SS Update - November 2017

Key Highlights This Month:  

Child Care Assistance Program/CCAP

• CCAP manual changes to support Phase 1 and Phase 2 changes have been published. Manual changes to support Phase 3 changes effective 12/18/17 are expected to be published in December.
• Phase 2 changes were effective 10/23/2017. Changes to MEC² were installed on 10/20/2017.
• A Bulletin describing the Phase 2 changes that take effect on 10/23/17 was published 10/11/2017.
• A CCAP memo was sent to county and tribal agencies about upcoming training opportunities, including information about in-person training throughout the state beginning in November.
• Information related to the reauthorization changes (Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3) is posted to SIR in the MEC² Training Toolkit. A SIR login ID is required.
• Several memos about the Phase 2 changes and MEC² functionality were emailed to CCAP county administrative and client access contacts.
• In-person training throughout the state. The first training was on 11/6/2017. The last training is scheduled for 12/8/2017.
• Information about Phase 2 and some Phase 3 changes was presented at the MEC² Mentor Meeting on 11/8/17.

 Child Support Division (CSD)

1. Recent and Upcoming Events
1. Community Outreach

                                                               i.      The next Child Support Task Force meeting, with extended time for public comments, is November 29 in Coon Rapids

                                                              ii.      The next Big 9 meeting is December 13

2. Highlights/New Initiatives
1. KMOJ Outreach – CSD staff continue to work on the campaign including monthly interviews, announcements, and website banners, to educate listeners on a child support and other CFS topics. Although the division and KMOJ haven’t finalized the entire interview schedule, the first monthly interview will be on December 6 with Assistant Commissioner Jim Koppel.
3. Ongoing Program Work
1. Child Support Task Force Meetings - A reporter from KEYC Television news covered the task force meeting in North Mankato on October 25. Here’s a link to the story - http://www.keyc.com/story/36686298/task-force-reviews-child-support-laws.
2. Federal Performance Measures - Based on preliminary 2017 Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) data, Minnesota’s federal performance measures for child support are up in two categories, paternity establishment and percent of current support collected, and down in two categories, court order establishment and collections on arrears. On a positive note, the percentage of current support collected surpassed the record mark set last year which is great. More details will be available on these measures in January 2018.
3. DHS SIR Upgrade – The rebuild of DHS SIR in SharePoint 2016 is complete. A team of people representing all programs utilizing the SIR portal – including CSD – are now going through testing and verification. CSD staff are ensuring all content has been captured in the new version and all URLs and forms work. Because CSD was the original builder and user of SIR, its content has been the most complex to transfer to the new format; consequently, CSD staff have worked closely with MN.IT to remedy discovered issues.
4. Grants and RFP’s
1. Fiscal Year 2019 - CSD’s Division Operations contracting staff have begun planning for the FY19 contracting cycle to identify contracts that will need to be renewed by the end of the fiscal year and work with the contract owner to move the process forward.

5. Website changes
1. Child Support Task Force website – CSD added content relevant to previous and future meetings including agendas, minutes, presentations and additional resources.

Requested Actions Needed From MACSSA:  

New Trends in This Area:  

Hennepin County Child Support is piloting the Point of Sale using Pay Near Me in December 2017.  This allows obligors to pay child support at over 24,000 retail locations nationwide. Retailers such as: 7Eleven, Casey’s, CVS Pharmacy and Family Dollar.

Issues/Concerns Regarding This Topic:  

Legislative Impacts:  

IRS Publication 1075 (BCA level background checks and fingerprinting): The BCA is taking the lead in drafting proposed legislation for Minnesota to be compliant with this publication.  Other agencies involved are DHS, DEED and MNsure.

 See Bulletin # 17-68-19 for changes that take effect September 25, 2017:  Federal and State Changes to the Child Care Assistance Program – Phase 1

 See Bulletin # 17-68-22 for changes that take effect October 23, 2017: Federal and State Changes to the Child Care Assistance Program - Phase 2

Supporting Materials:  See above

Contacts(s):  

Barb Dahl and Brad Thiel,  Casey White, Katie Heffernan, Stacia Rosas, Jeff Jorgenson and Tris Skophammer