Library: Policy
340:25-5-110.1. Applications
Revised 9-15-20
(a) The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Support Services (CSS) initiates child support cases, per Title IV, Part D, of Subchapter IV of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code, Sections 302.33 and 303.2 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations (45 C.F.R. §§ 302.33 and 303.2), and Section 237 of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes (56 O.S. § 237).
(b) To apply for child support services, a person must submit a completed and signed application form to the address on the form. A one cent application fee is paid by CSS for each application received. An application for child support services is submitted in every circumstance, including applications from: • 1 & 2
(1) former Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), or non-TANF SoonerCare (Medicaid) DHS recipients;
(2) former participants in Title IV-D cases;
(3) noncustodial parents (NCP) listed on existing medical enforcement only cases, when the NCP is requesting a review and adjustment, or to open a new case, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:25-5-198.1; or
(4) persons receiving child support payments from the Centralized Support Registry, who are not currently receiving CSS child support services. • 3
(c) Application forms are obtained at any child support or other DHS office or by writing or phoning CSS at the address and phone numbers provided in OAC 340:25-1-2.1. Printable application forms are available from the CSS website at http://www.okdhs.org.
(d) An applicant who is a custodial person (CP) must give DHS authority to endorse and negotiate payments related to child support and to spousal support on behalf of the CP and child(ren).
(e) CSS accepts an application from a CP, parent, or person alleging his or her parentage and opens a case when: • 4
(1) the child is a minor or is still entitled to current support, per 43 O.S. § 112;
(2) the application is to enforce a child support order for an adult with disabilities, per 43 O.S. § 112.1A;
(3) parentage must be established for a minor child against a deceased NCP, per OAC 340:25-5-176; or
(4) the former CP's parental rights were terminated, then the child was adopted, and the application to collect past-due support owed to the former CP was received before the adoption.
(f) CSS does not accept applications for collection of past-due support when:
(1) all children on the application have reached the age of majority and none is an adult with disabilities, with an established child support order; • 5 & 6
(2) the child is deceased; or
(3) the child is a minor, who no longer resides with the CP.
(g) CSS accepts applications for locate only services, per OAC 340:25-5-155.
(h) CSS does not accept an application and does not open a case when the case was previously closed and the circumstances that led to the closure have not changed. • 7
Revised 9-15-20
1. Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Support Services (CSS) staff opens a case with the name provided in the application or referral and documents any changes in the Oklahoma Support Information System (OSIS) Case Log.When necessary, CSS staff requests information to confirm a case participant's legal name.
2. When the CSS managing attorney, regional administrator, or center head determines a case was closed in error, within one year of closure, CSS staff reopens the case without requiring a new application.
3. When an intrastate case is opened for review and modification of the child support order, the case is a full-service case.
4. CSS accepts an application when an applicant who claims to be a non-biological parent of a child born during a same-sex relationship requests assistance to adjudicate the parentage of the child.
5. CSS staff follows Oklahoma Administrative Code 340:25-5-117 to accept interstate referrals for judgment only collections, when the case was opened in the initiating state during the minority of any child on the case.
6. CSS accepts an interstate referral:
(1) when the child reached the age of majority in the initiating state and the case was opened during the child's minority;
(2) when the application was received prior to the adoption; or
(3) to enforce a child support order for an adult with disabilities.
7. When determining to reopen a previously closed case, CSS follows the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) Policy Interpretation Question (PIQ) 05-02 Case Initiation of Previously Closed IV-
D Cases available from the OCSE website, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/policy-guidance/case-initiation-previously-closed-iv-d-cases.
