Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-237

determination services.

A. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services, hereinafter

referred to as "Department", as the single state agency designated

to administer a statewide plan for child support, is authorized, in

accordance with Title IV, Part D, of the Federal Social Security

Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C., Section 651 et seq., to provide child

support services, parent location services, and paternity

determination services to enable participation in programs

established by federal law.

B. The Department is authorized to:

1. Accept, transfer, and expend funds made available by the

government of the United States, the State of Oklahoma, and public

or private sources, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions

of this section;

2. Adopt rules for child support services;

3. Initiate legal actions and appeal orders as necessary to

implement the provisions of this section;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 123

4. Enter into contracts or agreements necessary to administer

this section; and

5. Require agencies and political subdivisions of this state,

its counties and municipalities, persons, sole proprietorships,

corporations, utilities, partnerships, associations, organizations,

and other legal entities doing business in this state to provide

information to the Child Support Enforcement Division to assist in

locating individuals and in establishing and enforcing court orders.

C. 1. An applicant for or recipient of Temporary Assistance

for Needy Families, hereinafter referred to as "recipient", shall be

required to assign to the Department any rights to or support from

any other person which the recipient may have or for a child for

whom the recipient is applying or receiving assistance in accordance

with federal regulations and state law.

2. When an order has been entered which provides for payment of

child support and the obligee pursuant to the order relinquishes

physical custody of the child to another custodian, without

obtaining a modification of the order to change custody or to

redirect the support to the new custodian, the relinquishment shall

transfer the child support obligation pursuant to the order to the

new custodian or the Department if services are being provided under

the state child support plan as provided in this section. The

transfer of the obligation shall terminate when the new custodian no

longer has physical custody of the child, except for the amount of

unpaid support still owing to the custodian or to the Department.

3. In all cases in which support services are being provided

under the state child support plan as provided in this section,

support payments shall be made by the obligor to the Department or

its designee. If a court has ordered support payments to be made to

the recipient or to the applicant, the Department may send a notice

of the assignment or application to the obligor requiring that all

support payments be made to the Division or its designee. The

notice shall include:

a. a statement that the assignment or application has

been made,

b. the style and number of the case in which support was

ordered,

c. a statement that all payments so ordered shall be made

to the Department or its designee, and

d. a statement that the earnings and income of the

obligor are assigned for collection of support monies

owed.

4. A notice to redirect the payments shall be sent to the

obligor by regular mail with proof of mailing from the United States

Postal Service. If, after notice of the redirection, the obligor

does not make payments to the Department as provided in the notice,

the payments shall not be credited to the amount owed. The obligor

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 124

shall notify the Department of any change of address, the name and

address of the current employer, and access to health insurance and

other insurance policy information within thirty (30) days of any

change.
oes not make payments to the Department as provided in the notice,

the payments shall not be credited to the amount owed. The obligor

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 124

shall notify the Department of any change of address, the name and

address of the current employer, and access to health insurance and

other insurance policy information within thirty (30) days of any

change.

D. When the right to receive support has been assigned to the

Child Support Enforcement Division or upon proper application by an

obligor or by an individual not receiving Temporary Assistance for

Needy Families, the Division may petition the district court or the

Office of Administrative Hearings: Child Support, an administrative

court of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, for an order:

1. Requiring the obligor to provide health insurance for the

dependent children whenever it is available through employment or

other group plan regardless of whether the obligor has insurance

coverage available at that time or there has been a change of

circumstances;

2. Establishing paternity;

3. Requiring medical support, child support, or other support;

4. Enforcing orders for paternity, medical support, child

support, or other support;

5. Requiring that the obligor keep the Division informed of the

name and address of the current employer of the obligor and of any

health insurance or other insurance policy information of the

obligor within thirty (30) days of any change;

6. Providing for collection and distribution of child support

monies; and

7. Assisting in the location of absent parents and their

assets, in cooperation with federal agencies, other agencies of this

state and of other states, territories, and foreign nations

requesting assistance with the enforcement of support orders entered

in the United States and elsewhere.

E. The Division may petition the district or administrative

court to modify any order for support regardless of whether there

has been a change of circumstances.

F. A reasonable fee and costs may be assessed for services to

individuals not receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

nor receiving any other services or programs funded by Title IV,

Part A of the Federal Social Security Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C.,

Sections 602 through 619 pursuant to rules adopted by the

Department. Any new or increased fee or cost provided by this

subsection shall require approval by the Legislature.

G. Child support payments made to the Division pursuant to this

section shall be deposited in the Child Support Escrow Account for

distribution as may be required by Section 235 of this title, or by

42 U.S.C., Section 651 et seq. Fees or reimbursements of costs

collected by the Department shall be deposited in the Administration

Fund of the Department and may be used and expended by the

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 125

Department for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this

section.

H. Except as otherwise authorized by law, all files and records

concerning the assistance and services provided under this section

or concerning a putative father of a child born out of wedlock are

confidential. Release of information from the files and records

shall be consistent with federal law and shall be restricted to

purposes directly connected with the administration of the child

support collection, paternity determination, parent location, or

other public assistance programs. Information may be released to

public officials under rules adopted by the Department, consistent

with federal rules or regulations.