The Department of Revenue has implemented an administrative process to establish child support orders, and this process includes specific procedures designed to protect due process and ensure parents' access to the court system. While this process has the potential to improve program outcomes, it has not yet produced the expected number of support orders. While the process is somewhat faster than establishing orders through the courts, it takes an average of over seven months to complete, and costs for administrative hearings are higher than those for judicial hearings.
The department should develop a strategic plan to improve the administrative process and achieve all intended benefits. The plan should establish performance measures and expected outcomes for the administrative process, including the number of support orders to be established; the percentage of cases in which the administrative process is begun but then terminated without resulting in a support order; the average time required to complete the process; the average cost per completed child support order; and the level of compliance with administrative support orders. This strategic plan should be submitted in conjunction with the department's Legislative Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2007-08.

Department Process Changes Resulted in Fewer Administrative Child Support Orders Than Expected
Report 08-48 August 2008
Administrative Establishment of Child Support Is Efficient for Uncontested Cases; Compliance Is Better for Orders Established Judicially
Report 03-36 June 2003
Division of Administrative Hearings Method of Assessing Fees Needs Significant Revision
Report 02-70 December 2002
Child Support Enforcement Program, Florida Department of Revenue
Report 00-24 December 2000

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.