Modifications to Performance Standards During Natural Disasters and Other Calamities

Issuing agencies

Abstract

OCSS proposes to provide temporary relief to states from certain child support program performance requirements and penalties during natural disasters and other calamities which have a negative impact on state child support program operations. The proposed rule would provide ACF with ongoing authority to modify performance measure requirements when states are affected by natural disasters and other calamities that have resulted, or are expected to result, in the failure of state child support programs to achieve performance standards for paternity establishment, support order establishment, and current collections. The proposed rule will enable states to avoid the imposition of penalties due to adverse data reliability audit findings during, and subsequent to, natural disasters and other calamities, including pandemics and declared public health emergencies.