COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS

BETWEEN IV-A, IV-E AND IV-D

Patterson PoulsonAngela BellamyLeslie McGrew

ERICSA 50th 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

PoulsonP@dor.state.fl.us

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 2010 -2012:– 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 ServicesDurham County, North Carolina

abellamy@dconc.gov

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 CasesHow 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 ClientsAsk detailed/understandable questions about the

mother and father that will help IV-D.Location of the Non-Custodial ParentPaternity Status

Born out of WedlockBorn of the MarriageObtain Supporting Documents

Parentage AffidavitBirth CertificateMarriage License

Send the Information via the interface

Involve Your Attorney in the TrainingConduct 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 RightsRelinquishmentsAdoptions

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.

– ReportsPaternity CodingCases Coded IV-E IV-E funding typesDuplicate 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

Leslie.mcgrew@state.co.us

BREAKING DOWN SILOS AND BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

IN COLORADO

Training Collaboration between Child Support and Child Welfare

Leslie McGrew, Evaluation SupervisorColorado 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 issuesAddress issues timely

System and policy supportHorizontal and vertical support

Questions?