45 C.F.R. § 303.11 Case closure criteria.
Title 45 - Public Welfare
(a) The IV-D agency shall establish a system for case closure. (b) In order to be eligible for closure, the case must meet at least one of the following criteria: (1) There is no longer a current support order and arrearages are under $500 or unenforceable under State law; (2) The noncustodial parent or putative father is deceased and no further action, including a levy against the estate, can be taken; (3) Paternity cannot be established because: (i) The child is at least 18 years old and action to establish paternity is barred by a statute of limitations which meets the requirements of §302.70(a)(5) of this chapter; (ii) A genetic test or a court or administrative process has excluded the putative father and no other putative father can be identified; or (iii) In accordance with §303.5(b) of this part, the IV-D agency has determined that it would not be in the best interests of the child to establish paternity in a case involving incest or forcible rape, or in any case where legal proceedings for adoption are pending; (iv) The identity of the biological father is unknown and cannot be identified after diligent efforts, including at least one interview by the IV-D agency with the recipient of services; (4) The noncustodial parent's location is unknown, and the State has made diligent efforts using multiple sources, in accordance with §303.3, all of which have been unsuccessful, to locate the noncustodial parent: (i) Over a three-year period when there is sufficient information to initiate an automated locate effort, or (ii) Over a one-year period when there is not sufficient information to initiate an automated locate effort; (5) The noncustodial parent cannot pay support for the duration of the child's minority because the parent has been institutionalized in a psychiatric facility, is incarcerated with no chance for parole, or has a medically-verified total and permanent disability with no evidence of support potential. The State must also determine that no income or assets are available to the noncustodial parent which could be levied or attached for support; (6) The noncustodial parent is a citizen of, and lives in, a foreign country, does not work for the Federal government or a company with headquarters or offices in the United States, and has no reachable domestic income or assets; and the State has been unable to establish reciprocity with the country; (7) The IV-D agency has provided location-only services as requested under §302.35(c)(3) of this chapter; (8) The non-IV-A recipient of services requests closure of a case and there is no assignment to the State of medical support under 42 CFR 433.146 or of arrearages which accrued under a support order; (9) There has been a finding by the responsible State agency of good cause or other exceptions to cooperation with the IV-D agency and the State or local IV-A, IV-D, IV-E, Medicaid or food stamp agency has determined that support enforcement may not proceed without risk of harm to the child or caretaker relative; (10) In a non-IV-A case receiving services under §302.33(a)(1) (i) or (iii), the IV-D agency is unable to contact the recipient of services within a 60 calendar day period despite an attempt of at least one letter sent by first class mail to the last known address; (11) In a non-IV-A case receiving services under §302.33(a)(1) (i) or (iii), the IV-D agency documents the circumstances of the recipient of services's noncooperation and an action by the recipient of services is essential for the next step in providing IV-D services. (12) The IV-D agency documents failure by the initiating State to take an action which is essential for the next step in providing services. (c) In cases meeting the criteria in paragraphs (b) (1) through (6) and (10) through (12) of this section, the State must notify the recipient of services, or in an interstate case meeting the criteria for closure under (b)(12), the initiating State, in writing 60 calendar days prior to closure of the case of the State's intent to close the case. The case must be kept open if the recipient of services or the initiating State supplies information in response to the notice which could lead to the establishment of paternity or a support order or enforcement of an order, or, in the instance of paragraph (b)(10) of this section, if contact is reestablished with the recipient of services. If the case is closed, the former recipient of services may request at a later date that the case be reopened if there is a change in circumstances which could lead to the establishment of paternity or a support order or enforcement of an order by completing a new application for IV-D services and paying any applicable application fee. (d) The IV-D agency must retain all records for cases closed pursuant to this section for a minimum of three years, in accordance with 45 CFR part 74. [54 FR 32311, Aug. 4, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 8004, Feb. 26, 1991; 64 FR 11817, 11818, Mar. 10, 1999]
Title 45: Public Welfare
PART 303—STANDARDS FOR PROGRAM OPERATIONS
§ 303.11 Case closure criteria.
