[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 45, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 45CFR303.20]

[Page 247-248]
 
                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE
 
    CHAPTER III--OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT (CHILD SUPPORT 
 
PART 303_STANDARDS FOR PROGRAM OPERATIONS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 303.20  Minimum organizational and staffing requirements.

    (a) The organizational structure of the IV-D agency (see Sec. 
302.12) provides for administration or supervision of all the functions 
for which it is responsible under the State plan, is appropriate to the 
size and scope of the program in the State, and contains clearly 
established lines for administrative and supervisory authority.
    (b) There is an organizational structure and sufficient staff to 
fulfill the following required State level functions:
    (1) The establishment and administration of the State plan.
    (2) Formal evaluation of the quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and 
scope of services provided under the plan.
    (3) Coordination of activities pursuant to, and assurance of 
compliance with, the requirements of the State's Uniform Interstate 
Family Support Act for cases pursuant to a State plan.
    (4) Requests to the DHHS Office of Child Support Enforcement for use 
of the Federal Parent Locator Service, the U.S. District Courts, and 
Secretary of the U.S. Treasury collection procedures.
    (5) Preparation and submission of reports required by the Office.
    (6) Financial control of the operation of the plan.
    (7) Operation of the State Parent Locator Service as required under 
Sec. 302.35 of this chapter.
    (c) There is an organizational structure and sufficient resources at 
the State and local level to meet the performance and time standards 
contained in this part and to provide for the administration or 
supervision of the following support enforcement functions:
    (1) Intake. Activities associated with initial support case opening.
    (2) Establishing the legal obligation to support. Activities related 
to determining the noncustodial parent's legal obligation to support his 
or her dependent children, including paternity determination when 
necessary.
    (3) Locate. Activities associated with locating a noncustodial 
parent.
    (4) Financial assessment. Activities related to determining a 
noncustodial parent's ability to provide support.
    (5) Establishment of the amount of support. Activities related to 
determining a noncustodial parent's child support obligation, including 
methods and terms of payment.
    (6) Collection. Activities related to monitoring payment activities 
and processing cash flow.
    (7) Enforcement. Activities to enforce collection of support, 
including income withholding and other available enforcement techniques.
    (8) Investigation. Activities related to investigation necessary to 
accomplish the functions of this paragraph.
    (d) The functions referred to in paragraphs (b) (1), (2) and (6) of 
this section may not be delegated by the IV-D agency. The functions 
referred to in paragraph (b)(5) of this section may be delegated to the 
extent necessary to report on activities delegated by the IV-D agency.
    (e) No functions under the State plan may be delegated by the IV-D 
agency if such functions are to be performed by caseworkers who are also 
performing the assistance payments or social services functions under 
title IV-A or XX of the Act.

In the case of a sparsely populated geographic area, upon justification 
by the IV-D agency documenting a lack of administrative feasibility in 
not utilizing staff of the IV-A agency, the Office may approve alternate 
arrangements that include sufficient reporting and cost allocation 
methods that will assure compliance with Federal requirements and proper 
claims for Federal financial participation. Under this provision:
    (1) Caseworker means any person who has decision-making authority 
over individual cases on a day-to-day basis and includes, but is not 
limited to such designations as intake worker, eligibility technician, 
caseworker, and social worker.
    (2) The assistance payments function means activities related to 
determination of eligibility for, and amount of financial assistance 
under the approved State plan under title I, IV-A, X, XIV, or XVI, State 
Supplemental income payments under title XVI of the Act, and State or 
local General Assistance programs. It includes the complete

[[Page 248]]

process of determining initial and continuing eligibility for financial 
and medical assistance and commodities distribution or food stamps.
    (3) The social services function means those activities included in 
the approved State plan and carried out pursuant to title XX of the Act. 
It includes determination of eligibility for, and delivery of services 
to, families and individuals under the approved State plan or under 
title XX of the Act.
    (f) There are the following types of staff in sufficient numbers to 
achieve the standards for an effective program prescribed in this part:
    (1) Attorneys or prosecutors to represent the agency in court or 
administrative proceedings with respect to the establishment and 
enforcement of orders of paternity and support, and
    (2) Other personnel such as legal, interviewer, investigative, 
accounting, clerical, and other supportive staff.
    (g) If it is determined as a result of an audit conducted under part 
305 of this chapter that a State is not in substantial compliance with 
the requirements of title IV-D of the Act, the Secretary will evaluate 
whether inadequate resources was a major contributing factor and, if 
necessary, may set resource standards for the State.

[40 FR 27164, June 26, 1975, as amended at 47 FR 57282, Dec. 23, 1982; 
54 FR 32312, Aug. 4, 1989; 64 FR 6250, Feb. 9, 1999; 68 FR 25304, May 
12, 2003]