The Children’s Bureau announced a new Child Welfare Policy Manual Q/A regarding Title IV-E agencies securing child support payments for children in foster care. More information to come.
Question: Section 471(a)(17) of the Social Security Act (the Act) requires title IV-E agencies to “where appropriate” take “all steps” to secure an assignment of the rights to child support for a child receiving title IV-E foster care maintenance payments (FCMPs). How should a title IV-E agency determine when it is “appropriate” to secure an assignment of the rights to child support?
Answer: We are issuing revised policy for title IV-E agencies to define more narrowly “where appropriate” so that the default position in these determinations can be for the title IV-E agency not to secure an assignment of the rights to child support for children receiving title IV-E FCMPs.
