CS 191P National Intergovernmental Case Reconciliation (ICR)
New
Introduction
Beginning April, 2004, state IV-D agencies began to send all intergovernmental
case information to the federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) in an
effort to improve intergovernmental communications. Once OCSS receives the information from all
participating states and territories, it is matched against all states and the
results are returned to each state. This
project is called the National Intergovernmental Case Reconciliation (ICR)
project. The ICR informs states about
mismatches that may arise with intergovernmental cases, and provides
assistance with reconciling those cases.
The ICR
goals and objectives are:
1.
Synchronize
intergovernmental caseloads;
2.
Establish
clear accountability for intergovernmental case processing;
3.
Provide
and/or correct participant social security numbers (SSN’s);
4.
Improve
electronic communication among states; and,
5.
Establish
accurate state and national baselines of intergovernmental cases.
The ICR
provides states with information by comparing the Utah intergovernmental
caseload with other state’s intergovernmental cases. This includes both open and closed cases.
The ICR shows whether the data maintained on the Utah intergovernmental
caseload is accurate, or if there are discrepancies. If errors are found, Utah receives the
correct data or information that allows for the next appropriate action to
resolve the error.
Terms/Definitions
1.
Closed
Intergovernmental Case – As defined by OCSS for purposes
of identifying eligible cases for the national ICR project: a closed intergovernmental case occurs when a
case remains open in the Initiating Agency as an in-state case, but no longer
has an intergovernmental connection to the other state.
2.
Intergovernmental
Case – As defined by OCSS for purposes of identifying eligible cases
for the national ICR project:
a.
A case requested by one state for another state to open and
maintain for purposes of paternity or order establishment, and/or enforcement.
b.
The state requesting this action is the initiating agency. The other state is the responding agency.
c.
Both states maintain identical cases on their systems, and both
states submit the intergovernmental case for ICR purposes.
d.
Both intergovernmental open
and closed cases are submitted for ICR purposes. (For more information on
closed cases, see #1 above.)
e.
Neither long-arm cases (which don’t require service from the other
state) nor limited services cases (where a case is not open in the other state)
are submitted for ICR purposes.
3.
IV-D
Case – As defined by OCSS, taken from the OCSS-157 form for state
reporting: A parent (mother, father, or
putative father) who is now or eventually may be obligated under law for the
support of a child or children receiving services under the title IV-D program.
A parent is reported as a separate
IV-D case for each family with a dependent child or children that the parent
may be obligated to support. If both
parents are absent and liable or potentially liable for support of a child or
children receiving services under the title IV-D programs, each parent is
considered a separate IV-D case.
4.
IV-D
Case Identifier (ID) – As defined by OCSS, a value (alpha, numeric, or combination of
both) assigned by a state to uniquely identify each IV-D case in the
state. When used in conjunction with a
state code it uniquely identifies a IV-D case for intergovernmental
communication, EFT/EDI, and for communication with the Federal Parent Locator
Service (FPLS).