Program Leadership Group (PLG)

The Department of Human Services' Office of Child Support (OCS) is the State agency that administers the federal Title IV-D child support programwithin Michigan. The OCS contracts with Friends of the Court and Prosecuting Attorneys in each county to deliver Michigan's Title IV-D support services. Each partner plays a critical role in the successful operation of the child support program.

The recognition that more is accomplished through a cooperative partnership resulted in the formation of the Program Leadership Group (PLG). The PLG includes:

• The director of the Friend of the Court Bureau within the State Court Administrative Office,
• The president of the Friend of the Court Association of Michigan,
• A representative from the Prosecuting Attorneys Association,
• The director of the Office of Child Support,
• The MiCSES project manager from the Michigan Department of Information Technology.

The PLG is the decision making authority for the Title IV-D child support program. It operates in a spirit of trust and consensus, with the free flow of information and a goal of removing unnecessary barriers. It is this philosophy of teamwork that now guides the program.

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Office of Child Support (OCS)

In addition to contracting with the Friends of the Court and Prosecuting Attorneys to provide child support services, the OCS provides the following:

• Referrals to establish a court order for paternity and/or support
• Referrals of existing orders for enforcement
• Locating a parent
• Centralized enforcement - Lein/Levy, passport denial, tax refund offset
• Operation of the Michigan Child Support Enforcement System (MiCSES) - Child support case management computer system
• Operation of the Michigan Statewide Disbursement Unit (MiSDU) - Central location for the receipt and disbursement of all support payments

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Friend of the Court (FOC)

The Friend of the Court is appointed by the chief judge in each county and supervises the following Title IV-D and non IV-D support activities for the court.

• Investigating and making recommendations regarding a court order for support
• Modifying a court order for custody, parenting time, and support
• Enforcing a court order for custody, parenting time, and support
• Registering Michigan support orders in other States
• Providing alternative dispute resolution through mediation programs
• Locating a parent
• Court hearings or hearing related activities

See more information on FOC activities.

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State Court Administrative Office (SCAO)

The Friends of the Court are based in the county circuit courts. As the administrative entity for the courts, the Supreme Court's State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) is also a part of child support program operations.

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Prosecuting Attorney (PA)

The Prosecuting Attorney is elected in each county and is the chief law enforcement official in the county. The PA is responsible for:

• Obtaining a court order to establish paternity
• Obtaining a court order for custody, support, and parenting time
• Locating a parent
• Felony Prosecution for non-support

Local prosecutors are represented in the Program Leadership Group by the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAAM). PAAM is a voluntary association of Michigan's 83 elected prosecutors and their staffs, it represents over 700 prosecutors and assistance prosecutors throughout Michigan.

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Department of Information Technology (DIT) & Michigan Child Support Enforcement System (MiCSES)

The Department of Information Technology (DIT) is responsible for all computer systems within Michigan State government. The Michigan Child Support Enforcement System (MiCSES) is the case management computer system for the child support program. The MiCSES system allows every child support worker in the State to have the same information on a case. It permits them to input any relevant information into the system for all to review. This consistency, combined with the automated capacities, has benefited performance. Over 90% of child support money received by the system is distributed within 24 hours of receipt. The rest is held as required by law or for research to identify the proper address or recipient.

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Federal Title IV-D Child Support Program

Federal law (Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, 42 USC 651 et seq) outlines the requirements that a State child support program must meet in order to receive federal funds for their child support program. Michigan received over $164 million in federal dollars for the child support program in fiscal year 2008, along with over $27 million in federal performance incentives (for performance in fiscal year 2007).

Federal Title IV-D dollars can only be spent on Title IV-D services. Title IV-D services include all child support services provided in Michigan with the exception of custody and parenting time. Those services are paid for with State and local dollars.

A case qualifies for Title IV-D services when children are receiving public assistance or a custodial party or non-custodial parent has requested Title IV-D services. Over 96 percent of support cases in Michigan are Title IV-D cases.

As the Title IV-D administrator for the State, the Office of Child Support must ensure that all Title IV-D services comply with the federal regulations related to those services.

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