Locate Resources

New Jersey Judiciary Probation Child Support Enforcement

Section 1602 - Revised 04-03-23

Introduction

Authority

United States Code:	42 U.S.C.  § 663
Code of Federal Regulations:	45 C.F.R.  § 303.3 45 C.F.R.  § 307.11
New Jersey Statutes Annotated:	N.J.S.A. 2A:17-56.13, 2A:17-56.41, 2A:17-56.54, 2A:17-56.59
New Jersey Administrative Code:	N.J.A.C.10:110-11.1, 10:110-11.2
Other Authorities	DFD Informational Transmittal  IT No. 15-18, IT No. 16-05, IT No. 16-27

Overview

Locate services performed on Non-Custodial Parent (NCP)s/obligors and Custodial Parent (CP)s/obligees are an important responsibility of Probation Child Support Enforcement (PCSE) staff. Location means obtaining information concerning the physical whereabouts and mailing address of the CP/obligee or NCP/obligor or identifying the NCP’s/obligor’s employer, secondary income sources, or other assets to take the next appropriate action on a case.

New Jersey Kids Deserve Support (NJKiDS) will automatically place an NCP/obligor in un-located status when there is neither a verified current address (mailing, primary residential, or secondary residential) nor a verified current employer. Similarly, the CP/obligee is in un-located status if there is no verified current mailing address.

This section contains a summary of systems and interfaces may be accessed to supply or identify addresses, employers, social security numbers, medical insurance, and disbursement information for the NCP/obligor and CP/obligee. Many of the locate resources are automatic; NJKiDS batch files are sent to the agency and if there is a match, the relevant information is returned and updated to NJKiDS.

It is imperative that manual searches are conducted using the distinguishing identifiers for each database. For example, in Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) the driver’s license number would be the distinguishing identifier and for County Correction Information System (CCIS) the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) number would be the distinguishing identifier.

Note: If a party has been marked with a Family Violence (FV) indicator on NJKiDS, the parties are excluded from automated location efforts. Any location efforts must be done outside of NJKiDS.

New Jersey Locate Resources

New Jersey Department of Labor - Wage Reporting System (WAGE)

1. WAGE provides child support staff with a means of obtaining employment information on NCPs/obligors who have valid social security numbers (SSN)s. Cases that require a WAGE match are forwarded to the New Jersey Department of Labor (DOL). Staff can search the DOL database to obtain employment information, including wages, on the party.

Note: If Income and Expenses/INEX has no records for the party, there may be incorrect data for the party on NJKiDS such as name and/or SSN.

New Jersey Department of Labor — Unemployment Compensation System (LOOPS & DABS)

1. The LOOPSLocal Office Online Payment System interface provides information to the worker regarding unemployment claims and DABSDisability Automated Benefits System provides information regarding disability benefits.
2. The interface process occurs between data that is from NJKiDS, and data contained on the Unemployment Insurance Disability Insurance (UIDI) file maintained by the New Jersey Department of Labor.

Note: If Enforcement Processes/CPRO does not have an Unemployment Insurance Benefit (UIB) record for the party and you have verified through LOOPS that there was a claim filed, there may be an incorrect demographic element for the party on NJKiDS.

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC)

1. The MVCMotor Vehicle Commission database is another tool utilized by PCSE staff to locate parties.
2. The interface between NJKiDS and the MVC may result in a new address or license being added to a member’s record in NJKiDS.

Note: If Member Licenses/MLIC does not have a driver’s license number, there may be incomplete or incorrect data for the party on NJKiDS such as name, and/or date of birth (DOB) which is preventing data matching with MVC.

Approved Locate Vendor

The Division of Family Development (DFD) contracts with a locate vendor that provides Internet based location services. Access to this service has been provided to a limited number of PCSE staff per office for the purposes of locating parties on child support related matters. The locate service provides information from records that would otherwise be unavailable to the general public.

Locate Portal

1. The Locate Address Information/LPRO page on NJKiDS allows staff to view both current and historical locate information on the CP/obligee and the NCP/obligor. Searchable information includes address, employers, contacts, reverse lookups and phone numbers and businesses. Additional information includes aircraft and boat registrations, bankruptcy records, civil and criminal filings, driver’s license, state and professional licenses, tax liens, and voter registration.

State Directory of New Hires (SDNH)

1. The State Directory of New Hires (SDNH) was created as part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) and is maintained by a private vendor. The vendor collects information from New Jersey employers about newly hired or rehired individuals within 20 days of the hiring date.
2. NJKiDS extracts information on newly added and existing members (CPs/obligees and NCPs/obligors) and sends a file to the State Directory of New Hires. For new members, the file is sent daily and for existing members, a weekly file is sent.

3. Information is sent on a daily basis to NJKiDS and automatically updates the Employment Address and Verification Status/EHIS page with employment information and the Address History/AHIS page with address information for CPs/obligees and NCPs/obligors.

4. If the employer does not already exist on the Other Party Information/OTHP page, NJKiDS will add a new record to OTHP provided the requisite data elements exist.

Quick Locate via Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet)

PCSE staff can send an outgoing quick locate message to other state via CSENet in NJKiDS. The other state can use their locate systems to find an address and/or source of income or assets for the NCP/obligor within their state. The other state responds via CSENet, and staff will receive a notification that should be resolved within 10 days.

Note: Authorized staff have access to additional databases that may contain locate information such as Comprehensive Automated Probation System (CAPS), County Corrections Information System (CCIS), PROMIS/Gavel/Person Case Search and Manage (PCSAM), Automated Traffic System (ATS), Municipal Automated Complaint System (ACS), and the Internet. Should staff need to obtain data from any of these sources, they should seek guidance from a supervisor.

Child Support Portal (CSP)

The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) CSP provides PCSE staff web-based access, via a link in NJKiDS, to the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS). This allows users to request information from FPLS external locate sources using a SSN that has been confirmed by the Federal Case Registry (FCR). PCSE staff may also conduct manual searches of the following systems by going into the CSP and initiating a search.

Federal Case Registry (FCR)

The FCR is a national registry of persons involved in IV-D child support cases and non-IV-D orders which include the CP/obligee, NCP/obligor, putative fathers, and children. The information is gathered from all states through an interface with their respective automated child support enforcement systems. In addition, child support staff can use Query Interstate Cases for Kids (QUICK) for direct access to other states’ case activities and financial information on interstate cases. This search can be conducted by entering the child support case numbers for both states or by using a SSN to request case numbers for all states.

NJKiDS receives daily updates from the FCR and sends daily and weekly extracts to the FCR to match data.

The FCR stores and provides case information to assist in location efforts, establishment of paternity, and establishment or modification of child support obligations.

Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS)

The FPLS is a national location network system operated by the OCSE of the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This automated interface provides information on NCPs/obligors and CPs/obligees, such as an address, current employment, assets, and SSNs.

Once a case has been submitted to FPLS, an inquiry will be made of the following agencies: Social Security Administration (SSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Defense (DOD), National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Note: DFD operates the New Jersey State Parent Locator Service (SPLS).

National Directory of New Hires (NDNH)

1. The NDNH receives information from all State Directories of New Hire (SDNH), State Case Registries (SCR) and the FCR. Employers are required to submit to the NDNH information on newly hired employees as well as quarterly wage information.
2. NJKiDS processes incoming NCP/obligor employer and address information received as a result of the NDNH match. The match is based on NJKiDS records that have been successfully added to the FCR and will only be provided if the person on the record is employed out-of-state.
3. NJKiDS also processes incoming information from the NDNH regarding a person’s UIB and quarterly wages. NDNH will only provide information if the person is employed or unemployed out-of-state. The unemployment insurance record will contain the NCP’s/obligor’s benefit balance, the state where the member is receiving benefits and his or her last known mailing address. The quarterly wage record will consist of the member’s last known mailing and/or employer address.

Social Security Administration (SSA)

Through the locate application within the CSP, staff can access information on members who have filed a claim or are receiving benefits from SSA. Address information, death information, and local office information may also be obtained through this application.

Department of Veterans Administration (VA)

The VA will provide information on individuals who are receiving VA benefits. This information includes the type of benefits the member is receiving (e.g., compensation, pension, or educational benefits), the amount, and address information.

Department of Defense (DoD)

PCSE staff can request military entitlement information, earnings, dates of service, and current status through this application.

Note: Information derived from the systems above may contain federal tax information (FTI) and/or classified information. Printing is discouraged, but, if necessary, staff must adhere to the data security protocols. Any addresses obtained from an FTI source must be verified by a second source before entered in NJKiDS.

Additional Manual Locate Methods

 Locating Military Personnel

1. If PCSE staff needs locate information for military service personnel for service of process outside of the CSP, they can submit a FPLS external locate request (through the state child support office) to OCSE for forwarding to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). DMDC returns these requests on a weekly basis. This request must include the military service person’s name and SSN.
2. FPLS will provide the following information to states:

 

Population	SSN Returned	Address Provided	Annual Salary
Active military	Yes	Unit/duty address	Not provided
Reserve/National Guard military	Yes	Unit/ duty address	Not provided
Retired military	Yes	Home address	Yes
Retired civilian	Yes	Home address	Yes

3. Should the DOD application on NJKiDS not provide the needed information, staff can also contact the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) directly at 1-888- 332-7411 for all branches of the military except the Coast Guard.
4. The Coast Guard can be contacted at the numbers below:
   1. Active members: 1-800-564-5504
   2. Retired members: 1-800-772-8724
5. Contact information regarding the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps can be found on their website, https://www.usphs.gov/default.aspx.

Federal Bureau of Prisons

The status of incarcerated NCPs/obligors and their term lengths can be obtained from the BOP database as found on the Internet.

Note: PCSE staff should perform jail searches for other jurisdictions via Internet.