January 2022 CSQ

ChildSupportCommuniQue

Table of Contents
January 2022
Executive Director’s Message……………………………………………………….… 3
Community Corner: PEP Pressure in a Pandemic Environment…………….………..5
NCSEA 2022 Policy Forum Preview…………………………………………….…........7
A Guided Tour of IV-D Videos and Live Interaction…………………………….……..10
Intergovernmental Hot Topics …………………………………………………………..19
NCSEA U Spotlight……………………………………………………………………….27
Don’t Stand Up If You’re Not Wearing Pants……………………………………….....29

Ann Marie Ruskin
NCSEA Executive Director
As 2021 came to a close, I was determined to focus post-pandemic,
looking beyond the limitations and challenges we have lived for almost
two years. But alas, here we are dealing with the new omicron variant,
and again we are adjusting to current conditions. I am very pleased that
NCSEA will be in-person in Washington, D.C. next month for the Policy
Forum. We have missed opportunities to exchange and interact in
person. So much of our conference experience is engagement with
others outside the scheduled agenda—over breakfast, catching a snack
during a break, a chance meeting waiting for the elevator, or having a
drink at the bar in the evening. It is those spontaneous interactions that
allow us to expand our professional network, meet new colleagues, and
learn more about other State, County, and Tribal programs.
While we’ve missed the in-person events, the pandemic has also
required us to think outside the box, rethinking how we engage our
members, share content, and interact virtually. With that in mind,
NCSEA introduced new initiatives such as the Idea Exchange,
expanded current programs such as NCSEA Connects, and introduced
virtual conference options. The upcoming Policy Forum is an example of
the new opportunity, providing a virtual and in-person option for
attendees. It’s the first time we are offering live streaming in addition to
the live, in-person event, and is introducing a new audience to the
Policy Forum, a unique conference. If you are not able to join us in
person in Washington, D.C., please consider virtual attendance.
Sessions will be live, and recordings posted shortly after the session.

In addition to the Policy Forum, we hope you will take advantage of our
extensive Web-Talk schedule, NCSEA Connects meet-ups for specific
categories of child support professionals, Idea Exchanges, and of
course, the 2022 Leadership Symposium, to be held in August in
Charlotte, North Carolina. We are proud to offer a variety of events and
programs designed to enhance your professional development and
networking and provide important services to the child support
community.
As 2022 begins, we wish all our members and families a very happy
and healthy new year. It is a pleasure working with all of you.
Ann Marie Ruskin has served as NCSEA’s Executive Director since January, 2018.
She first joined NCSEA in 2010, leading professional development and programs.

PEP Pressure in a Pandemic
Environment
by John Hurst, Georgia Division of
Child Support Services
At 11:59:59 p.m. on September 30, 2020, Federal Fiscal Year 2020 (FFY
2020) ended. In the child support community, this date marks the end of
the reporting period for annual performance. Normally this is a routine
event for states; however, not much about FFY 2020 was routine due to the
onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
For many states that typically perform well in paternity establishment
percentage (PEP), the restrictions to in-person activities brought on by the
pandemic resulted in states not reaching the 90% federal benchmark for
this performance requirement. In Georgia, we finished FFY 2020 with an
84.11% PEP, which meant we needed to finish FFY 2021 at 86.11% or
higher to avoid a 1% to 2% penalty to our TANF block grant.
I had two major challenges awaiting me when I became Georgia’s IV-D
director in December 2020: the ongoing pandemic and the potential penalty
if we did not improve our PEP by at least 2% in FFY 2021. Our agency was
very responsive at the onset of the pandemic and had implemented
temporary operating procedures that enabled us to continue to provide
services while keeping our customers and employees safe. Obtaining the
2% PEP increase as the pandemic continued through FFY 2021 was a
daunting target that would require an “all hands on deck” effort from our
team.
It was clear that the challenge we had in front of us had captured the
attention of our department commissioner and her team. The support we
received from them was helpful, as it enabled us to tap into some
resources for assistance that we may not have otherwise been able to

access. We received help from the Administrative Office of the Courts,
Council of Superior Court Judges, Office of State Administrative Hearings,
and Attorney General’s Office in spreading the word and putting short-term
processes in place to drive paternity.
After a year of intense focus,
monitoring, projecting, brainstorming,
worrying, and outstanding performance
by our team, I am happy to say that as
of 11:59:59 p.m. on September 30,
2021, our PEP was 87.95%. This is a
3.84% increase over FFY 2020. This is
both good news and bad news. While
we improved by more than the required
2% threshold to avoid a potential penalty, we are still under 90% and must
go through this process again this year as the pandemic continues.
There may be relief to this pressure soon. On October 19, 2021, the
Paternity Establishment Percentage Performance Relief Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking was published, which proposed to modify the PEP
requirement from the 90% performance threshold to 50% for FFY 2020 and
2021 for a state to avoid a financial penalty. The adoption of this proposed
rule would bring much-needed relief to many states that have shared the
same experience as my state in the last year.
John Hurst is the Asst. Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Dept. of Human Services. He
has more than 28 years in the child support program, serving in various roles. John was
appointed to his current position and in this role, he serves as the IV-D Director of the
Georgia DCSS program. John earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in
Management from Georgia State University.

2022 Policy Forum Preview: Focusing On Our
Vision…Recognizing Our Perspectives
by Margot Bean and Connie Chesnik
Co-chairs, NCSEA 2022 Policy Forum
Child Support and Human Service professionals from across the country
will come together in person this February for the 2022 NCSEA Policy
Forum. This year’s theme, Focusing On Our Vision – Recognizing Our
Perspectives, reflects our shared vision that every child receives reliable
financial and emotional support. Over the course of three days, we will
focus our perspectives—no matter how different—to work together on
behalf of children and families and to advance and promote best practices
in the child support program.
Ten plenary sessions will offer attendees a variety of perspectives on topics
trending in the child support community. Additionally, as we continue to
“think big,” attendees will see short videos from several think tanks that
perform child support-related research and advocacy, discussing their
experiences building the child support program and their insights into the
program’s evolution.
Thursday’s sessions will open with a parents’ panel that will enhance
attendees’ understanding of how parents experience services across
human service programs and how we can better align those services to
serve young families more effectively. Participants will also hear from

program leadership on how they are approaching change in their states to
better promote customer participation and engagement.
The 2022 Policy Forum will build on the diversity, equity, and inclusion
(DEI) work begun during last year’s Policy Forum with a session that will
challenge participants to “live what we are learning.” As attendees sharpen
their equity lens, they will also have the opportunity to review existing child
support policies from a domestic violence perspective with a session that
focuses on incorporating trauma-informed practices into our service
delivery.
Friday’s plenaries will open with a session that focuses our perspectives on
how we measure our program’s success. As the child support program
evolves to center families in our discussions and to incorporate DEI and
trauma-informed care principles, a panel of child support program leaders
will explore how performance measures can evaluate the program’s
success in these areas. The remainder of the day will focus on a variety of
operational aspects of the child support program, beginning with the
evolution of child support enforcement tools over time. This session will
feature panelists with different perspectives on enforcement remedies and
how their approaches have evolved to adapt to changes in the program.
Friday’s program will examine the evolution of policy related to paternity
establishment over the past century with a focus on current issues,
including mandatory genetic testing and the implications of paternity
policies on the LGBTQ+ population. This will be followed by a critical
examination of whether recent changes to state child support guideline
requirements have improved child support outcomes for low-income
families. The day will conclude with a discussion of intergovernmental hot
topics, including interstate payment processing, case closure regulations,
$0 orders, limited services, and more. A panel of experts will explore these
topics to identify possible recommendations for change.
You will not want to miss the final programs on Saturday morning. The day
opens with a focus on system modernization, a key component in the
evolution of the child support program. Representatives from states with
recent experiences in modernizing their systems will discuss how to build
systems that can adapt to changes in both policy and customer needs.
The 2022 NCSEA Policy Forum will conclude with an interactive session
designed to bring our different perspectives together to provide actionable
steps attendees can take back to their states to continue working toward

our shared vision. We look forward to reconnecting with you in Washington,
D.C., from February 3-5, 2022!
Margot Bean is a Managing Director in Deloitte Consulting’s Human Services
Transformation Practice, focusing on helping child support programs improve their
outcomes by providing effective and efficient data driven customer-focused services.
She helps child support programs develop human centered case management systems
that streamline business processes, effectively analyze their caseloads, and allow case
managers to execute case strategies based on customer needs. Margot’s wide variety
of government experience prior to joining Deloitte provides her with deep understanding
and insight: Commissioner of the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, IV-D
Director of the New York State Child Support program, IV-D Director of the Guam Child
Support Program, and child support attorney. She is a current member of the NCSEA
Board of Directors.
Connie M. Chesnik received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the
University of Wisconsin-Madison. As an attorney for the Wisconsin Department of
Workforce Development, Connie advised the child support program for many years and
has spoken frequently on Wisconsin’s child support guidelines and Wisconsin’s tribal IV-
D program. She is currently the Administrator of the Division of Family and Economic
Security in the Department of Children and Families where she oversees Wisconsin’s
child support, refugee and employment programs. Connie is a member of the State Bar
of Wisconsin, and the State and National Child Support Enforcement Associations. She
currently serves on the NCSEA Board of Directors.

A Guided Tour of
IV-D Videos and Live
Interaction
by Christopher Breen, Massachusetts CSD &
Mary Ann Wellbank, Mary Ann Wellbank, LLC
OVERVIEW AND COVID-19
According to an April 2021 report of the U.S. Census Bureau, Computer
and Internet Use in the United States: 2018, 92% of U.S. households had
“at least one type of computer and 85% had a broadband internet
subscription.” A March 2021 survey conducted by the Pew Research
Center found that “85% of Americans say they go online on a daily basis”
and “44% of 18-to 49-year-olds say they go online almost constantly.” Child
support agencies have leveraged these trends by offering more information
and services through their websites.
COVID-19 provided an additional catalyst for IV-D agencies to find new
ways to deliver IV-D services remotely. This led to both a surge in digital
communication and realization that cloud-based services are essential to
engage customers into the future. As of December 2021, most IV-D
services were back on track, although in many cases the method of service
delivery changed permanently because of COVID-19. State websites offer
new services such as self-service portals for customers and colleagues,
online chatbots, centralized email addresses, and text notifications.
In its April 2021 article Social Media Use in 2021, the Pew Research
Center found that 81% of Americans and 95% of adults ages 18-29 say
they use YouTube. A November 2018 Pew study, Many Turn to YouTube
for Children’s Content, News, How-To Lessons, found that 51% of
YouTube users use YouTube to learn new things. Research conducted by

video marketing firm Wyzowl, and frequently cited by news and technical
media, indicates “when asked how they’d most like to learn about a product
or service, 69% said they’d prefer to watch a short video. This compares to
18% who’d rather read a text-based article, website, or post.” While those
statistics do not necessarily translate to clicking on links to governmentcreated
videos on IV-D websites, they do indicate that short, well-produced,
and conspicuous videos can successfully engage customers.
With this information in mind, the authors explored the IV-D websites of the
54 states and territories to identify innovations that agencies incorporated
into their web offerings, with a focus on the use of video to reach
customers. Numerous IV-D programs have uploaded state-produced
videos to their websites or added links to YouTube videos produced by
external partners such as the Office of Child Support (OCSE), fatherhood
programs, and Sesame Street. An increasing number of states maintain
department YouTube channels independent of IV-D websites where video
content is posted. A smaller percentage of states offer live interactions via
telecommunication, discussed later in this article.
The authors’ review consisted of eyeballing and testing links to videos and
reviewing the offerings to see what is out there and what might be of
interest to other states and IV-D agencies. The approach was subjective
and unscientific, but hopefully useful to IV-D agencies that wish to adopt or
compare best practices from other programs.
Subject to the limitations of the review, the observations of the authors are
categorized and summarized below. Links to the websites and videos have
been inserted in this article so that readers can just click a link to view the
content.
INTRODUCTION TO CHILD SUPPORT VIDEOS
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has its own YouTube
channel with hundreds of informational videos targeted to health and
human services professionals and consumers of other programs. This
channel contains an OCSE video (in English and Spanish) that is geared
toward IV-D parents and can be linked to state websites:
• What is Child Support?

• ¿Qué es el sustento de menores?
A number of states including Alaska, Arizona, Kentucky, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, West Virginia, and
Wisconsin link to this video.
California has an extensive Video Resource Library with an introductory
video and nearly 60 other videos that it maintains on both its social media
pages and on the state website itself. The 60-second videos posted for
customers are particularly effective.
On its Contact Us page, Colorado links to its YouTube account, which
offers a variety of resources to various stakeholders.
Connecticut’s Judicial Branch has a strong YouTube presence with several
videos to assist parents.
Florida links to its YouTube page, which has a video that explains how to
apply for services.
Illinois has several videos on its website under “How-To Videos”, including
an introduction to child support services, paternity establishment,
modifications, license suspension, and parenting plans.
Indiana Department of Child Services has a YouTube presence with videos
on how to apply for, receive, and pay child support and more.
Maryland has a Vimeo channel that includes a second introduction to child
support (in addition to the ACF/OCSE video) and a license suspension
video for noncustodial parents.
New York has a 20-minute YouTube Video, What You Need to Know About
Child Support Hearings and Services in New York State, that provides a

detailed explanation of the hearing process for each type of petition, the
documents to bring, and the services the IV-D program can provide.
At the bottom of its home page, North Dakota has a short video entitled Do
You Need Help with Child Support? It contains some North Dakota specific
references but would be easily adaptable to other states’ programs.
Vermont’s 21-minute video, Overview of the Vermont Office of Child
Support, details services provided by its IV-D program, answers frequently
asked questions, and describes the legal process.
Virginia has text and a pictorial video accompanied by music: Child Support
Without Court - Five Fast Facts about Child Support.
VIDEOS INTRODUCING USEFUL FEATURES, INFORMATION, AND
APPS
Florida has a video explaining its new eServices website.
Georgia’s website links to the GA DHS YouTube page, which contains a
video on its new mobile app, and other videos related to the child support
program.
Massachusetts provides a helpful tutorial that encourages self-service
through its online Case Manager.
Michigan offers a useful video for its customers explaining how to navigate
the MiChild Support site, while also linking to the ACF video through its
MiChildSupport login page.
Montana has text and a video about a new law that allows continued
assistance to a custodial parent responsible for the care of a disabled adult
child.
Louisiana has a video explaining how to use CAFÉ, the Louisiana selfservices
portal.
Ohio’s home page contains a video, Introducing Ohio’s Child Support
Mobile App, along with links to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
to download the app.

South Carolina’s homepage includes a video, Child Support Portal
Demonstration, to show parents how to use its portal to access case
specific information.
PATERNITY AND PARENTAGE VIDEOS
A number of states have relatively generic, easily adaptable videos on their
websites about paternity acknowledgment, which can serve as prototypes
for other states.
District of Columbia has a video on its site detailing how to acknowledge
paternity for mothers and alleged fathers.
Illinois has two videos explaining the parental acknowledgment of
parentage process, Paternity 101 and How to Establish Paternity. Its How-
To Library also includes videos explaining business activity for obligated
cases such as review and adjustment, license suspension, and bank levy.
Illinois Child Support Services also maintains a YouTube channel that
shares much of this content and some independent content.
Louisiana features several paternity videos on its YouTube page.
Massachusetts has a helpful video in both English and Spanish,
“Establishing Paternity”, that explains the many benefits to the noncustodial
parent, custodial parent, and the dependent in establishing paternity.
Minnesota has a paternity video on its YouTube page at Minnesota
Paternity, and a second video on community engagement with child
support customers at Minnesota Engagement.
Missouri features a video on its department’s YouTube page explaining the
paternity acknowledgment process and free paternity testing.

On its “Establishing Paternity” page, Oregon has a video, Statement of
Rights and Responsibilities, Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity, which
is an oral version of the information found on the back of the state’s
Voluntary Acknowledgment Form.
New York hosts a video on YouTube, Acknowledgment of Parentage in
New York. This 11-minute video is also in Spanish and covers natural
reproduction as well as assisted reproduction and surrogacy.
Tennessee’s video offerings include on-line training programs for hospital
and health department staff, VAoP guide for Hospitals, and A Guide for
Health Departments, respectively. There is also an animated parent
education video in English and Spanish for Voluntary Acknowledgment of
Paternity.
Texas has a comprehensive 17-minute video on acknowledging paternity.
Washington’s 5-minute Acknowledgment of Parentage video is in both
English and Spanish. It describes the process while emphasizing the
acknowledgment form is a legal document that comes with consequences.
The video also explains how to get genetic testing and how to deny or
rescind the Acknowledgment of Parentage.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL CHILD SUPPORT
As part of their recent Intergovernmental Case Processing Innovation
Grants, at least two states have posted videos for parents on their
websites:
• On its home page, North Carolina has a 26-minute PowerPoint
presentation, What is An Intergovernmental Child Support Case?,
which explains the process and helps set expectations for parents
who have cases involving anther state, territory, or tribal land.
• Under the heading of “Services>Intergovernmental>Outgoing
Intergovernmental Cases,” North Dakota has two PowerPoint
presentations:
• Intergovernmental Child Support, which provides an overview of
the process when parents live in two different jurisdictions; and
• The Completing Forms video, which discusses the forms that
customers must complete in order to refer a case to another

jurisdiction. Along with the video are sample forms in an e-learning
format for General Testimony and Declaration Establishing
Parentage with text bubbles containing specific section-by-section
instructions. The sample forms would be useful not only for
intergovernmental customers, but also for child support and
customer service professionals to help their customers complete
these complicated federal forms.
With respect to state-tribal intergovernmental cases, the Iowa Child Welfare
Research and Training Project features videos dedicated to
intergovernmental child support with Iowa DHS and its ongoing relationship
with the Meskwaki Nation tribal IV-D program.
MODIFICATION VIDEOS
Massachusetts posted a modification video on its Massachusetts
Department of Revenue YouTube channel (in addition to several other
helpful videos).
Texas has a text-only presentation accompanied by music, Apply for a
Modification, that explains the 8 steps involved in a modification.
PARENTING VIDEOS
On its home page under “Related Resources,” Connecticut links to the
John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative, which features a powerful video,
Connecticut Dear Dad, on the importance of paternal engagement with
their children.
Maine’s website links to a YouTube video regarding the HOPE program
that offers resources to parents seeking pathways to employment.

Oregon has links to two videos for parents interested in parenting time:
• Custody and Parenting Time: What's the Difference?; and
• Parenting Plans⎯Why would you want one? (also available in
Spanish)
Texas has a page dedicated to co-parenting with a 22-minute video on the
topic, For Our Children: Learning to Work Together, and a downloadable
sticker calendar for parents and children to plan and track the time spent in
each parent’s home. There is also a 21-minute presentation targeted to
Incarcerated Parents.
TRAINING
The Texas Parenting and Paternity Awareness (p.a.p.a.) curriculum is
designed to be used by schools and other educational and communitybased
organizations to teach young adults about parenting. It is entirely
online and readily accessible to educators as well as the general public. It
encompasses 10 sessions of approximately one-hour duration, and
includes handouts, teacher resources, group activities, workbook
exercises, and videos. See the introductory video, Section 1a-What is
P.A.P.A?, here.
Oklahoma has created Child Support Quest, a learning library for
Oklahoma child support professionals and a way for employees to submit
bright ideas that will improve child support performance, budget savings, or
program efficiencies. Child support workers access information on this site
daily from their offices, court, teleworking from their homes, or while on the
road, and call center employees often direct their customers to the site for
more information. A search for videos on the Quest website reveals a
number of short and useful videos for child support professionals to learn
about pertinent topics.
LIVE FORMS OF ENGAGEMENT
The Delaware IV-D Director answers questions live once monthly on the
Child Support Connection, which is streamed on Facebook for one hour.
Past discussions are posted in the Facebook Video File. Director Mermigos
also has a standing commitment to a radio talk show for an hour each

month. (Note: Many states may not permit readers to access social media.
See the Delaware website for more information.)
Massachusetts is promoting its Virtual Counter. In addition to facilitating
virtual meetings with customers, the Virtual Counter allows IV-D colleagues
to discuss and resolve reciprocal UIFSA cases using Zoom breakout
rooms.
The Mississippi DHS conducts Town Halls that are available on its
YouTube page. This one covers child support.
As of the date this article was written (December 2021), New York offered
an online Employer Conference scheduled for December 8, 2021. The
purpose was to help employers understand their legal obligations and
obtain guidance on topics such as new hire reporting and processing
income withholding and medical support orders.
DISCUSSION
States have generally posted very comprehensive and useful information,
particularly in the areas of intergovernmental and paternity
acknowledgment. Many states also have videos on establishment and
enforcement, which are not covered in this article due to limited space and
less applicability to other states; however, they can be found on state
websites and YouTube channels.
States have also linked to a plethora of outside services that can be useful
to parents with child support cases. In addition to its videos on divorce and
incarceration, Sesame Street in Communities offers a number of clips on
other topics of interest to families. Several states host their own YouTube
channels, which makes it easier for parents to search state-specific videos
rather than the overabundance of videos created by attorneys or angry
parents on how to fight child support.
While visiting the websites, the authors also noted some areas that could
benefit from improvement. For example, some great videos are buried in
state websites or just reside on YouTube without links from webpages, and
there are also some broken and mislabeled links. However, each website is
unique and different, some more comprehensive, or more easily navigable
than others, but all offer practical information for parents and many have

approaches, videos, and information that can be adapted or imitated by
other states.
Christopher Breen is in his 29 th year of child support enforcement, his 18 th in a
managerial capacity. Chris currently serves on multiple NCSEA committees. He is the
Deputy Director for the Northern Region of the Massachusetts Department of
Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement Division. Chris has also acted as project
manager for several significant implementations, including Massachusetts’ recent
Virtual Counter implementation that leverages Zoom breakout rooms to provide online
customer service. He possesses a B.A. from Providence College with a focus in
English, and an M.A. from the University of Massachusetts. Chris previously completed
a certificate program at Suffolk University, as he begins to pursue his M.B.A.
Mary Ann Wellbank is an NCSEA past president, honorary life member, and Kathy
Duggan Memorial Award Recipient. She is also a past president of the National Council
of Child Support Directors (NCCSD), and honorary life member of the Western
Intergovernmental Child Support Engagement Council (WICSEC). Mary Ann is the
longest serving member of the CSQ Editorial Committee. She has over 30 years’
experience in the child support program in the public and private sectors beginning with
a decade of service as Montana’s IV-D Director. As president of her company, Mary
Ann Wellbank, LLC, she specializes in consulting, writing, and research.
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Intergovernmental Hot Topics!
by Rob Velcoff
Intergovernmental Support Services
If you’re one of those rare and special people who considers
intergovernmental child support hot topics—including interstate payment
processing, enforcement of “dead” cases, and $0 orders—exciting, then
read on. This article is for you. At the National Council of Child Support
Directors’ (NCCSD) 2021 conference, a session was held where these
issues and others, including intergovernmental limited services, interest,
and interstate case closure regulations, led to a lively discussion. Many of
these policies are controversial, crying out for change. What specific
changes should be recommended are debatable, and there is not always a
one-size-fits-all answer. Still, solutions often start with discussions detailing
the problem areas. So, let’s start with the following issues.
Interstate Payment Processing
Currently four different types of child support cases with orders, or
accounts, exist. They might be called by different names across
jurisdictions, but they are basically the following:
1. IV-D Cases
2. Non-IV-D Cases
3. Limited Services Payment Forwarding Cases
4. Arrears Balance Accounts
Everyone knows the most common case types, the IV-D and Non-IV-D
cases, so there is no need to provide details about those. The third type is
the Limited Services Payment Forwarding case. As often happens under
these circumstances, the criteria under which this type of case is used
varies greatly across jurisdictions. Limited Services Payment Forwarding
cases occur when the initiating jurisdiction requests payments be
forwarded from the responding jurisdiction’s State Disbursement Unit

(SDU) to their own SDU, and nothing more. While this type of case should
be initiated by the requesting jurisdiction sending a Child Support
Enforcement Transmittal #3 to the Central Registry of the responding
jurisdiction, many states never make such a request, and instead use the
Child Support Enforcement Transmittal #1 - Enforcement (Box 3.A.) to
request the opening of a full IV-D interstate case. This occurs when the
initiating jurisdiction simply wants the responding jurisdiction to enforce the
order and send payments to the initiating jurisdiction. Previously called
Redirection of Payments, this action is now titled “Child Support Agency
Request for Change of Support Payment Location Pursuant to UIFSA §
319.” Again, some states never request a Limited Services Payment
Forwarding case, probably because they do not have the ability to create
such a case on their own system. These jurisdictions have the ability to
create only full IV-D or Non-IV-D cases, not the other two limited types, so
they do not request this limited service from other states.
The fourth type of case is the arrears balance only case. Each jurisdiction
probably has a different name for this type of account. This type of case is
created when a state/territory/tribe had a IV-D case open at one point, but
the case met federal and/or state case closure criteria and was closed. Still,
that jurisdiction had established a child support order that remains ongoing,
so the controlling order state is still required to maintain the official
determination of arrears, regardless of whether or not payments are
directed through their SDU. Even if other states are currently receiving and
disbursing payments, the controlling-order state is required to maintain the
official payment record, including interest if applicable. Therefore, the
disbursing state must periodically inform the controlling-order state of

payments made, and the controlling-order state must maintain the official
payment record. This is outlined in OCSE’s AT-17-07, Interstate Child
Support Payment Processing, and is a must-read for all child support
workers involved in interstate casework. As with Limited Services Payment
Forwarding cases, the majority of states currently do not have the ability to
create this type of accounting system for closed cases.
One should note that AT-17-07 was published four and a half years ago.
One would think that if child support programs wanted to create this type of
accounting, they would have had ample time to do so by now. Also, federal
financial participation is generally not available for this type of case, further
dampening states’ desires to spend the time and resources necessary to
update their systems to do so. That last sentence apparently sums up the
way that many different jurisdictions seem to feel about these last two types
of cases. They have survived since AT-17-07 was published without their
involvement with these types of accounts, so what is the incentive to create
them now? A very limited number of cases exist where this type of scenario
is even applicable. Controlling-order states frequently close their cases with
no official payment record from that point on, and the other states who are
working the case manage just fine. And it appears the majority of states are
operating in this fashion. If they have not created these two limited types of
accounts after all this time, it’s a safe bet to assume they have no intention
of doing so now.
If the majority of states are loath to make
the changes necessary for limited services
payment forwarding cases and arrears
balance only cases, perhaps we really need
to consider changing the requirements for
these types of accounts. The entire concept
that the state that issued the controlling
order must maintain the official payment record is something that came
about during the creation of the 1996 and 2001 versions of UIFSA. Still,
that concept is not found in UIFSA itself, nor is it found in any federal law,
rule, or regulation. It was only added into the official commentary to UIFSA,
which is not officially binding. OCSE took that 20+ year-old concept and
built federal policy around it.
The original idea was a good one, as states would often disagree on the
arrears amounts in their two-state cases, even after comparing payment
histories. So a tie-breaker was needed. If there were an interstate case
between, say, California and Florida, and California had the arrears on the

case at $6,000 but Florida showed the arrears to be $5,000, the best way
to settle things was that the state that issued the controlling order had the
official determination of arrears, and both states were bound by this. So in
the preceding scenario, if the court order was issued by California, the
arrears on the case were officially $6,000 and both states had to use this
amount. This was especially helpful for states that charged interest. This
concept was never meant to require states to keep their cases open
indefinitely, especially in limited form, after federal and state case closure
criteria applied. Controlling-order states should be able to close their cases
under appropriate criteria in CFR § 303.11, and the disbursing state can
then be charged with maintaining the official determination of arrears from
that point on. This would require the creation of an “Arrears Calculator” to
determine other states’ interest rates, which is an extra step, but once such
a tool is created it should be simple enough to maintain and periodically
update. This seems much simpler than having two separate types of
accounts that are seldom (and in many states, never) used.
Enforcement of “Dead” Cases
Child support workers in responding jurisdictions really dislike when they
are asked to register and enforce a child support order from another state
when the noncustodial parent has no income or assets. Workers
understand that the case doesn’t
have to be an easy one: the NCP
can be self-employed, or have
hidden assets or a spotty work
history. Difficult cases can be
successfully managed. However,
if the case was 100%
unenforceable in the state that
issued the order, what makes the
issuing state think that the NCP’s
current state of residence will have any better chance of success in
However, if the case was 100%
unenforceable in the state that issued the
order, what makes the issuing state think
that the NCP’s current state of residence
will have any better chance of success in
enforcing the order at this time?
enforcing the order at this time? If the initiating jurisdiction has a “dead”, or
completely unenforceable case in their state, and they have located the
NCP in another state but no new income or assets were found, should they
attempt to register their child support order in that new jurisdiction for
enforcement?
The easy answer is “no”, why bother? But wait, perhaps there is some logic
to doing so after all. This reasoning comes from the fact that it is not always
clear as to whether an order is enforceable or not. Even if it’s currently

unenforceable, will it be enforceable in the (near) future? The main reason
to register a court order for enforcement in another state is for judicial
remedies. One-state enforcement tools are currently so thorough and allencompassing
that the initiating jurisdiction can do almost all administrative
enforcement that the responding jurisdiction can do. The initiating
jurisdiction can issue an IWO, do federal tax offset, passport denial, most
bank levies, many property executions, the national Driver’s License
Compact, multi-state FIDM, limited services cooperation between states,
multi-state lottery game intercepts, and a myriad of other administrative
enforcement tools that can be done by the controlling-order state without
the need to involve a second state’s child support agency. This means the
main reason to register an order is judicial enforcement by bringing the
NCP into court for contempt. Since the 2016 Final Rule, before this action
can take place, the child support agency is required to prove the NCP has
the ability to pay the support obligation but failed to do so. So, for those
cases where the obligor simply does not have the ability to pay the support
order, there is no logical reason to register that order for enforcement in
their state of residence. Registration of the child support order should only
occur if the NCP has the ability to pay. And if the ability to pay exists, the
administrative enforcement tools at the disposal of the initiating jurisdiction
are generally sufficient for enforcement. Right?
Well, maybe. The obligor’s current state of residence can enforce the order
in ways that the initiating jurisdiction cannot. In addition to judicial
enforcement, some local administrative enforcement tools exist. Location
efforts are easier by the responding jurisdiction. Many employment
programs and similar courses that are local to the NCP must be set up by
his or her in-state jurisdiction. It can be easier to monitor sporadic
employment by a local agency than by one halfway across the country. So
there is no clear and simple answer to this one; it must be a case-by-case
decision. Still, some common sense should be used when determining
whether to register an order in another state for enforcement. The key is
the “enforceability” of the order. If a realistic chance of successful
enforcement exists, then registration is the answer. However, if no
enforcement action can be taken on the case by the registering jurisdiction,
what is the point of wasting everyone’s time and effort and limited
resources in registering an unenforceable order?

$0 Orders
During these difficult economic times, more jurisdictions are establishing
child support orders with a $0 obligation amount. These are not court
orders that do not list a child support obligation or pend the establishment
of a financial amount for a future time. These are not “non-financial” orders.
These are actually child support obligations for zero dollars. Not all states
use this option, as some have minimum wage orders as the lowest support
obligation amount they can establish. Still others have minimum needs of
the child orders. That being said, more courts are establishing $0 court
orders, or are modifying child support obligation amounts to $0 when the
obligor does not have the ability to pay. Can anything be done with these
orders if the case is interstate? Should these cases have been brought into
court in the first place? Aren’t they the same as the “dead cases” discussed
previously?
They are definitely different and serve a purpose. First, parentage
(paternity) may be adjudicated based on the establishment of such an
order. Second, a child support order is created, setting legal terms such as
age of emancipation as well as jurisdiction for future modifications. Medical
support might even be tied to such orders. While establishment of these $0
orders serves many functions, interstate implications should be considered.
Can such an order be registered for enforcement? Technically, yes.
Realistically, these appear to be “dead cases” as previously discussed. It is
doubtful that most states would even accept such orders for registration.
One could argue that these $0 orders should be
registered and monitored for employment
programs or possible future modifications. In
theory, that might work. In reality, this may not be
a good use of limited resources. However, that
would be up to the registering state. Before
attempting to register a $0 order the initiating
jurisdiction should contact the responding
jurisdiction and simply ask them about it.
Communication is the key, as it is in much of the
intergovernmental case-processing world. Is there anything the responding
jurisdiction can do with such an order? Would they even accept the case
for registration in the first place? Is the NCP employable? Is the initiating
jurisdiction registering a third state’s order that the responding jurisdiction
can be asked to modify at a later time? Again, the answer will vary, so it

ends up being a case-by-case decision. A conversation should certainly
take place between the two child support agencies before any type of twostate
action on a $0 order is attempted.
Final note: Additional topics will be covered in a future article. Also, please
remember that all of the suggestions in this article are simply that – ideas
for future consideration. Until and unless these recommendations are
enacted, the existing federal policies should still be followed by all
jurisdictions. These are simply theories for potential upcoming changes and
are definitely not the author’s way of granting permission for anyone to try
to avoid the well-written and thought-out policy guidance scripted by our
OCSE colleagues.
Rob Velcoff is an independent child support consultant with his own agency,
Intergovernmental Support Services. Before starting his own agency, Mr. Velcoff
worked for the New York State Division of Child Support Services for over 30 years. In
May 2011 he became President of the Eastern Regional Interstate Child Support
Association (ERICSA). Mr. Velcoff has received several awards, including ERICSA’s
Felix Infausto Award (President’s Award). An individual member of NCSEA, Mr. Velcoff
received a BS in Criminal Justice from the State University College of New York at
Brockport and an MA in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York at
Albany.

Is NCSEA U For You?
NCSEA U was chartered in 2013 and currently has
more than 135 alumni. NCSEA U provides a unique
premier educational and professional development
opportunity. It is structured for learning leaders in the
child support community, and it complements NCSEA’s
other educational initiatives and strategies. The
program is taught by nationally recognized child
support leaders, offering a variety of informative and
strategic topics. Classes are structured with an
emphasis on group discussions that include work/life balance and best practice initiatives
with real-time work environment scenarios.
Whether for yourself or your staff, NCSEA U offers a transformative learning experience
and is a catalyst for networking opportunities. NCSEA U alumni would love for you to
become a part of this unique group. Because we are proud of NCSEA U, we will be
featuring Alumni in upcoming CSQ articles. Their stories will highlight why NCSEA U is for
you.
Meet Our NCSEA U Alumni
Beverly C. Murphy, Esq. - Class 2019
New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts
Chief of Child Support Client Services
What would you like others to know about NCSEA U?
Provides good networking opportunities with peers from other states who are experiencing similar
challenges.
NCSEA U @ Leadership Symposium focuses on the emerging and learning leader. How do you
define leadership?
Influencing, inspiring, and helping a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.
Do you have a favorite quote that you refer to periodically?
"Unless you're continually improving your skills, you're quickly becoming irrelevant." Stephen Covey
Do you have a favorite author in the leadership space and/or would you recommend a specific
leadership book? Why?
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey. An enduring classic that remains relevant
decades after it was first published.

Ashley Dexter - Class 2016
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Senior Specialist
What was the most valuable aspect of the NCSEA U experience?
The most valuable aspect of the NCSEA U experience for me was getting to meet new child support
colleagues from across the country. To this day, I am still friends with many and look forward to visiting with
them at conferences and on committee calls. The networking opportunity is invaluable.
Since attending NCSEA U, what opportunities (personal and professional) have you experienced?
Since attending NCSEA U, I helped initiate and lead the first NCSEA Connects group which has developed
into a sub-committee. I was elected to the NCSEA Board of Directors and asked to co-chair the Leadership
Symposium planning committee three years in a row. Now, I get to give back by co-chairing the NCSEA U
committee in 2021-2022. I really see NCSEA U as a launching pad for my NCSEA involvement and growth
throughout the past several years.
What is a key leadership attribute that you appreciate in others? Why? Servant Leadership:
empowering your team because “The company owner doesn't need to win. The best idea does.” John
Maxwell
Stacy Sharon - Class of 2019
Virginia Division of Child Support Enforcement
District Administrator
What would you like others to know about NCSEA U?
This provides an excellent opportunity to expand leadership skills and knowledge through firsthand
experiences shared by child support colleagues throughout the United States.
NCSEA U @ Leadership Symposium focuses on the emerging and learning leader. How do you
define leadership?
The ability to lead a team in a manner that fosters trust, professional growth, commitment, and dedication
for the purpose of achieving a common goal.
Do you believe that attending NCSEA U helped to shape this definition? How or how not?
It did not shape the definition, but it definitely provided ways to accomplish the goal through the shared
experiences and knowledge of accomplished leaders.
Why would you recommend NCSEA U to others?
NCSEA U will stretch you beyond.

Don’t Stand Up if You Aren’t Wearing
Pants and Other Stories Beyond the Pale
by Mary Ann Wellbank, CSQ Editorial Committee
When the CSQ Editorial Staff put out a call in the Rapid Read for tips and
experiences using videoconferencing, we thought the title, Don’t Stand Up
if You Aren’t Wearing Pants, would encapsulate the most outlandish
experiences NCSEA members had with virtual meetings. Not by a long
shot! Your contributions have exceeded our expectations.
Once it is seen, it cannot be unseen!
Under the category “Yuckiest Moments” are customers who have attended
hearings from their beds or bathrooms. These are true stories from the
child support annals:
“A client showed up on video lying on his bed without a shirt, eating chili
and a grilled cheese sandwich. The judge told him to put a shirt on as it
was a court hearing, and the guy stated he didn’t have to.”
“Last December, one party showed up for a divorce hearing lying in bed
with revealing Christmas PJs.”
“A 35-year-old… father was sitting in the bathroom bare chested. He was
told to put a shirt on to continue. He started yelling for his mommy to get
him a shirt….”
“One of the attendees was using computer for voice and audio and
apparently needed to … go to the bathroom, taking the laptop with him,
without turning off the microphone or camera.”
“Meeting from his bedroom, lying on his bed, with the laptop on his chest,
pillow in plain sight.”

“My workstation is in my bedroom. My husband sat on the bed to change
his clothes and the camera had him in the upper left corner.”
“Enjoyed hearing someone flush the toilet once. Thankfully, I couldn’t hear
what happened prior to the flush. ”
“During a conference, someone had their camera phone with them when
they went to the bathroom… oh what did I
see (and hear)! The messy bathroom with
towels all over the floor. If I wasn’t shocked
about him taking the phone to the potty, I
was shocked at the grown person still
leaving towels on the floor.”
Remember the mute button!
Another frequent and annoying occurrence is failure to correctly use the
mute button.
“A person… started making a fast-food breakfast order without knowing
they weren’t on mute⎯a sausage Egg McMuffin®, hashbrowns, and a
large diet coke meal.”
“During the roughest part of the pandemic, (a) teenager interrupted the
training to ask to go eat lunch outside at the park. The (external) trainer
thought she had muted herself (but didn’t) and ended up lecturing her child
about why it wasn’t safe to be around people at that time. It was awkward
and a train wreck and I couldn’t look away.”
“A person talking to their kids about how to cook eggs when they thought
they were on mute.”
“I was hosting a virtual meeting and thought my sound and video were off
while I was waiting to start the meeting. Wrong! I had been singing with the
radio for about 3 minutes before anyone told me I wasn’t on mute. . . .
Luckily, my video was off because I had been chair dancing, too!”

Pets, Children and Spouses. Oh my!
One individual observed, “Pets, children, and spouses can always be
counted on for the unexpected.” Indeed!
“My Pitbull Terrier tried to get in my lap to see my boss on my computer
screen and knocked me out of my chair.”
“While I was busy listening (and taking notes) during a video call, my cat
jumped up… (and) tapped the web cam cord just enough to move the
camera so it was focused on the stove vent and cupboard above it (vs.
focused on the pretty door behind me).”
“At a Zoom Court hearing, a judicial officer had a green screen (essentially
a green bed sheet) up behind her with her official court seal projected
virtually. In the middle of the hearing, her cat jumped on the sheet and tore
it down making the judicial officer all flustered.… Fortunately, it was just a
blank wall with some family pictures behind that sheet and not her bedroom
or something worse.”
“At the start of the pandemic … whenever my 8-year-old grandson came
into the living room where I would telework, he would easily see that I’d be
on a video call… a year later, COVID restrictions were loosened and my
family and I attended our local county fair … wearing masks was still
required. As we were about to sit down in a large picnic area … my coworker
called out to me. I asked her how she recognized me with a mask
on. She pointed to (my grandson) and said, ‘Your grandson took off his
mask and I recognized him from the times he would pop up in our
meetings.’”
That’s not all, Folks!
Yes, there are more anecdotes, some humorous; others serious.

could see me.”
“I forgot I had my night scarf still on.”
“When we first started using Zoom, I
thought that when the presenter shared the
screen, it meant no one could see each
other. The presenter shared the screen. I
had an evening meeting and I was starved
so started eating a bowl of spaghetti in a
barbaric manner (which I would never do in
public) … I later found out that everyone
“I had a call with a participant who decided to run some errands.… Her
camera clearly showed her driving down the freeway in her car.”
“The NCP thought the (virtual hearing) had ended and he was on with just
the CP, but the case manager was still on the call. The NCP made some
pretty threatening statements about the CP. It caused the case manager to
activate the DV (Domestic Violence) Training and warn the CP about the
comments. The CP had muted the NCP so she didn’t hear what he said.
We were able to get an order of protection.”
Best Practices
Survey respondents suggested best practices for hosts and participants,
summarized below. Video conferencing experts agree.
Host Responsibilities
• Start the meeting on time and admit participants promptly.
• Set up conferences to default to mute. This will help ensure that
unintended audio is not heard by the participants. Participants must
purposely unmute in order to speak.
• Create a virtual seating chart for regular meetings, if available.
Zoom, for example, allows the host to create a fixed seating
configuration. This feature is especially useful for activities that
involve calling on people to speak in a specific order or putting
participants into virtual groups.

• Conduct a roll call from a list. It is easier and takes less time than a
“shout out.”
• Know all the platform’s features and enable those you want to use to
customize the experience.
• Allow time for people to network or use an icebreaker (check out
“MUTE-iny”) to facilitate conversation, and engage people during the
meeting.
• Use the video but forewarn participants so they can prepare to be on
camera. Video conferencing helps people connect, especially when
they work remotely.
• Disseminate an agenda for each meeting and stick to it! Keep the
length⎯and frequency of⎯
meetings manageable. Beware of
video burnout: too many hours a
day in virtual meetings can cause
physical and emotional fatigue.
Schedule breaks.
• If you plan to grant other individuals
permission to present, know how to
share the screen, and verify they know how to give an online
presentation.
• Ask a co-worker to serve as co-pilot when running a large meeting.
• Communicate your expectations and ground rules in advance. This is
especially important for first-timers and parties to hearings. Spend the
first few minutes reviewing the rules and explaining the
teleconferencing features.
Participant (including Host) Responsibilities
• Familiarize yourself with the platform prior to the meeting.
• Test the device’s speakers and microphone before the call and, if
possible, use headphones to minimize external noise.
• Update your name; otherwise, it might default to a previously used
moniker or your device name, e.g., iPhone.
• For video meetings:

• If you use an external camera, position it so that you face it
directly. This can be tricky with dual monitors. Check the
external camera before each video call to ensure it is at eye
level.
• Check the camera angle too so that your whole face is visible,
and that the audience is not looking up your nostrils.
• Your background should be tidy and appropriate. Staging your
area is important to creating a professional image. We’ve all
seen messy rooms, open closets, or, as one colleague
observed, towels all over the bathroom floor! Most platforms
allow participants to blur their screens or add virtual
backgrounds, which are simple solutions, however these
features often cause your on-screen image to quiver. Some
agencies have created their own backgrounds. Other options
are to purchase a green screen or an office-themed backdrop.
Backdrops are inexpensive and clever ways to hide
workspaces that are set up in laundry rooms, garages,
bedrooms, or kitchens.
• Dress for the workplace or court, and make sure you are wellgroomed.
Like it or not, your attire sends a silent, possibly
inaccurate, message about you and your job skills.
• Wear pants! Fishbowl, a semi-anonymous networking app,
conducted a 2020 Coronavirus Survey that revealed nearly 10
percent of people wear only underwear below the belt during
video conference calls! They didn’t ask how many men didn’t
wear shirts, or how many people video-called from the
bathroom, but our own informal NCSEA CSQ survey exposes
this practice.
• Safeguard your privacy: avoid displaying items that could reveal
your location or personal information to the public.
• Turn on your camera while speaking.
• Turn off your camera if you encounter issues with bandwidth,
but first turn off your robot vacuum and ask the kids to stop their
video games or streaming.
• Lighting is important. Experts recommend facing a light source
and optimizing natural lighting. To minimize eye glass glare, try

to light your face from the top and the side, and if possible, tilt
your spectacles to avoid reflection of the computer screen.
• Make sure your device battery is plugged in or sufficiently
charged and your computer does not fall asleep!
• Know the rules about eating, drinking, and smoking. In formal
setting, such as hearings or meetings with community
members, drinking water might be okay, but eating is generally
impolite and probably taboo! On the other hand, a snack or
sandwich may be perfectly acceptable for an intra-office
meeting with your peers. Best advice: Investigate before you
masticate!
• If you will be presenting, close all other windows and make sure you
know how to share your screen. This can be particularly challenging if
you have dual monitors. Rehearse your presentation using the
teleconferencing platform so you know which screen to display. Exit
other systems to avoid accidentally disclosing confidential data. Also,
turn off your email so that viewers do not see pop-up messages.
• Be present and remain engaged. Avoid multi-tasking. Some platforms
can detect inattentiveness.
• Ask household members not to interrupt you and post a sign to
remind them. Develop a plan to keep children and pets occupied so
they don’t require your attention during the call.
• Know how to use the mute button and use it when you are not
speaking in order to minimize background noise. Double check it
before you yell at pets or family members or start clicking away on
the keyboard! Remember to unmute as well.
• Use the hand-raising feature, if available, in larger meetings to
indicate you’d like to speak.
• Be careful when using a “chat box” to ensure your conversation is
directed to the right recipient, otherwise it defaults to “everyone.”
• Don’t leave the conference⎯even for a quick break⎯without letting
people know.
• And the best advice of all: Handle mistakes with grace.
Most contributors agreed that video should be on during meetings but be
cognizant of what people are seeing⎯and be mindful of the mute button!

Where to go from here
Thanks to those who shared their best practices and personal experiences
with teleconferencing. They were spot on!
A plethora of useful resources is on the internet as well. Search and you
can find conferencing advice and how-to videos. Suggestions range from
best colors to wear, using meeting rooms, must-have technology,
icebreaker games, closed captioning, live transcription, meeting etiquette,
teambuilding, etc. Let your fingers do the walking!
And, finally, a little poem to convey our wishes for you in 2022:
May your conferences go smoothly with everyone clothed.
May there be no videos of hairs in your nose.
May the mute button work with flushes suppressed,
And no man present baring his chest.
May the beds be made and the kitchen be clean
With no cluttered background destroying the scene.
No cats, dogs, or kids’ noise to be heard,
And nobody says a disparaging word.
And, if you dread the next video call,
Merely click on “Zoom,” then hit “Uninstall.”
Mary Ann Wellbank is an NCSEA past president, honorary life member, and Kathy
Duggan Memorial Award Recipient. She is also a past president of the National Council
of Child Support Directors (NCCSD), and honorary life member of the Western
Intergovernmental Child Support Engagement Council (WICSEC). Mary Ann is the
longest serving member of the CSQ Editorial Committee. She has over 30 yearsexperience
in the child support program in the public and private sectors beginning with
a decade of service as Montana’s IV-D Director. As president of her company, Mary
Ann Wellbank, LLC, she specializes in consulting, writing, and research. She possesses
a B.A. in English and an M.B.A. in finance. Mary Ann and her colleague, Jeff Ball, coauthored
a book, “The Insiders’ Guide to Child Support: How the System Works,” a
valuable resource for parents and child support professionals who need to know the
nuts and bolts of the IV-D program.