(1)(a) All support services provided by the department shall be made available on behalf of all dependent children. Services shall be provided upon acceptance of public assistance or upon proper application filed with the department. The federally required application fee for individuals who do not receive public assistance is $1, which shall be waived for all applicants and paid by the department. The annual fee required under 42 U.S.C. s. 654(6)(B), as amended by Pub. L. No. 115-123, for cases involving an individual who has never received temporary cash assistance and for whom the department has collected the federally required minimum amount of support shall be paid by the department.
(b) The department may include confidential and exempt information in unencrypted electronic mail communications with a parent, a caregiver, or any other person who is authorized to receive the information, provided the parent, caregiver, or other person consents to such communications, except that social security numbers, federal tax information, driver license numbers, and bank account numbers may not be provided in this manner.
(2) An attorney-client relationship exists only between the department and the legal services providers in Title IV-D cases. The attorney shall advise the obligee in Title IV-D cases that the attorney represents the agency and not the obligee.
(3) All administrative costs shall be assessed only against the nonprevailing obligor after the court makes a determination of the nonprevailing obligor’s ability to pay such costs and fees. In any case where the court does not award all costs, the court shall state in the record its reasons for not awarding the costs. The court shall order payment of costs without requiring the department to have a member of the bar testify or submit an affidavit as to the reasonableness of the costs.
(4) The Department of Revenue shall not be considered a party for purposes of this section; however, fees may be assessed against the department pursuant to s. 57.105(1).
(5) The Department of Revenue may seek a waiver from the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to authorize the Department of Revenue to provide services in accordance with Title IV-D of the Social Security Act to individuals who are owed support without need of an application. The department may seek a waiver if it determines that the estimated increase in federal funding to the state derived from the waiver would exceed any additional cost to the state if the waiver is granted. If the waiver is granted, the Department of Revenue shall adopt rules to implement the waiver and begin providing Title IV-D services if support payments are not being paid as ordered, except that the individual first must be given written notice of the right to refuse Title IV-D services and a reasonable opportunity to respond.
History.—s. 6, ch. 76-220; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 13, ch. 78-433; s. 3, ch. 82-140; s. 144, ch. 86-220; s. 17, ch. 87-95; s. 12, ch. 88-176; s. 22, ch. 92-138; s. 16, ch. 93-208; s. 7, ch. 94-124; s. 7, ch. 94-318; s. 41, ch. 96-175; s. 47, ch. 96-418; s. 53, ch. 97-170; s. 27, ch. 98-397; s. 38, ch. 2001-158; ss. 31, 32, ch. 2005-39; s. 10, ch. 2005-82; s. 6, ch. 2007-85; s. 11, ch. 2010-187; s. 1, ch. 2019-161; s. 9, ch. 2021-103.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 409 - Social and Economic Assistance
Part I - Social and Economic Assistance (Ss. 409.016-409.5093)
409.017 - Revenue Maximization Act; legislative intent; revenue maximization program.
409.031 - State agency for administering social service funds.
409.1415 - Parenting partnerships for children in out-of-home care; resources.
409.145 - Care of children; “reasonable and prudent parent” standard.
409.1451 - The Road-to-Independence Program.
409.14515 - Independent living preparation.
409.146 - Children and families client and management information system.
409.1464 - Responsible Fatherhood Initiative.
409.1465 - Grants to address the needs of fathers.
409.1467 - Mentorship for at-risk male students.
409.147 - Children’s initiatives.
409.153 - Implementation of Healthy Families Florida program.
409.165 - Alternate care for children.
409.166 - Children within the child welfare system; adoption assistance program.
409.1662 - Children within the child welfare system; adoption incentive program.
409.1666 - Annual adoption achievement awards.
409.16742 - Shared family care residential services program for substance-exposed newborns.
409.1676 - Comprehensive residential group care services to children who have extraordinary needs.
409.1679 - Additional requirements; reimbursement methodology.
409.16791 - Ongoing study of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
409.1755 - One Church, One Child of Florida Corporation Act; creation; duties.
409.1757 - Persons not required to be refingerprinted or rescreened.
409.176 - Registration of residential child-caring agencies and family foster homes.
409.179 - Family-friendly workplace initiative.
409.212 - Optional supplementation.
409.221 - Consumer-directed care program.
409.2551 - Legislative intent.
409.2554 - Definitions; ss. 409.2551-409.2598.
409.2557 - State agency for administering child support enforcement program.
409.25575 - Support enforcement; privatization.
409.2558 - Support distribution and disbursement.
409.2559 - State disbursement unit.
409.2563 - Administrative establishment of child support obligations.
409.25633 - Title IV-D Standard Parenting Time Plans.
409.25635 - Determination and collection of noncovered medical expenses.
409.2564 - Actions for support.
409.25641 - Procedures for processing interstate enforcement requests.
409.2565 - Publication of delinquent obligors.
409.25657 - Requirements for financial institutions.
409.25658 - Use of unclaimed property for past due support.
409.25659 - Insurance claim data exchange.
409.25661 - Public records exemption for insurance claim data exchange information.
409.2567 - Services to individuals not otherwise eligible.
409.2571 - Court and witness fees; bond.
409.2574 - Income deduction enforcement in Title IV-D cases.
409.2575 - Liens on motor vehicles and vessels.
409.2576 - State Directory of New Hires.
409.2577 - Parent locator service.
409.2578 - Access to employment information; administrative fine.
409.2579 - Safeguarding Title IV-D case file information.
409.2581 - Use of clearing accounts and revolving funds.
409.2584 - Interest on obligations due; waiver.
409.2594 - Record requirements.
409.2597 - Retention of actions.
409.2598 - License suspension proceeding to enforce support order.
409.2599 - Data processing services; interagency agreement.
409.25995 - State Title IV-D agency; contracts.
409.25996 - Organizations that assist noncustodial parents.
409.2673 - Shared county and state health care program for low-income persons.
409.26731 - Certification of local funds as state match for federally funded services.
409.285 - Opportunity for hearing and appeal.
409.401 - Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
409.402 - Financial responsibility for child.
409.403 - Definitions; Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
409.404 - Agreements between party state officers and agencies.
409.405 - Court placement of delinquent children.
409.406 - Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance.
409.408 - Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children.
409.409 - Effect of existing compact provisions.
409.4101 - Rulemaking authority.
409.441 - Runaway youth programs and centers.
409.508 - Low-income home energy assistance program.
409.509 - Definitions; weatherization of low-income residences.
409.5091 - Department responsible for weatherizing agencies; energy assessment.