implemented this best practice in March 1999

Qualifying under the Best Practices catalogue:
3 Provide Capabilities
32 Support resources
322 Enhance/upgrade organizational capabilities

Best Practice Summary
(how it works, how you measure it)

Each week names non-custodial parents (NCP) that have been impossible to locate through normal locate efforts are forwarded to the Bedford County, Virginia, Sheriff's office for entry into the "Auto Track" database. Auto Track is an online public records database that is an integrated electronic investigative tool that searches multiple nation-wide databases for the missing individual(s). The NCP's name, social security number (SSN) and date of birth are entered into the database and if the individual is using either their name or SSN, all current and past addresses are provided. In addition, if the NCP is using an alias, those names will also be listed. The effectiveness of the process is measured in the number of locates when a NCP's physical address or location can be determined in order for that person to be legally served a summons for court, or arrested and extradited for failure to pay child support.

Impact on the Process Organizational Performance (OUTCOMES)

The use of Auto Track has increased the number of locates for NCPs that have deliberately evaded enforcement actions in order to avoid paying ordered child support. Auto Track is not used on every case as locate resources available to state locate specialists are normally sufficient to locate absent parents. For those parents that have departed the state, changed their names, or "dropped out of sight" for several months to years in order to avoid paying support, Auto Track has been largely successful in locating those individuals. The impact is that these egregious evaders are found and made to face their responsibility to their children in the courts.

Best Practice Qualification

No other DCSE office in Virginia has been able to locate the number of seriously egregious delinquent child support evaders as the Lynchburg DCSE and Bedford County Sheriff's office has in their collaborative locate efforts. These efforts have spanned the entire state and country in tracking down NCPs in order for other enforcement and legal actions to be taken.

For Additional Information

Department of Social Services
Division of Child Support Enforcement
Lynchburg District Office
2127 Lakeside Drive
Lynchburg VA 24501

Chuck Ingerson
(804) 386-2002
jri983@dcse.dss.state.va.us

Nathaniel Young
(804) 692-1501
Virginia Department of Social Services
Division of Child Support Enforcement

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