1. NC CSS
Solving the Mystery

2. Most consumers wonder - What does “NC CSS” stand for
Most consumers wonder - What does “NC CSS” stand for? What does this agency do? Why is the program so important? What does the program consist of? What does the program have going on now? Lets gather the following “clues” to “solve the mystery”…

3. CLUE #1: The Overview Federally mandated
US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) directed
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Established under Title IV, part D of the Social Security Act (“IV-D”)
Purpose
Partnership with other agencies

4. CLUE #2: Mission & Goal
MISSION: To provide family centered child support services through mutual collaboration with families and partners, using innovative strategies to reach a common goal and self-sufficiency. GOAL: To ensure both parents financially support their child(ren), promote family self-sufficiency and the well-being of children, and consistently collect as much child support as possible for the benefit of North Carolina’s children.

5. CLUE #3: Program Services
Locate Noncustodial Parents
Paternity Establishment
Establish Support Obligations
Collect and Distribute Child Support
Enforce Support Obligations

6. Location of the Noncustodial Parent
Access to state and national databases
Name
Date of Birth (DOB)
Social Security number (SSN)
Address
Employer
Vehicle and/or property ownership information
Locate only services

7. Paternity Establishment
Establishes legal responsibility
Helps the child receive certain rights and benefits
Child support order cannot be established if paternity has not been acknowledged and/or established
Paternity establishment -
Genetic (DNA) testing
Affidavit of Parentage

8. Establishment of Support Obligations
Establishes legal responsibility
Voluntary
Court Order
May include a monetary and/or medical insurance obligation
Based on Child Support Guidelines

9. Collection and Distribution of Support
Child Support Services (CSS) collects and distributes child support payments
Frequency and amount of support payments determined by court order
All payments handled by CSS are sent to Centralized Collections Operation (CCO)
Various payment methods
Federal regulations and state statutes

10. Enforcement of Support Obligations
Compliance monitoring
Several enforcement remedies
Income withholding
Salary/wage garnishment, Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB), workers’ compensation, Social Security benefits, Veteran’s disability benefits
Monthly billing
Court action
Civil and criminal contempt; purge payments; establishment of arrears frequency
Interception of tax refunds and lottery winnings
Revocation of various licenses
Drivers’ License, wildlife, passports, occupational
Liens
Property, bank accounts, insurance settlements
Bonds

11. CLUE #4: Application for Services
Qualified applicants
Responsible for minor child
Physical custody
Owed child support arrears
Noncustodial parents
Children
Application for Services
Public Assistance or Foster Care
Non-public assistance
CSS Website –
eChild Support Website –

12. CLUE #5: Referrals Federal legislation
Sec. 678G. Drug and Child Support Services and Referrals
Public Assistance cases referred at time of Department of Social Services interview
Automatic referrals
Work First
Medicaid
North Carolina Foster Care
Medicaid-eligible State Foster Home Care
Good Cause
No application fee
Must cooperate

13. CLUE #6: What’s New? Access & Visitation
Division of Social Services (DSS) Child Welfare Services Section, Community-Based Programs
Authorized by Congress
Purpose: “to increase non-custodial parents’ access to their children, to improve the quality of the parent/child relationship and expand the scope and availability of support services for families, parents and children.”
Services
Mediation, visitation, parent education, counseling, parenting plans
Increased child support

14. Are there any questions?
Now that you have gathered all of the “clues,” you are able to “solve the mystery” of what North Carolina Child Support Services really is!
Are there any questions?

15. Contact
For more information, you may contact Dakida Ross at You may also visit the websites provided in your handout.