Tools to help you plan, implement, and review your child support-led employment services program as well as guidance identifying allowable federal funding sources.
Implementation and Program Planning Guide and Checklist
To help child support programs implement or enhance a noncustodial parent employment program, we’ve developed a guide and checklist. These documents identify most decisions that should be considered during planning and implementation.
- Guide for Employment Services Implementation and Program Planning.docx (DOCX) (also available in PDF (PDF))
- Checklist for Employment Services Implementation and Program Planning.pdf (PDF)
Policy Resources
Policy resources identifying allowable federal funding sources and strategies.
Office of Family Assistance Funding Guidance
Office of Child Support Enforcement Funding Guidance
- OCSE-AT-20-01: Reinvesting Child Support Incentive Payments
Provides updated information regarding exemptions for reinvestment of child support incentive payments.
- OCSE-IM-20-03: Section 1115 Waivers
Outlines OCSE’s waiver authority under section 1115 under the Social Security Act and clarifies funding, waiver application and evaluation requirements, and technical assistance availability.
- OCSE-IM-19-04: Availability of Section 1115 Waivers to Fund NCP Work Activities
Outlines section 1115 demonstration waivers that allow states and tribes to fund employment programs for noncustodial parents
- OCSE-IM-18-02: Use of IV-D Incentive Funds for NCP Work Activities
Clarifies that HHS approves exemption requests to use incentives to provide employment programs for noncustodial parents.
- OCSE-PIQ-12-02: Partnering with Other Programs
Clarifies allowable child support expenditures related to outreach, referral, and case management activities.
Federal Funding Models
There are only three federal funding approaches for an employment services program for noncustodial parents who are unable to pay child support; Section 1115 Waiver, Exemption to Reinvest Child Support Incentive Payments, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
These overviews are for the two OCSE-sponsored approaches. They present information that should be considered while exploring each funding option:
This overview provides information about creating partnerships with TANF agencies to provide noncustodial parent employment services.
- TANF (PDF)