NATIVE AMERICAN CASES
CS
210P-1 Navajo Nation
01/02 Revised 05/04/22 Training
Completed 05/18/22 Last Reviewed 04/07/25
Introduction
The Navajo
Nation is the largest Native American tribe in the Southwest and has the
biggest tribal reservation within the United States. The reservation encompasses land in Arizona,
New Mexico, and Utah, and covers more than 25,000 square miles. In Utah, the reservation is located in the
southeastern corner of the state.
Locate Only
If you want to make a locate-only request and you believe the NCP lives or works on the New Mexico or Utah side of the Navajo reservation, send a locate request to the State Parent Locator Service (SPLS) unit in New Mexico. Because the Navajo Nation is not a CSENet (Child Support Enforcement Network) state, if you believe the NCP lives or works on the Arizona side of the reservation send the Child Support Locate Request form directly to the Navajo Nation.
Service of Process
If you need to send documents for personal service on a participant who is currently residing on the Arizona side of the Navajo Nation, send the appropriate intergovernmental paperwork directly to the Navajo Nation Department of Child Support Enforcement at the address listed below. If you need to send a document(s) for personal service on a participant who resides on the New Mexico or Utah side of the reservation, contact the Navajo Nation for instructions on where to send the request for service.
DCSE Central Administration
P.O. Box 7050
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Phone: (928) 871-7194
Fax: (928) -871-7255
NOTE: If you need to
serve a participant who resides on a reservation but works off of the
reservation you may attempt to serve the individual as long as s/he has
“minimal contacts” with the state. If/when
this situation arises, review the case with the assigned attorney.
Noncustodial
Parents/Alleged Fathers Living On the Reservation
The Navajo Nation handles cases directly when the NCP/alleged father resides on the Arizona side of the reservation. For cases where the NCP/alleged father resides on the New Mexico or Utah side of the reservation, the Navajo Nation has contracted with the State of New Mexico to handle all intake procedures in these circumstances.
If the NCP/alleged father resides on the reservation, use the map below to determine the area of the reservation where the NCP/alleged father resides (i.e., Kayenta, Tuba City, Chinle, Winslow, Ft. Defiance, Shiprock, Gallup, Crownpoint, or in the Utah section, and send the transmittal to the appropriate office).
If the NCP resides in the Kayenta, Tuba City, Chinle, Winslow, or Ft. Defiance area of the reservation, send the intergovernmental transmittal directly to the Navajo Nation. If the NCP resides in the Shiprock, Gallup, Crownpoint, or in the Utah area of the reservation, send the intergovernmental transmittal to the New Mexico Central Registry Unit. For more information, refer to the appropriate subsections below.
1. Navajo Nation Department of Child Support Enforcement. If the NCP/alleged father resides in the Navajo Nation and you need assistance from their child support enforcement division, complete the following:
a. Open a record in ORSIS for the Navajo Nation.
b. Generate the Child Support Enforcement Transmittal #1 – Initial Request form and the Child Support Agency Confidential Information Form.
c. Determine the specific additional Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) forms that need to be generated and sent based on the type of petition that you are requesting (e.g., establish an order, enforcement of an order [you must send a certified copy of the order with the interstate referral], etc.). If a General Testimony form is required, send the form, the General Testimony Instructions, and the Cover Letter General Testimony to the applicant for completion.
d. After the General Testimony form is returned from the applicant, if appropriate, forward a copy of the portions of the intergovernmental packet to the Central Imaging Unit (CIU) to be imaged and maintained in Content Manager for the case. The intergovernmental packet must include all of the forms required for the type of request being sent to the Navajo Nation.
e. Send the original transmittal to the Navajo Nation Child Support Enforcement office:
Arizona Department of Economic Security
Division of Child Support Services
PO Box 40458
Phoenix, AZ 85067
Phone: (602) 280-1013
Fax: (602) 274-6862
Arizona’s Division of Child Support Services will forward the intergovernmental packet to the Navajo Nation’s child support enforcement division. When the Navajo Nation office receives the referral, they will attempt to send an acknowledgement to the assigned CSS worker notifying them that they have received the case and are now responsible to work it.
Once a referral is sent to the Navajo Nation Child Support Enforcement office, treat the case the same way you would any other outgoing intergovernmental case.
2. New Mexico Central Registry Unit. If the NCP/alleged father resides in the Shiprock, Gallup, Crownpoint, or in the Utah area of the reservation, complete the following:
a. Open a record in ORSIS for the Navajo Nation.
b. Generate the Child Support Enforcement Transmittal #1 – Initial Request form and the Child Support Agency Confidential Information Form.
c. Determine the specific additional Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) forms that need to be generated and sent based on the type of petition that you are requesting (e.g., establish an order, enforcement of an order [you must send a certified copy of the order with the interstate referral], etc.). If a General Testimony form is required, send the form, the General Testimony Instructions, and the Cover Letter General Testimony to the applicant for completion.
a. After the General Testimony form is returned from the applicant, if appropriate, forward a copy of the portions of the intergovernmental packet to the Central Imaging Unit (CIU) to be imaged and maintained in Content Manager for the case. The intergovernmental packet must include all of the forms required for the type of request being sent to the Navajo Nation.
b. Send the transmittal to the New Mexico Central Registry Child Support Enforcement office at the following address:
New Mexico HSD/CSED Central Registry
PO Box 2348
Santa Fe, NM 87504-2348
Phone: (505)827-1315
Fax: (505)827-6257
Because the Navajo Nation has contracted with the New Mexico IV-D Child Support Enforcement office to complete all intake actions (NCPs/alleged fathers who reside on the New Mexico and Utah side of the reservation), all initial transmittals for the Navajo Nation must first be sent to the above address. Once New Mexico receives the transmittal, New Mexico will:
i. Research the case and identify which office is responsible for establishment and/or enforcement;
ii. Open the case on the Navajo Nation computer system;
iii. Send an acknowledgement for the case; notify the CSS assigned worker which office (Navajo Nation) the case has been forwarded/assigned to; and,
iv. Forward the case to the appropriate Navajo Nation office.
NOTE:
Once the Navajo Nation receives the case from the New Mexico Central Registry
Unit, they are responsible for the case. Since the Navajo Nation will continue
to use the New Mexico computer system, you may communicate with the Navajo
Nation (for cases where the NCP/alleged father is on the New Mexico or Utah
side of the reservation) using CSENet. Once you make
a referral to the Navajo Nation child support office, treat the case the same
way as you would any other outgoing intergovernmental case.
When the Navajo Nation office receives the referral from the New Mexico Child Support Office, they will attempt to send an acknowledgement to the assigned CSS worker notifying them that they have received the case and are now responsible to work it.
Once the Navajo Nation receives the initial referral and the other UIFSA paperwork, the Navajo Nation will be responsible for working the case. If/when communication with the Navajo Nation is required, contact the Navajo Nation directly.