OUTGOING
INTERGOVERNMENTAL
CS
222P Intergovernmental Referral Methods
04/87
Revised 08/18/25 Training Completed 09/01/25 Last Reviewed 09/08/25
45 CFR 301.1 and 303.7
Intergovernmental
Referral Method Overview
If you are
unable to utilize any in-state remedies on a case where the noncustodial parent
(NCP) is out-of-state (refer to CS 220P Long-Arm and CS 221P In-state Remedies
on Out-of-State Cases), and you determine the case should be worked by the IV-D
agency in the state where the NCP resides (“two-state” action), you must send
an intergovernmental referral to that state. For more information on intergovernmental
referrals, refer to subsection General Requirements below.
You may ask
the responding state to take one or more of the following actions:
1.
Redirect
payments to the Office of Recovery Services/Child Support Services (ORS/
2.
Establishment
of:
a.
Parentage;
and/or,
b.
An order
for:
i.
Child
support;
ii.
Other costs
(e.g., genetic test costs);
3.
Review and
adjustment;
4.
Income
withholding; and,
5.
Enforcement
of:
a.
Current
support;
b.
Arrears;
c.
Spousal Support;
and/or,
d.
Medical
support – If this is the only order you are enforcing and other state is CSENet active, you must send a CSENet
narrative to inform the other state that there is a valid order for insurance
and indicate which party is required to provide the insurance.
1.
Central Authority – Pursuant to 45
“. . . the agency designated by a government to facilitate support
enforcement with a foreign reciprocating country (FRC) pursuant to section 459A
of the Act.”
2.
Controlling Order
State
– The State in which the only order was issued, or, where multiple orders
exist, the State in which the order determined by a tribunal to control
prospective current support pursuant to UIFSA was issued.
3.
Country - Includes both a
foreign reciprocating country (
4.
Form – Pursuant to 45
“. . . a federally-approved document used for the
establishment and enforcement of support obligations whether compiled or
transmitted in written or electronic format, including but not limited to the
Income Withholding for Support form, and the National Medical Support Notice. In
interstate IV-D cases, such forms include those used for child support
enforcement proceeding under UIFSA. Form also includes any federally-approved
mandated IV-D program reporting form, where appropriate.”
5.
Initiating Agency – A State or Tribal
IV-D agency in a country, as defined in this rule, in which an individual has
applied for or is receiving services.
6.
Interstate Case – A IV-D case in
which the NCP lives and/or works in a different State than the custodial parent
(CP) and child(ren) that has been referred by an initiating State to a
responding state for services. An intergovernmental IV-D case also may include
cases in which a State is seeking only to collect support arrearages, whether
owed to the family or assigned to the state.
7.
Intergovernmental
IV-D Case
– Pursuant to
45
“. . . a IV-D case in which the
noncustodial parent lives and/or works in a different jurisdiction than the
custodial parent and child(ren) that has been referred by an initiating agency
to a responding agency for services. An intergovernmental IV-D case may include
any combination of referrals between States, Tribes, and countries. An
intergovernmental IV-D case may include cases in which a State agency is
seeking only to collect support arrearages, whether owed to the family or
assigned to the State.”
8.
One-State Remedies – Includes both long-arm and direct enforcement
techniques.
9.
Redirect – A request to the
other state to start sending payments to
10.
Responding Agency – The agency that is
providing services in response to a referral from an initiating agency in an
intergovernmental IV-D case.
11.
Tribunal – A court,
administrative agency, or quasi-judicial entity authorized under State law to
establish, enforce, or modify support orders or to determine parentage.
12.
Two-state Action – An intergovernmental
transmittal has been sent to the NCP’s state with a request to work the case.
13.
Uniform Interstate
Family Support Act (UIFSA) – The model act promulgated by the National Conference
of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) and mandated by section 466(f)
of the Act to be in effect in all States.
1.
Pursuant to
45
“Transmit requests for information and provide requested
information electronically to the
greatest extent possible.” (Emphasis added.)
Send or electronically
transmit (CSENet) to the greatest extent possible
an intergovernmental referral to the responding state’s Central Registry within
20 calendar days of locating the NCP in another state pursuant to 45
The 20-day timeframe does not begin until:
a.
You
determine a two-state action is needed; e.g., you are unable to proceed with
any in-state remedies on the case;
NOTE: If there is a
b.
The NCP has
been located; and,
c.
You have
received all necessary information to process the case (such as a certified
copy of the order and/or CP Financial Statement). Refer to Procedure – Referral
Methods, below, for more information.
NOTE: Document your actions to gather the necessary information in
the case narratives. For more
information on CSS duties and timeframes, refer to CS 151P Duties and Federal
Timeframes.
2.
Send the
federally-approved forms (hard copy documentation) to the other state along
with copies of the order and the “Interstate: Electronic Referral Memorandum”
letter pursuant to 45
“Use federally-approved forms in intergovernmental IV-D cases, . .
. When using a paper version, this requirement is met by providing the number
of complete set of required documents needed by the
responding agency, if one is not sufficient under the responding agency’s law.”
NOTE: Because the electronic transmittal does not contain
signatures, most states still require hard copies of the transmittal, support
order, and letter. Most state are unable to proceed judicially, when necessary,
without a copy of the appropriate signatures found on the transmittal and
order.
3.
Notify the
CP at the time the interstate referral is made to the other state, by
generating and sending the Interstate: To, Obligee,
Referral Sent Letter.
4.
Within 10
working days of receiving an intergovernmental referral pursuant to 45
a.
Acknowledge
the referral pursuant to 45
b.
Request any
missing documentation pursuant to 45
c.
Inform you
where the case has been sent for action pursuant to 45
5.
Within 30
calendar days of receiving a request for additional information you must:
a.
Provide the
other state with the information requested pursuant to 45
b.
Notify the
other state of the date the information will be provided. Send the information
to the other state by:
i.
CSENet state – Sending a CSENet transaction.
ii.
Non-CSENet state – Generate and send either:
A.
The
“Interstate: Release of Information, Authorization” letter;
B.
A copy of
the original “Child Support Enforcement Transmittal #1- Initial Request” letter
with the information attached; or,
C.
The “Child
Support Enforcement Transmittal #2 – Subsequent Actions” letter.
6.
Notify the
other state pursuant to 45
a.
CSENet state – Sending a CSENet transaction.
b.
Non-CSENet state – Generating and sending the “Interstate:
Status Update to Responding State” letter.
7.
If new information
and/or a support order from the other state, you must update the appropriate
screens on ORSIS.
NOTE: If you receive a copy of a new support order from the other
state, send a copy to the Non-IV-A CP.
Procedures –
Referral Methods
All states
are required to follow federal regulations and mandates, including the Uniform
Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) requirements (refer to CS 150P General
Information and Definitions and related UIFSA policies). States also have their
own unique state laws and procedures that they must follow. As a result, the
requirement for intergovernmental referral may vary from state to state. Providing
the appropriate intergovernmental forms, number of copies required by the state
pursuant to 45
NOTE: The
instructions below address the procedure for sending a physical referral packet
to another jurisdiction.
1.
Child Support Enforcement Network
(CSENet) Referral: If you need to send an intergovernmental
referral/petition to another state and that state is CSENet
active, send the referral electronically to the greatest extent possible
pursuant to 45
If a CSENet transaction errors out, CSS
is notified via a hard-copy report, which is currently being worked by staff in
the CSS administrative group. The CSS administrative staff will contact the
agent assigned to the case and request that the transaction be re-sent using a
valid function code. If needed, call or manually send a letter to the state to
get an update on the case.
The CSENet computer link between states
allows ORSIS to electronically transmit case referrals, updates, and
narratives, instead of manually providing the other state with paper referrals
and letters. Even if a state is CSENet active, it is
still necessary to send some paper documentation to the other state. For
example, if an intergovernmental transmittal/petition is electronically sent to
another state, it is necessary to send a paper copy of the support order and a
copy of the intergovernmental referral/petition, depending on the other state’s
requirements regarding electronic signatures. Make sure all required copies of
the transmittal and documentation are sent to the other state at the time of
the initial referral pursuant to 45 CFR 303.7(a)(4). For more information on
documentation, etc., refer to the subsection, “General Requirements,” above.
2.
Child Support Enforcement
Transmittal #1 – Initial Request – If you need to send a referral to a non-CSENet
state or a IV-D Tribe, send the paper form. Depending
on the type of referral (i.e., establishment, enforcement, registration), it
may be necessary to include other intergovernmental forms and/or documents with
the referral.
3.
Registration of Foreign Support
Orders referral – If you want
another state/IV-D tribe to modify and/or enforce an existing support order
that it did not issue, request that the order be registered in the state where
the NCP resides for purposes of enforcement. To do this you must:
a.
Complete all
appropriate documents for the request type.
b.
Make a copy
of the portions of the intergovernmental packet that are required to be
retained and send to the Central Imaging Unit (CIU).
c.
Send the
original intergovernmental packet to the state along with all required copies
needed by the state for processing pursuant to 45 CFR 303.7(a)(4).
4.
Payment Forwarding – If you determine that the NCP
is already paying his/her child support through a IV-D
Child Support Office in another state, and you need to redirect the payments to
5.
International Enforcement – If you determine that the NCP
resides in a foreign reciprocating country (FCR) outside the jurisdiction of
the United States, you may send an international referral/petition requesting
that the country take the appropriate action (e.g., establishment of an order
and/or enforcement of the order) by sending the appropriate UIFSA paperwork to
that country.
NOTE: If the
NCP lives in another state within the United States, but the order is not in
English, do not translate the order before making an intergovernmental referral
to that state. Refer to the procedures in CS 253P for more information.
Status
Request
ORSIS automatically sends a routine Status Request Letter to the
other state every 180 days (six months), provided the case is coded properly on
ORSIS.
Status
Request – Canadian Provinces/Territories
To request
status updates or other follow-up on ongoing cases with the Canadian
Provinces/Territories, contact the individual or the office provided by the
Canadian Provinces/Territories with the acknowledgement to the original
intergovernmental referral request.
Complaint
Procedures – Custodial Parent
If the CP
complains/inquires about the status of a case once an interstate referral has
been made to the other state, you may:
1.
Call the
other state and/or send a CSENet message, if
appropriate, requesting a status update request;
2.
If
appropriate, send an email following the requirements in CS 004P Communication
with Customers; or,
3.
Send the
“Interstate: Complaint Response to Obligee or Third
Party” letter to him/her. The letter informs the CP that the case has been
referred to another state (the state where the NCP currently lives) and that
state, not Utah, is responsible for:
a.
Working the
case, which includes establishing or enforcing a support order and monitoring
missed payments; and,
b.
Notifying
the ORS/
A.
Hearing is
scheduled; and,
B.
The results
of the hearing.
Other State Closes Its Case
If the other
state closes or dismisses a case and the reasons for closure are unclear or you
don’t agree with the reasons (e.g., the other state closed the case because it
is paid in full, but Utah still shows an arrears balance of $1,200.00 owing on
the case) contact the other state using CSENet, an
email that meets the requirements of policy, if appropriate, or by requesting
and sending the Status Request letter. You must either ask that the other state
provide further clarification or you must provide the other state with the
necessary information/documentation to show why Utah
EXAMPLE:
CSS sends an intergovernmental referral/petition to Colorado (CO) requesting
collection/enforcement on an arrears balance of $1,000.00. CSS has only
received $500.00 from the other state, leaving a balance owing on the case of
$500.00. CSS must provide the other state with:
·
A copy of the original intergovernmental referral/petition
showing that the original request for collection/enforcement was for $1,000.00
arrears; and,
·
A computation of arrears, showing all payments received by
CSS.
If the other
state does not agree with the CSS assessment and continues to close the case,
refer to CS 222P-1 Complaint Procedures for the complaint procedures and more
information. However, if the case is closed the case pursuant to Federal
regulations and state laws, you may:
1.
Keep the
case open and continue any and all appropriate locate\collection\ enforcement
efforts until the case meets the criteria for closure; or,
2. Close the