Occ. Code 8118200

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2, GRADE 23	8118200
CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 3, GRADE 27	8118300
CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 4, M-4	8118400

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES 

 Child Support Specialists monitor and provide technical assistance to local district child support professionals in locating absent parents and enforcing child support obligations. They research, review and analyze child support data; develop and test the statewide child support computer systems; develop and monitor child support program laws and regulations; monitor local district compliance with standards; develop and provide training; develop requests for proposals (RFP); and implement and monitor contracts.  

Child Support Specialists are classified only in the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISITICS

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2:  supervise Child Support Specialists 1.

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 3:   supervise a unit engaged in various child support program activities.  

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 4:    bureau director:  manage a bureau overseeing local district program operations; policy and planning development; systems operations and development; and central processing of child support functions.

RELATED CLASSES

            Temporary Assistance Specialists review, monitor and provide technical assistance to local districts providing public assistance benefits under State and federal law, rules and regulations.

            Program Outreach Specialists communicate with local districts, public and private community organizations and hospitals to ensure that information about public assistance and child support programs is available to applicants.  

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2

Supervise staff that monitors local district child support performance and compliance with rules and regulations.

• Provide technical assistance to local district child support professionals to ensure compliance with regulations, administrative directives, and programs instructions.

•  Analyze systems and ad hoc reports to assess local district program performance.

• Analyze new legislation impacting child support programs and work with local district child support professionals to ensure understanding and compliance.

• Conduct program reviews of local district child support programs for efficiency, effectiveness and compliance with federal and State performance measures and identify program areas needing improvement.

• Supervise subordinate staff responsible for acting as program liaisons to local district professionals and for answering constituent correspondence.

Maintain  and monitor statewide child support computer system.

• Develop system specifications for compliance with State and federal regulations.

• Monitor systems use by local districts and staff.

• Supervise subordinate staff in data reporting and testing activities related to automated systems.

 Research and design policy and program guidance for local district child support professionals.

•  Review State and federal law and regulations to determine any changes that will impact local district child support offices; develop program and policy guidance for implementation of new or changed federal or State regulations;
• Supervise subordinate staff responsible for drafting policy and program guidance.

Monitor contractor compliance with contract standards and deliverables.

• Develop and implement protocols for monitoring contractor compliance and supervise staff that assist in this function;

• Develop and implement protocols for working with local district child support offices regarding centralized functions to ensure that they meet performance standards;

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 3

Supervise units monitoring local districts performance and contractor performance of central processing of child support payments and related telephone center calls regarding case management, and ensure systems, policy and procedures support program effectiveness.

· Monitor local district performance and compliance with federal regulations; manage the attaining and maintaining of the State Plan and federal mandates.

· Develop plans for implementing new federal and State regulations to ensure system compliance, and ensure local districts are aware of the program performance standards;

· Oversee periodic review of policy, program and automated procedures, coordinating with other program managers to ensure program effectiveness and efficiency; recommend revision to policy, program and overall operations to address needs for performance improvement..

·  Recommend revision to systems, including computer systems, to address program needs and improvements.

· Supervise and direct subordinate staff in various unit initiatives and special projects; report to the Child Support Specialist 4 regarding project status and all technical, fiscal and staffing issues associated with projects.

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 4  

Manage a bureau with  programmatic oversight of Child Support program performance, operations, systems, policy development, strategic planning and central processing .

· Develop working relationships with other agency managers, local district commissioners, budget officials, and child support directors.. 

· Represent the agency and the division in communications with federal officials concerning federal mandates, proposed new or revised rules and regulations, strategic planning, and audits of program performance and compliance; ensure that all federal mandates are implemented in compliance with requirements, and oversee analysis of the costs associated with implementation.

· Manage projects for agency procurements a, including transactions made by contract staff concerning the child support payments of custodial and non-custodial parents, their employers and financial institutions; oversee contracted production, maintenance and updating of child support notices, and updating of all cases and accounts. 

· Design and oversee audits of contractor performance in central processing; apply penalties when performance standards are not met.

• Represent the agency and division concerning all federal and State audits of program performance and compliance.

• Develop long-term work objectives for the bureau, considering available resources, requirements and performance measures.

• Establish and review policy regarding program operation and enforcement of laws rules and regulations; advise executive staff on the interpretation of all program legislation.

• Advise local district commissioners on the policies of the program and ensure the timely and accurate reporting of data supporting program operations.

• Develop reports presented to agency Commissioner and executive staff concerning fiscal and programmatic implications associated with federal and State regulatory changes.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS   

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2

Promotion: one year of permanent competitive service as a Child Support Specialist 1.

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 3 

Promotion:  one year of permanent competitive service as a Child Support Specialist 2. 

CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST 4

Promotion:  one year of permanent competitive service as a Child Support Specialist 3.

Date:  3/10

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.