STRATIFICATION

• The aim of stratification is to segment non-custodial parents based on their ability and willingness to support their children, and to use this segmentation to better support non-custodial parents who lack the ability to pay while making more effective use of traditional enforcement measures where appropriate.

• Stratification involves the assessment and treatment of non-custodial parents based on selected criteria. We recognize that NCPs have:

• Different motivations for making child support payments

• Different financial abilities to pay support

• Have different service needs

Variables for Stratifying Cases • Stratum 1: Paying Cases – “Willing and Able”• Paying Cases generally have a higher motivation to pay

and higher ability to pay. For these cases we would continue to monitor to ensure ongoing compliance. The intent is to jump on these cases as soon as there is an indication that there MAY be a problem. We employ the strategies from the Getting Results: Collection and Negotiation Training to the cases in this stratum, and then refer them as necessary for contempt action if that is unsuccessful.

TARGET CASES: Paying Cases“Willing and Able”Monitor to ensure ongoing complianceEarly intervention for missed payments

Stratum 2: Targeting Cases – “Unwilling but Able”

These cases have a low motivation to pay yet a higher ability to pay. We take traditional enforcement actions on these cases.

TARGET CASES: Not paying as ordered

“ Unwilling but Able”

Traditional enforcement

Collection Calls

Stratum 3: Active Monitoring Cases – “Unwilling and Unable”

These cases include NCPs who are incarcerated, receiving public assistance or disability, filed bankruptcy or for whom we need to find an address and/or employer. We will monitor these cases for a change in status, locate and automated enforcement.

Active Monitoring - “Unwilling and Unable”• Monitor for change in status, locate,

automated enforcement• Bankruptcy, incarceration, disability,

receiving benefits

• Stratum 4: Teaming Cases – “Willing and Unable”

• For these cases, we make referrals to community services to help the NCPs overcome barriers to payment. The intent is to begin developing a relationship with the NCP to bolster his ability to support himself and his children, and to develop a willingness to communicate and cooperate with the child support staff.

Teaming Cases “Willing and Unable”• Referrals to community services to help overcome barriers

to payment• High “touch” required

• Stratification mainly changes who handles what cases, introduces a greater emphasis on early intervention and direct contact with the NCP, and also adds the element of supportive services for the NCPs in Stratum Four. How you handle traditional enforcement will not change, and your reliance on ACTS to record all activities will also not change.

• Stratification must complement ACTS, policies and procedures. Therefore, Specialists’ focus on quality case reviews and critical state worklist items must be preserved. Where ACTS does not support the recording of actions in a trackable and auditable fashion, we have developed macros as part of document generation activities to record those activities.

• Moving Cases from One Stratum to Another

• We are preserving the segmentation of cases in ENFA and ENFJ status. Cases move to ENFJ when referred by an ENFA worker. At this point initial collection activities have proved ineffective, or the case requires review and modification activities

PAYMENT REMINDER LETTERSend Payment Reminder Letter. Payment Reminder letter is designed to open lines of communication with an NCP who the Program Specialist was unable to contact by telephone. This NCP has been identified as not “paying as ordered”.

Generate A Call Me Letter with the following text:

One goal of Onslow Child Support Office is to help parents who have difficulty making child support payments. We are concerned that you are not making your payments in full or have missed a payment. Please call us at 910-938-3563 within 10 days to discuss how to get back on track. Payment options are: check or money order to: NC Centralized Collections, PO Box 900006, Raleigh, NC 27675-9006 or online at www.NCCHILD SUPPORT .COM. Payments must include your name, SSN and/or MPI #. If you have had a significant change in your financial situation, a modification of your order may be warranted. Please let us help you meet your responsibility for your child(ren).

COMMITMENT LETTER• Send an NCP Commitment Letter. The purpose of the NCP Commitment

letter is to reinforce with the NCP that a payment commitment has been made, to memorialize the terms of the commitment (payment amount and date-certain for payment) and to notify the NCP of the potential consequences of failing to fulfill the commitment.

• Generate a Call Me Letter and enter the following text:

In my recent phone call with you, you made a commitment to pay $_________ by __________. This is a reminder of the commitment. Failure to make this payment on or before ___________ may result in legal action being taken on your case. There are two payment options for your convenience: 1) check or money order to: NC Centralized Collections,PO Box 900006, Raleigh, NC 27675-9006 or 2) online payment at www.NCCHILDSUPPORT .COM.Please include your name, SSN and MPI # listed above when submitting payments. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your assistance and

COLLECTION LETTER

Send the Collection Letter. The purpose of the Collection Letter is to alert the NCP that s/he is not in compliance with her/his support obligation; to communicate that the office is willing to work with him, but also to inform him of the possible negative consequences resulting from that noncompliance.

Generate a Call Me Letter with the following text:

You are behind in making your child support payments. This letter is to remind you that you are responsible for making sure your child support gets paid – even if your employer has been ordered to deduct child support from your paycheck. If you are having trouble making your payments, please ask us for help. When your support is not paid on time, you run the risk of having a legal action filed against you in court or other action taken, such as license suspension. Please, do what’s right for your child(ren) and yourself. Contact me at the number below.

THANK YOU LETTER The purpose of the Thank You Letter is to reinforce positive behavior

when NCP complies with the commitment terms or brings case into compliance without court action in response to the Reminder or Collection Letter

Generate Call Me Letter with following text:

Thank you for your recent child support payment. Your prompt payment shows your commitment and concern as a parent. We at Onslow County Child Support applaud you for this effort. Please remember consistent and timely payments benefit your child(ren) the most, at this vital time in their life.

We are here to help you. Please call us in the future if you need assistance at 910-938-3563.