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We believe that child support enforcement provides hope as well as support to America's children. We dedicate this Handbook to the millions of parents who put their children first by responsibly providing for their emotional and financial support.

FOREWORD

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) included provisions to ensure that more children have paternity and child support orders established and receive financial support to cover their basic needs. The new cash assistance program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), that has replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), is time limited. Child support provisions of the new law are designed to ensure that those noncustodial parents who have not done so will take a fair share of the responsibility for the financial support of children.

A National new hire reporting system. The law establishes a National Directory of "New Hires" which requires employers to report all newly hired employees for inclusion in State and National Directories of New Hires. This provision will speed direct withholding of child support from wages as well as help track obligated parents across State lines. (Effective 10/1/97)

Streamlined paternity establishment. The law makes it easier to establish legal paternity for children born to unmarried parents. It expands the use of administrative (rather than judicial) procedures and the voluntary in-hospital paternity establishment program, and requires standardized acknowledgement forms. (Effective 10/1/96)

Uniform interstate child support laws. The law provides for uniform rules, procedures, and forms for interstate cases. (Effective 1/1/98)

Computerized state-wide collections. States are required to establish centralized collection and disbursement units. (Effective 10/1/98)

Enhanced techniques/tough new penalties. Under PRWORA States can implement enhanced child support enforcement techniques. The law expands wage withholding, and allows states to require obligated parents to work. The law also enables States to revoke drivers, professional, recreational and occupational licenses of parents who owe delinquent child support, and allows States to seize assets.

Access and visitation programs. In an effort to support noncustodial parents' involvement in their children's lives, the law includes grants to states to develop programs that support children's visitation with and access to their noncustodial parents.