Domestic relations director briefs commissioners on Title 4-D cooperative agreement and five-year reimbursements

Greg Strauss, the county's domestic relations director, briefed commissioners at the Aug. 4 work session on the Title 4-D cooperative agreement the Department of Human Services forwards to counties every five years.

Strauss said the agreement is “essentially an agreement between the county commissioners, the courts, and the Department of Human Services for the effective and efficient operation of the title 4 d program, which essentially is child support, spousal support, incentive payments that we receive.” He described the funding arrangement as covering roughly two-thirds of his office's operations through state reimbursements processed from the general fund and said the county has consistently met benchmarks necessary for those reimbursements.

Strauss said the document is negotiated in advance by the Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania with chief court administrators and Department of Human Services personnel, then forwarded to local domestic-relations offices for signature. He noted the county now accepts e-signatures for the form; previously it required “wet” signatures.

A commissioner noted that the county solicitor reviewed the document and indicated there may be additional protocols required between the domestic-relations office, children and youth services, and juvenile probation; Strauss said he would review existing files to determine whether new written protocols are necessary. No signatures were taken at the work session; staff will return the executed agreement to the state after required signatures and any needed protocols are completed.