INTERSTATE/INTERGOVERNMENTAL OVERVIEW
Introduction
Part of the function of the Office of Child Support involves providing services to Ohio Child Support Enforcement Agencies (CSEAs), other jurisdictions and foreign countries in the processing of intergovernmental child support cases. A case is intergovernmental when one party lives in a state or country different from the other, when a court order is in a state or country other than the one where both parties live, or when there is more than one support order covering the same parties.Intergovernmental child support cases are governed by the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). Each state has enacted this uniform law.
These services include the operation of the Interstate Central Registry, as well as training and technical assistance on the operation of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA).
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What is the Interstate Central Registry?
Federal regulations require each state to have an Interstate Central Registry (ICR). In Ohio, this ICR is housed within the ODJFS Office of Child Support.The Registry is responsible for receiving, distributing, and processing all interstate petitions that request the establishment of paternity or support or the enforcement of support which come in to Ohio from other states or foreign countries.Staff at the Registry will review each incoming request for accuracy and completeness before forwarding to the appropriate local Ohio Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) for processing.The Registry assists local jurisdictions, the federal Office of Child Support, and other states in resolving problems and obtaining the current status of cases.
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What is UIFSA?
The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) is a law which regulates the processing of all cases in which parties are located in more than one state. Each state was required by federal law to adopt UIFSA. A link to Ohio's UIFSA statues is below.
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Income withholding notices to attach unemployment compensation or workers compensation benefits should be sent directly by the state or local agency to the following addresses:
To attach unemployment compensation benefits:
Attention: Finance
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Office of Unemployment Insurance Operations
4020 East 5th Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43218-2059
To attach workers compensation benefits:
Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation
30 W. Spring St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215-2256
If you are an individual with an interstate case, please contact your local Ohio CSEA or the local agency handling your case to resolve any questions or concerns you may have about your case.
Please note that Ohio is county operated system. Therefore, if you wish to obtain specific information about a case which is on-going, you should first attempt to contact the CSEA that is handling the case.
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Interstate/Intergovernmental Links and Resources
You may access the Ohio interstate case processing related frequently asked questions and answers at: https://jfs.ohio.gov/Ocs/OCSFAQs.stm
Ohio's UIFSA law can be found at:Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3115.
The Ohio Administrative Code rules that are used with intergovernmental cases can be found at:http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/5101%3A12-70.
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Last Reviewed 08/03/2021