R527-258-5. Enforcing Child Support When the Obligor Is in a Treatment Program

1. The federal title IV-A past-due support debt which accrued while the obligor was in an in-patient treatment program may be forgiven one time, if the full monthly current support payment and the full monthly assessed payment toward the past-due support debt have been made for twelve consecutive months. The twelve consecutive month period begins when the obligor has been released from an in-patient treatment program and s/he has contacted the office to make payment arrangements within the allotted 30 days.

2. The office will use the federal income withholding notice and procedures to enforce and collect the current support and an arrears payment, when appropriate. The office will use the federal National Medical Support Notice and procedures to enforce insurance coverage for the children, if appropriate.

a. If the obligor does not make the full payment in each of the first six months, additional collection or enforcement action may be taken.

b. If the obligor makes the full required payment each month for twelve consecutive months, the remaining IV-A support debt that accrued during the most recent treatment period shall be forgiven. IV-A debt forgiveness due to participation in an in-patient or out-patient treatment program will only occur one time per obligor.

3. If the obligor owes IV-A arrears only, s/he must make twelve consecutive payments to the office based on an assessed amount determined by ORS/CSS.

4. The obligor's arrearage payment shall be reassessed by the office if his/her financial situation changes during the twelve-month period.