April 2024 CSQ

in intergovernmental cases on behalf of another Tribe, state, or country.
With 53 percent of Native American children in Tribal areas with programs
living in single-parent families, there is a compelling need for Tribal child
support programs.
Yet there are only 61 Tribes currently
operating a child support program, a small
percentage of the 574 federally recognized
Tribes in the United States. The main
barrier to greater participation is the 80-20
and 90-10 cost sharing rates between
Tribes and federal government. Because
Tribal governments have fewer revenue-generating options than state
governments, the match often requires Tribes to choose between allocating
scarce resources to provide critical services, or develop and operate a child
support program. OCSS issued an NPRM on April 21, 2023, to address this
problem and NCSEA filed comments in support of eliminating cost sharing
entirely.
On February 12, 2024, OCSS
announced a final rule that
eliminated the burdensome cost
sharing requirement for Tribal child
support programs. See 89 Fed.
Reg. 9784, Elimination of the Tribal
Non-Federal Share Requirement.
The change will take effect later this
year on October 1, 2024.
As explained by Health and Human
Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the change will “make it easier and less
expensive for Tribal community-run child support programs to meet the
needs of their communities.” OCSS Commissioner Tanguler Gray praised
the final rule stating: “We’ve heard their feedback loud and clear, and are
doing what we can to remove unnecessary burdens to operating their own
programs. This rule does just that, and will make it easier for existing and
new Tribal child support programs to access funding they need to improve
outcomes for children and families.”
The final rule also was intended to promote equity and aims to honor Tribal
sovereignty. To further the survival and welfare of Indian Tribes and people,
the final rule reiterates the federal commitment to provide services needed