convention

30
Data Quality
31
Data Quality

• Dimensions of Quality
• Problem Resolution

32
Dimensions of Quality

• Accuracy
• Completeness
• Consistency
• Timeliness
• Uniqueness

Most Importantly. Objectively Measurable
Dimensions
33
Data Quality Problem Resolution

• Data Quality Issues Tracking System
• Log, track, escalate data quality problems
• Web based

Most Importantly. Accessibility adoption
34
Data Sharing Initiatives
35
New Jurisdictions

• Courts
• Tribal Nations
• New terms
• New policies
• International
• Language

36
Real-time Data Exchanges

• QUICK Query Interstate Cases for Kids
• eIWO Electronic Income Withholding Order
• Courts Georgia, New York

37
Future Directions

• Education knowledge transfer
• Standards adoption paper forms, glossaries
• Child Support Enforcement Taxonomy
• GJXDM XML reusable components
• Policy driven systems design

38
Policy Driven Systems Design

• The Hague Conference on Private International Law
• Validate conventions through pilot testing

Consensus on the need. Drives development
39
FOR OUR ULTIMATE CUSTOMERS
40
Contact Info
Richard Ordowich Office of Child Support
Enforcement Rordowich_at_acf.hhs.gov