COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN IV-A, IV-E AND IV-D Patterson Poulson Angela Bellamy Leslie McGrew ERICSA 50 th Annual Training Conference & Exposition ▪ May 19 – 23 ▪ Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Florida

PATTERSON POULSON Case Management & Establishment Process Manager Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Program

Florida’s IVA-IVD-IVE Environment IVA and IVE housed under Department of Children and Families (DCF) IVD housed under Department of Revenue (DOR) All three programs previously managed on the Florida Online Recipient Integrated Data Access (FLORIDA) system owned and managed by DCF

Florida’s IVA-IVD-IVE Environment Between : – IVD fully converted from FLORIDA to the Case Automated Management System (CAMS) owned and managed by DOR – IVE converted to the Florida Safe Families Network (FSFN) system managed by the IVE program under DCF – IVA implemented a fully automated web application and benefit approval process

Preparing for new systems CAMS, FSFN and FLORIDA all interface with each other Different and unique challenges when creating new interfaces between new systems (CAMS to FSFN) and between new system and a legacy system (CAMS or FSFN to FLORIDA)

Preparing for new systems When designing and implementing CAMS: – Met with both FLORIDA and FSFN design and program policy staff – Identified changes to procedures for staff as they relate to the other programs Benefit approval and cooperation Identifying appropriate IVE referrals

Florida’s IVA-IVD-IVE Relationship Referral from IVE to IVD occurs at Medicaid eligibility for the child in care Prior to FSFN and CAMS, IVE referral was made to IVD as soon as the child in care was approved for Medicaid in the FLORIDA system Resulted in referrals being made when not in the best interest of the IVE plan for the child

Florida’s IVA-IVD-IVE Relationship Florida Statutes require the IVE program to establish paternity and obtain orders for support DCF contracts management of the IVE program at the local level to County Based Corporations (CBCs) Still working under old business model of referral to IVD at benefit approval (Medicaid)

Florida’s IVA-IVD-IVE Relationship Causes duplication of effort –IVD seeks paternity and support at the same time as IVE IVD may be taking action when the IVE plan for the child is family reconciliation Some local IVD offices have developed good working relationships with the local CBC managing foster care cases in their area

Florida’s IVA-IVD-IVE Relationship IVD staff do not have access to dependency case or order information Dependency orders are confidential unless transferred to civil court Order must be transferred from dependency court to civil court before IVD can enforce them – an action IVD cannot initiate

Long term Goal: IVE to IVD IVE establishes order and only refers those cases appropriate for enforcement of support – Avoids duplication of effort – Ensures the appropriate action is being taken for the child – IVE will have the support portion of the orders transferred to civil division for enforcement by IVD

Other Considerations Noticing in IVE cases – What are critical case updates in a IVE case compared to other cases – There isn’t really a custodial parent with whom to communicate Pass back location information on IVE participants to the IVE agency

Questions?

ANGELA BELLAMY Child Support Supervisor Durham County Social Services Durham County, North Carolina

OBJECTIVES Provide Information on the Training Program for the IV-A and IV-E Collaboration. Explain how the Training Increased IV-D Data Reliability. Explain how Communication and Customer Service improved Throughout the Agency and for the Customers.

Design the Training Program for IV-A and IV-E Meet with the Managers of IV-A and IV-E programs.  Discuss the concerns and issues  Explain the importance of the Collaboration for IV-D and IV-A/IV-E

TRAINING Who will be trained Line Staff Supervisors Managers How Often New Hire Refresher Training Individual Training

System Interface Issues Duplication of Participants and Cases How to Eliminate? Research the systems for existing Participants or Cases – Train IV-A and IV-E staff on how to use the State On- Line Verification System – Provide the IV-A and IV-E inquiry access into the State’s Child Support system and train the staff.

System Interface Issues Cont’d Inappropriate Referrals to IV-D How to Eliminate? Research the Eligibility System to ensure that the proper screens are being completed. – Go through each of the screen that relate to a IV-D referral – Explain an inappropriate referral » Intact Family » Good Cause » Deceased Non-Custodial Parent etc…

Conduct Quality Interviews with the Clients Ask detailed/understandable questions about the mother and father that will help IV-D. Location of the Non-Custodial Parent Paternity Status Born out of Wedlock Born of the Marriage Obtain Supporting Documents Parentage Affidavit Birth Certificate Marriage License Send the Information via the interface

Involve Your Attorney in the Training Conduct training for the IV-E/IV-D staff IV-E staff now check to see if a IV-D case has been established before entering a Juvenile order, Relinquishments, Termination of Parental Rights or Adoption. IV-D staff now understand the IV-E legal side with regards to Relinquishments, Termination of Parental Rights and Adoptions.

Manual Information Sent to IV-D for IV-E Children DSS Attorney provides IV-D Dates of Termination of Parental Rights Dates of Relinquishment IV-E Administrative Staff Provides IV-D Foster Care Referral Form (DSS-4744) (manual communication form) – Notes Initial Placement Information – Updates to Placement/Custody/Leaving Foster Care  Termination of Parental Rights  Relinquishments  Adoptions

Data Reliability Tracking the Results – Assigned one IV-D Staff person to monitor duplicate cases and inappropriate referrals. – Supervisors receive the Relinquishments, Termination of Right and Adoption information and monitor to ensure that staff is following up. – Reports  Paternity Coding  Cases Coded IV-E  IV-E funding types  Duplicate Cases

Customer Service Built and Improved the relationship between IV-D and the other Departments. Improved Case Accuracy Improved the Timeframes

LESLIE McGREW Evaluation Supervisor Colorado Division of Child Support

BREAKING DOWN SILOS AND BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS IN COLORADO Training Collaboration between Child Support and Child Welfare Leslie McGrew, Evaluation Supervisor Colorado Division of Child Support Enforcement

INFORMATION VOID = FRUSTRATION What ….. Why ….. When…. How… Who… Huh?

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKED: Child Support and Child Welfare Mutual concern and desire to improve Commitment to time, energy, and resources Willingness to be open minded and consider all opportunities

INTERDEPARTMENTAL TASK FORCE Child Welfare Child Support Judicial Programmers Policy specialists State staff County line workers

LANGUAGE BARRIERS We don’t speak the same language Acronyms Authority Priorities Business in general

COMMUNICATION & DOCUMENTATION Clear understanding of limitations and expectations Horizontal and vertical Two-way Written: manual

COLLABORATIVE TRAINING Full day training – Morning: Child Support and Child Welfare together – Afternoon: Child Support and Child Welfare separated Focus groups and surveys used to develop agenda

TRAINING The right information is better than more information Connecting the disconnects Acronyms and definitions Authority Limitations Case maintenance

MOVING FORWARD Follow-up on issues Address issues timely System and policy support Horizontal and vertical support

Questions?