Tribal Child Support Enforcement Direct Funding Requests

The final rule within 45 CFR part 309 contains a regulatory reporting requirement that in order to receive funding for a tribal IV-D program a tribe or tribal organization must submit a plan describing how the tribe or tribal organization meets or plans to meet the objectives of section 455(f) of the Social Security Act, including establishing paternity, establishing, modifying, and enforcing support orders, and locating noncustodial parents. The plan is required for all tribes requesting funding; however, once a tribe has met the requirements to operate a comprehensive program, a new plan is not required annually unless a tribe makes changes to its Title IV-D program. Tribes and tribal organizations must respond if they wish to operate a fully funded program. This paperwork collection activity is set to expire in March 2020. The information collected is necessary to enable OCSE to determine whether an applicant tribe or tribal organization meets the requirements to receive direct funding to operate a child support enforcement program under 455(f) of the Social Security Act and implementing regulations at 45 CFR part 309. The tribal plan gives each tribe a method for developing a statement to be submitted to OCSE for approval describing the nature and scope of its program and giving assurances that the program will be administered in conformity with the requirements in Title IV-D of the Act and the implementing regulations at 45 CFR part 309. The tribal plan is analogous to a tribe having a contract with OCSE in that it outlines the activities the tribe will perform as required by law in consideration for receiving federal funds to meet the costs of these activities. In this sense, the tribal plan is the basis for making federal funding available to the tribal IV-D agencies in the costs of operating the child support enforcement program.

The latest form for Tribal Child Support Enforcement Direct Funding Requests expires 2023-03-31 and can be found here.

45 CFR 309 Plan Amendments

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Community and Social Services - Social Services