Child Support

Information Directory

WHAT IS THE CSEA?
SERVICES FOR THE NON-RESIDENTIAL PARENT
HOW TO CONTACT THE CSEA?
COMMON CSEA TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
HOW CAN I ACCESS INFORMATION?
HOW ARE CASES ASSIGNED?
WHAT IS A DEFAULT NOTICE?
HOW IS PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT?
WHAT IS A MODIFICATION OF CHILD SUPPORT?
WHAT IS A STATE HEARING?
WHAT IS THE TAX OFFSET PROGRAM?
WHEN MY CHILD EMANCIPATES?

WHAT IS THE CSEA?

Formed on January 1, 1988, the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) is a Federal, State, and local partnership charged with the collection and enforcement of court ordered support payments. Under the direction of the Ross County Commissioners and programmatic direction of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), the CSEA is administered locally. The CSEA is a part of the Ross County Job and Family Services (RCJFS). Through a spirit of community cooperation, the mission of the RCJFS is to provide services that encourage productivity, develop competencies, ensure accountability, and promote self-reliance, family stability, and child safety.

The CSEA will assist families and children in meeting their diverse child support and other related needs. These services will be provided in a climate of dignity and respect and in a courteous, ethical and professional manner. The CSEA is committed to a vision of strong, healthy families who are empowered to increase their economic independence, productivity, and social well-being.

WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE?

The CSEA can assist you by providing the following services:

• Location of absent parents
• Establishment of paternity
• Establishment of child support or medical support order
• Modification of child support orders
• Enforcement of existing child support or medical support orders
• Federal and State income tax refund offset submittals for the collection of child support arrearages
• Withholding of wages and unearned income, such as unemployment compensation, for the payment of court ordered support
• Interstate collection of child support

In order to provide several of these services, the CSEA relies on State and Federal enforcement resources. Through legislation the CSEA utilizes statewide programs such as Support Enforcement Tracking System (SETS), Financial Institution Data Match (FIDM), driver license revocation, professional license suspension, and passport revocation. The CSEA also has access to certain independent contractors. Further, the amount of past due support can be reported to a credit reporting agency.

The CSEA makes appropriate referrals to other government and community services. Examples include referrals to the, Healthy Start, Child Care, Domestic Violence Advocacy, Community Connections, and other area programs.

WHY IS CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT IMPORTANT?

Child support is important to a child's healthy development. Child support makes a difference in managing food, shelter, clothing, medical, and dental expenses. In addition, some researchers find a correlation between consistent child support and improved school attendance, higher grade point averages, and reduced behavioral problems. Children need the emotional and financial support of both parents.

SERVICES FOR THE NON-RESIDENTIAL PARENT

The CSEA customers are the obligees, the obligors, employers, and other persons or organizations partnering with the CSEA to work for children and families. CSEA programs deal with more than collections. The CSEA staff will work hard to ensure the legal obligations to children and families are met, but the CSEA staff will also work hard to serve all customers, including the non-residential parent.


CONFIDENTIALITY

All information that both parties provide to the CSEA is kept confidential. In order to abide by the confidentiality laws of the State of Ohio, specific case information will be provided only to the parties directly involved unless a third party release form is completed.

A third party release form is a witnessed written statement that documents a party's request of the CSEA to release specific information to a specific person.

Keep in mind that Court documents require an address. If you wish the agency address to be used on the court filings instead of your home address, you must direct your Case Manager to use the agency address on all court filings? This request is generally made in cases of domestic violence.

HOW TO CONTACT THE CSEA

Mailing Address of CSEA:

475 Western Ave, Suite B

P O Box 469

Chillicothe OH 45601

Hours of Operation:
7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Thursdays
Telephone: (740) 773-2651 or (800) 413-3140

SETS Information Line:
(800) 860-2555 or (800) 860-0019 (TTD)

Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Updated daily, SETS is your best source for payment information.

COMMON CSEA TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT TRACKING SYSTEM (SETS)

As part of Ross County Job and Family Services, the Ross County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) is an agency committed to excellence in public service. In order to provide the best possible customer service, many exciting changes are taking place. One example of positive change is the enhancement of the child support computerized records.

The Ross County CSEA is now a part of the statewide computer system known as Support Enforcement Tracking System, or SETS. Ross County was fully converted to SETS during the first quarter of the year 2000.

SETS is a single, statewide-automated system for child support records. With increased automation, SETS provides a valuable tool to the local child support enforcement agencies. SETS has been designed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to enhance the child support caseworker's ability to locate non-residential parents and to increase the amount of support paid to children. SETS has improved on-line access to credit bureau reporting and has fortified agreements with the State Lottery Commission, the Bureau of Employment Services (now a part of Job and Family Services) and the Ohio Department of Taxation. The linkages within SETS allow agencies to share information and cross-check records. To your Child Support Case Manager, SETS provides:

• Expanded locate services,
• Expanded enforcement techniques,
• Statewide links for all cases,
• An interface with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services,
• Enhanced customer service, and
• Efficient, effective administrative actions.

One specific example of the enhanced features of SETS is its ability to tap directly into several state and national databases, including the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the State Wage and Information Collection Agency and the Federal Parent Locator Services.

HOW CAN I ACCESS INFORMATION ABOUT MY CASE AND WHERE SHOULD PAYMENTS BE SENT?

For all Ohio cases, a toll-free SETS number enables parents to access the following options:

Payment information, Check or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) information, Total balances due, and County address and phone number information.

The information is updated daily and can be accessed by calling:

(800) 860-2555 or (800) 860-0019 (TTD).

The SETS line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The SETS line is your best source for payment information.

Payment information is also available on-line at http://jfs.ohio.gov/oes/paymentstatus.stm

Payments can be received by E-Quick Pay Master Card, direct deposit, or by mail under limited circumstances.

Contact your case manager for direct deposit or E-Quick enrollment forms.

All Child Support payments are processed at a centralized processing center in Columbus. With this in mind, please use the following addresses when submitting payments by check or money order:

HOW ARE CASES ASSIGNED?

Enforcement cases are assigned to one of five case managers alphabetically by the last name of the Residential Parent, or the person with whom the child resides.

Establishment cases are assigned to one of two establishment workers alphabetically by the last name of the residential parent, or the person with whom the child resides

            Aaa-Kiz   Susan Thompson 772-7481

            Kja-Zzz   Peggy Neff 772-7485

Confidential, Interstate and those cases involving children services are assigned to one case manager, Kathy Harrell, 772-7499.

Cases being reviewed for modification are temporarily assigned to one case manager, Cheryl Norman, 772-7498.

WHEN SHOULD I CALL MY CASE MANAGER?

Whenever you have new information to update your file, you should call your Case Manager. A common example of new information is when you experience a change in employment. Keep in mind, some changes will require written documentation. For example, a change of address must be communicated in writing, and a change in name requires proof, such as a driver's license or a marriage certificate.

If you would like a copy of the SETS payment history, call your Case Manager. Please remember that other CSEA personnel support you and your Case Manager. You may not always reach your Case Manager directly. If you are required to leave a voice mail message, please know that all phone calls are returned within one business day as a matter of policy.

Also, call your Case Manager anytime you have a question about your case. Case Managers are professionals here to serve you. They often make professional referrals for related government or community services.

WHAT IS A DEFAULT NOTICE?

An obligor is considered in default if he or she falls behind in their support obligation for more than one month. The arrearage amount must be equal to or greater than the court ordered monthly amount of support to be categorized as a default case.

Non-residential parents who receive a default notice should contact the CSEA to make payment arrangements and to report on their situation in order to avoid further enforcement action. A default notice is part of early enforcement and education efforts.

WHAT IS THE PAYMENT HIERARCHY OF SETS?

SETS adheres to a payment hierarchy, applying payments from the obligor in a specific order. The hierarchy is as follows:

• Current Support
• Arrearages owed to the obligee
• Arrearages owed to the State for public assistance reimbursement
• Processing charge, the statutorily provided fee of 2% of the monthly order (the Obligor pays the processing charge)
  
  Current support is the first priority. In the absence of arrearages or assignments, the processing charge will be met following current support satisfaction. For example, if there is a monthly support order of $100.00, plus the processing charge of $2.00, SETS would apply four regularly received $25.50 payments within one month as follows:

Again, the payment hierarchy within SETS applies payments to current support before arrearages, assignments, or the processing charge. Your Case Manager can talk to you in more detail about the hierarchy of payment application if your case involves arrearages or assignments. A question does often arise when the regular weekly amount varies due to the processing charge.

WHAT ARE THE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CSEA?

Legal services provided by the CSEA include: paternity establishment, child support and medical support order establishment, review and modification of child support orders, enforcement of  support orders, location of non-paying obligors, income withholding, tax refund interceptions, consumer agency reporting of arrearages, garnishment procedures, driver and professional license suspensions, seizure of bank accounts, motions for contempt for failure to pay support as ordered, judgment and lien proceedings for support arrearages, and criminal non-support proceedings.

Estimated time periods for accomplishing the services vary depending on legal requirements, ability to locate and serve parties, and type of service. CSEA Attorneys represent the State of Ohio. No attorney-client relationship exists between the attorney and any individual party. The CSEA attorneys have the responsibility to review cases for litigation, recommend appropriate legal proceedings, conduct pre-trial negotiation and collection activities, and finalize proceedings and appropriate court orders.

WHAT IS PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

When two parents are not married when their child is born, the child does not have a legal father. Paternity establishment is the legal determination of fatherhood.

Paternity establishment is important for many reasons. Paternity must be established before child support or medical support can be ordered. In nearly all areas of the law, establishing paternity grants children born out of wedlock legal equality with children born during a marriage. In addition, the medical histories of both parents are essential to the healthy development of a child. Further, it is the right of both the child and the father to have a parental relationship established.

You may acknowledge paternity by completing a form at the hospital, local registrar's office, or the CSEA. Signing the form is voluntary, and if you are unsure of paternity, you should ask for genetic testing before signing.

Genetic testing may be done by buccal (oral, mouth, or cheek) swabs. The specimen is collected by gently rubbing the cheek inside of the mouth with long swabs, similar to q-tips. The DNA test utilized with buccal swab specimens is the same DNA test utilized with blood specimens. These tests are used in courts throughout the country and are more than 99% accurate.

CAN I REQUEST A MODIFICATION OF CHILD SUPPORT?

An obligor or obligee may request the CSEA to conduct an Administrative Adjustment Review every 36 months. Under Ohio law, certain circumstances permit an Administrative Adjustment Review before the standard 36-month time frame.

For example, if either party experiences a loss of employment for a period of at least six months, the State permits a review. The loss of employment must be beyond the party's control and be reasonably expected to continue for an extended period of time. In addition, if either party becomes permanently disabled, reducing his or her earning capacity, the State permits a review. The disability must be medically verified. Also, if either party experiences a 30-percent change in gross income for a period of at least six months, the State permits a review. A decrease in income must be beyond the party's control and be reasonably expected to continue for an extended period of time.

IF I SUSPECT A DELAY OR A MISTAKE IN MY CASE, WHOM SHOULD I CALL? WHAT IS A STATE HEARING?

If you suspect a delay or a mistake, call your Case Manager as soon as possible. If you still have questions after speaking with your Case Manager, you may ask to speak with a Supervisor, or the Director of the CSEA. If you still have no satisfaction, a customer may call the State's Call Center, 1-800-686-1556. In addition, either party to a case may ask for a state hearing about actions of the state or the local agency. A state hearing is a meeting with you, someone from the local agency, and a state hearing officer. The representative from the local agency will explain the actions that have been or will be taken by the agency. The hearing officer will listen to you and to the local agency. The hearing officer may ask questions to bring out all the facts. The hearing officer will recommend a decision based on whether or not the rules were followed in your case.

You may request a “state hearing” at any time. By contacting the state office of Child Support’s Customer Inquiry Center at 1-800-686-1556.

WHAT IS THE TAX OFFSET PROGRAM?

Certain criteria are met; the Support Enforcement Tracking System (SETS) will automatically submit a case to the Tax Offset program. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and/or the Ohio Department of Taxation (ODOT) will forward the intercepted funds to the Child Support Payment Central (CSPC) location where it will be processed for payment to the appropriate party. Amounts received in excess of the arrearage will be returned to the obligor.

Upon submission to the program, the IRS and/or ODOT will send to the obligor a letter as notification for participation in the Tax Offset Program. The letter will identify the arrearage for the case at the time of submission to the program. The letter will also identify the agency to contact with questions about the arrearage. The credit to the case will appear on the payment history once the funds are received and applied; this could take up to eight weeks after the obligor has filed their tax return.

The entire process may take up to six months. If an obligor is married and filing jointly, the refund must he held six months allow the current spouse time to file a claim, if the current spouse did not file a form at the time of the initial income tax filing.

 WHEN MY CHILD EMANCIPATES?

Unless otherwise stated in an original order, current State law generally provides that if a child reaches the age of eighteen and is not attending high school or if a child reaches the age of nineteen regardless of school enrollment, the child is considered emancipated. Upon emancipation, the child support order terminates. Either party may notify the CSEA of the child's emancipation.

Upon notification of the emancipation, the CSEA Case Manager will verify the emancipation. If an arrearage exits, the amount being collected will remain the same until the arrearage has been satisfied.

 If you have questions about how the emancipation process will affect your case, please contact your Case Manager with any questions.