Oklahoma Child Support Receives Federal Grant to Benefit Families

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL--- The State of Oklahoma received a $148,340 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Enforcement this month to improve child support customer services, according to state officials.
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) will administer the three-year grant. The funds will be used to develop a new Web portal and expand online information and services for child support customers.

“We’re excited about the information our customers will be able to access on our new Web site,” said Katherine McRae, program manager with CSED. “We predict it will boost their ability to receive or pay child support.

“How customers can request a change to a child support order is just one of the self-help topics covered on the portal. There will also be employment, housing and education links, which we believe will benefit our customers struggling with paying their child support obligations.”

Parts of the new Web portal will be available in spring 2009.

“The grant allows us to create new ways to access information without replacing existing resources,” according to Konrad Baltes, IT analyst and webmaster for the new grant. “Customers will still have access to our statewide CARE call center. They will also still be able to meet with local caseworkers and child support court liaisons.”

The project is funded through the ACF/OCSE Special Improvement Project (SIP) grant program. CSED enhances the well-being of children through its mission to establish, monitor and enforce a reliable source of support for the families it serves. The division is responsible for more than 183,000 active child support cases. More information about CSED programs and services can be found online at www.okdhs.org/programsandservices/.

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