State Plan for Child Support Collection and Establishment of Paternity Under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act
OMB Information Collection Request
0970 - 0017
Supporting Statement Part A - Justification
December 2024
Type of Request: Revision
Submitted By:
Office of Child Support Services
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
The requirement for submission of a state plan and plan amendments for the Child Support Services program is found in legislation at sections 452, 454 and 466 of the Social Security Act (the Act). These sections are implemented by regulations at 45 CFR 301, 302, 303, 305, 307 and 308. States and territories are provided with instructions for completing the automated state plan and plan amendments in OCSE-AT-15-02.
The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) has approved a IV-D state plan for each state and territory. Federal regulations require states and territories to amend their state plans only when necessary to reflect new or revised federal statutes or regulations or material change in any state law, organization, policy, or IV-D agency operations. According to 45 CFR 301.13, “After approval of the original plan by the Office, all relevant changes, required by new statutes, rules, regulations, interpretations, and court decisions, are required to be submitted currently so that the Office may determine whether the plan continues to meet federal requirements and policies.”
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the IV-D state plan forms, OCSE-100 and OCSE-21-U4. All states have had IV-D plans in place for years. Plan amendments that states submit now are normally specific preprint plan pages that are required by changes in state laws or processes, or required by federal law, regulations, or policies. Each state and territory submit, on average, 12 preprint state plan pages (OCSS-100) and 12 transmittals (OCSS-21-U4) annually to notify OCSS of relevant changes required by new state statutes, rules, interpretations and court decisions.
The State Plan for Child Support Collection and Establishment of Paternity Under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act information collection was approved by OMB for a 3-year extension on May 30, 2023. However, on May 31, 2024, OCSS published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (89 FR 47109; RIN 0970-AD00) proposing to allow Federal financial participation (FFP) for certain optional and nonduplicative employment and training services for eligible noncustodial parents in the child support program. The proposed rule will permit states, at their discretion, to use FFP to provide any or all of the following services: job search assistance; job readiness training; job development and job placement services; skills assessments; job retention services; work supports; and occupational training and other skills training directly related to employment.
On December 13, 2024, OCSS published the Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program final rule (89 FR 100789; RIN 0970-AD00).
To incorporate changes resulting from this rule, we’re requesting approval to revise and extend this currently approved collection for 3 years. Attachments include the OCSS-100 and the OCSS-21-U4.
Purpose and Use of the Information Collection
The information collected on the state plan pages are used by OCSS to determine whether each state and territory has a IV-D state plan that meets the requirements in Title IV-D of the Act and implementing regulations. The state plan preprint pages give each state a convenient method for developing statements to be submitted to OCSS for approval describing the nature and scope of its program and giving assurances that the program is administered in accordance with the requirements in Title IV-D of the Act and the implementing regulations at 45 CFR Chapter III. The state plan is analogous to a state having a formal agreement with OCSS in that it outlines the activities the state will perform as required by law in consideration for receiving federal funds to meet the costs of these activities. The state plan is the basis for making federal funding available to the states for the costs of operating the Child Support Services program, and to ensure state child support programs are administered in accordance with the requirements in Title IV-D of the Act and the implementing regulations at 45 CFR Chapter III.
Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction
In 2015, OCSS developed an online system to process state plan amendments. Revised procedures for the submission, review, and approval of state plan pages and attachments, as well as the user manual, are available online in OCSE-AT-15-02.
Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information
The collection of information requirements contained in these forms does not duplicate any other reporting or recordkeeping requirements.
Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities
The collection of information requirements does not involve small businesses or entities.
Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently
Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5
Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) and OMB regulations at 5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), ACF published the Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program NPRM in the Federal Register announcing the agency’s intention to request an OMB review of the State Plan for Child Support Collection and Establishment of Paternity Under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act information collection activity. This notice was published on May 31, 2024, Volume 89, Number 106, page 47109, and provided a sixty-day period for public comment1. During the notice and comment period, no comments were received regarding the State Plan information collection (ICR). OCSS published the Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program final rule on December 13, 2024, Volume 89, Number 240, page 100789.2
Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents
No payments or gifts are involved in this information collection.
Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents
The required information collection does not require assurances of confidentiality.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
The required information collection does not involve asking questions of a sensitive nature.
Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs
There are 54 states and U.S. territories (respondents). Each respondent submits an average of 12 responses each year, which is 648 total responses. OCSS estimates each State Plan response takes about 30 minutes to complete; therefore, the annual burden hours for State Plan submissions are 324 hours. Additionally, OCSS estimates each State Plan transmittal takes about 15 minutes to complete and submit; therefore, the annual burden hours for State Plan Transmittals are 162 hours.
OCSS estimates 33 states will spend approximately 3 hours compiling and drafting the required information to amend their state plan to participate in the Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program rule. Therefore, the annual burden hours for this state plan amendment are 33 hours.
The average time per response is estimated based on experience to date.
Information Collection Title |
Total Number of Respondents |
Total Number of Responses Per Respondent |
Average Burden Hours Per Response |
Total Burden Hours |
Annual Burden Hours |
Average Hourly Wage |
Total Annual Cost |
State Plan (OCSS-100) |
54 |
36 |
.5 |
972 |
324 |
$111.08 |
$35,990 |
State Plan Transmittal (OCSS-21-U4) |
54 |
36 |
.25 |
486 |
162 |
$111.08 |
$17,995 |
Amendments Specific to the Employment and Training Services for Non-Custodial Parents in the Child Support Program |
33 |
1 |
3 |
99 |
33 |
$111.08 |
$3,666 |
Estimated Annual Cost and Burden Total: |
519 |
|
$57,651 |
||||
The cost to respondents was calculated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) job code for State Government Management Analyst [13-1111] and wage data from May 2023, which is $55.54 per hour. To account for fringe benefits and overhead, the rate was multiplied by two, which is $111.08. The estimate of annualized cost to respondents for hourly burden is $111.08 times 519 hours, or $57,651.
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm
Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents and Record Keepers
There are no other costs to respondents and record keepers.
Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
The annualized costs to the federal government for the hour burdens are based on an average wage rate of $57 per hour for federal employees who review submitted state plan pages from respondents. Estimates regarding the hours federal staff spend processing each state plan submission (0.5 hours for state plan pages and 0.25 hours for state plan transmittal) were determined by past employees’ experiences in reviewing state plan pages in OCSS.
Instrument
|
Total number of responses (54 states x 12 responses each) |
Average federal burden hours per response |
Average hourly federal wage |
Total Annual Cost |
State Plan (OCSS-100) |
648 |
.5 |
$57 |
$18,468 |
State Plan Transmittal (OCSS-21-U4) |
648 |
.25 |
$57 |
$9,234 |
Sum |
|
|
|
$27,702 |
In addition, there is a cost to the federal government for maintenance of the online state plan system of $49,275. Therefore, the total annual cost to the Federal Government is the sum of $27,702 and $49,275, which equals $76,977.
Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments
The estimate of annual burden hours has increased by 33 hours due to publication of the Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program Final Rule. Although publication of this rule has increased burden hours and costs to states, there are no additional burden hours or costs to the federal government.
Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule
There is no planned analysis or publication of the data collected by state agencies.
Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate
Not applicable.
Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
There are no exceptions to the certification statement.
2 Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program - Final Rule
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Mckenny, Tavaughn (ACF) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2025-01-01 |