Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families funding opportunity

Deadline: May 4, 2009

Under this grant solicitation, grantees would develop a data analysis project that focuses on arrearages in the IV-D caseload. Applicants may propose projects that provide an analysis of the entire statewide system, or they may focus on the arrearage characteristics of specific urban jurisdictions. The goal of this grant is to perform a thorough analysis of the arrearage in the selected caseload so that the IV-D agency can not only understand the nature of the debt, but can begin plans on how to best address reducing the arrearage if appropriate and allowable. Examples of projects include, but are not limited to those that:

• Identify and analyze the arrears owed in IV-D cases by noncustodial parents (NCPs) prior to a custodial parent (CP) applying for IV-D services.
• Identify and analyze the arrears owed by NCPs receiving public benefits such as Temporary Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, General Assistance, Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, etc., and determine to whom the debt is owed, such as the CP or as a reimbursement to the State.
• Identify and analyze arrears associated with incarceration. This may also entail analyzing arrears associated with NCPs who have barriers to employment due to past incarceration since a criminal record may affect earning potential and the ability to pay support as ordered. Determine to whom the debt is owed, such as the CP or as a reimbursement to the State.
• Identify and analyze arrears by the age of debt, i.e., what percentage of debt is older than 10 years, 20 years, etc. Determine to whom the debt is owed, such as the CP or as a reimbursement to the State.
• Identify and analyze arrears due to imputed income, default orders, retroactive orders, etc. Determine to whom the debt is owed, such as the CP or as a reimbursement to the State.

OCSE is looking for innovative projects that promote some of the basic themes of the national strategic plan in that child support should be a reliable source of income for families, and that child support agencies should use early prevention strategies to help build a culture of compliance in which parents will support their children voluntarily and reliably. Although innovation is preferred, OCSE will consider funding projects that have been successfully implemented in other States, but have not been evaluated or measured for their effectiveness.

Go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/
HHS-2009-ACF-OCSE-FD-0019.html for more information.