Child Support Specialist

Child Support Specialist

The Child Support Specialist is responsible for maintaining a caseload of approximately 600 or more cases, acting independently to carry out the duties of the position on a daily basis. A Specialist is required to facilitate and expedite local, state, and federally mandated processes within federally mandated time lines. The Specialist is responsible for implementing and maintaining the Child Support IV-D program. The position has very technical and complex duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Draft motions, warrants, orders to show cause and affidavits for personal service prior to court hearings; negotiate stipulations toward resolution of support issues to eliminate the need for court hearings; prepare and submit orders to the court for signature; secures and enforces various court orders through income withholdings and interstate orders.
• Prepares, researches and support the functions of the corporation counsel for presentations before the court. Testify in court as necessary.
• Review all child support orders every 33 months, upon request of the participant, or when a significant change of circumstances deems it necessary pursuant to the 1988 Family Support Act.
• Maintain computer literacy and understanding of up-to-date functions of the KIDS system, the CARES system, internet and the data exchanges that are contracted by the state and federal bureaus of child support for local agencies.
• Analyze and utilize data to locate absent participants, employers, assets and income for the purpose of establishing and/or enforcing support obligations.
• Work with other states to first determine the jurisdiction when there may be an issue of multiple orders in multiple states to determine controlling order. Coordinate efforts with other states to establish, enforce and modify child support orders pursuant to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act.
• Maintain confidentiality while answering telephone calls and questions from walk-in clients relating to child support and maintenance accounts. Log all information received into the appropriate databases and inform other agencies as needed.
• Review personal, business, federal and state tax returns and financial statements.
• Updates employment addresses and employer information.
• Receipts monies for purge payments, NIVD application fees, filing fees and completes coupons. Logs payment in receipt book and gives client receipt of payment.
• Interpret the individual payroll statements to determine gross income and must be able to identify deviations of gross income resulting from deferred compensation and cafeteria plans.
• Attend training and conferences required to keep current with changes in state and federal laws to remain in full compliance.
• Ensure that participants involved in any legal court action or administrative enforcement action receives due process according to federal and state laws.
• Monitor case financials and timelines for administrative enforcement issues such as lien docket, credit bureau reporting, license suspension, passport denial and financial account seizure. Ensure that support payments are paid and inform appropriate agencies of amounts collected as required.
• Make appropriate decisions while maintaining composure in an often-stressful work environment.
• Work cooperatively with attorneys, family court commissioners, judges, probation officers, law enforcement personnel, employers and government agencies (local, state, federal, and interstate).
• Monitor the payments of the caseload, often reconciling and locating misapplied payments by the federally mandated centralized receipt and disbursement center, the Wisconsin Support Collections Trust Fund. Audit accounts that are disputed and determine arrearages.
• Pursue reimbursements of expenses incurred by mother and child while on state funded medical assistance.
• Initiate and enforce orders for health insurance for the minor children of the participants.