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Texas Statutes (Last Updated: January 4, 2014) |
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FAMILY CODE |
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Title 5. THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP AND THE SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP |
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Subtitle D. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES |
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Chapter 231. TITLE IV-D SERVICES |
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Subchapter A. ADMINISTRATION OF TITLE IV-D PROGRAM |
Sec. 231.0011. DEVELOPMENT OF STATEWIDE INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR CHILD SUPPORT AND MEDICAL SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT
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(a) The Title IV-D agency shall have final approval authority on any contract or proposal for delivery of Title IV-D services under this section and in coordination with the Texas Judicial Council, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System, the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, and state, county, and local officials, shall develop and implement a statewide integrated system for child support and medical support enforcement, employing federal, state, local, and private resources to:
(1) unify child support registry functions;
(2) record and track all child support orders entered in the state;
(3) establish an automated enforcement process which will use delinquency monitoring, billing, and other enforcement techniques to ensure the payment of current support;
(4) incorporate existing enforcement resources into the system to obtain maximum benefit from state and federal funding; and
(5) ensure accountability for all participants in the process, including state, county, and local officials, private contractors, and the judiciary.
(b) Counties and other providers of child support services shall be required, as a condition of participation in the unified system, to enter into a contract with the Title IV-D agency, to comply with all federal requirements for the Title IV-D program, and to maintain at least the current level of funding for activities which are proposed to be included in the integrated child support system.
(c) The Title IV-D agency may contract with any county meeting technical system requirements necessary to comply with federal law for provision of Title IV-D services in that county. All new cases in which support orders are entered in such county after the effective date of a monitoring contract shall be Title IV-D cases. Any other case in the county, subject to federal requirements and the agreement of the county and the Title IV-D agency, may be included as a Title IV-D case. Any obligee under a support order may refuse Title IV-D enforcement services unless required to accept such services pursuant to other law.
(d) Counties participating in the unified enforcement system shall monitor all child support registry cases and on delinquency may, subject to the approval of the Title IV-D agency, provide enforcement services through:
(1) direct provision of services by county personnel;
(2) subcontracting all or portions of the services to private entities or attorneys; or
(3) such other methods as may be approved by the Title IV-D agency.
(e) The Title IV-D agency may phase in the integrated child support registry and enforcement system, and the requirement to implement the system shall be contingent on the receipt of locally generated funds and federal reimbursement. Locally generated funds include but are not limited to funds contributed by counties and cities.
(f) The Title IV-D agency shall adopt rules to implement this section.
(g) Participation in the statewide integrated system for child support and medical support enforcement by a county is voluntary, and nothing in this section shall be construed to mandate participation.
(h) This section does not limit the ability of the Title IV-D agency to enter into an agreement with a county for the provision of services as authorized under Section 231.002.