October 1, 2002
Fellow IV-D Directors:
October to me has always been a month of new beginnings. While many look towards the spring as the season of renewal, perhaps because I've been in child support for 25 years, my clock runs on "federal fiscal year". I view the crispness in the air as a sign that it is time to move ahead and set new directions. This October is no exception as I step up in my role as the President of NCCSD. I am committed to ensuring that NCCSD remains strong and continues in its role of being the leader and setting the direction for the Child Support Program. The IV-D Directors chose a dynamic Executive Committee, and with their innovativeness and energy the year ahead will be full and rewarding.
My vision for NCCSD for the year is ambitious. It includes taking a new look at the overall administration of the Child Support Program, as well as a number of Policy Issues/Initiatives. Communication is the key to us moving ahead and growing stronger, and I believe that establishing stronger linkages between OCSE, other sister organizations and NCCSD is critical. Just as important is enhancing the ways that we communicate and share information among IV-D Directors.
To improve our internal communication, during the past several years we have established both a website and a list serve for IV-D Directors. These tools have given us opportunities to communicate with each other in a secure manner, respecting each other's rights that information that is shared on the list serve, or the "member-only" portion of the website stays within our association unless we have internally agreed that the information is for "public consumption". This has allowed an open dialogue that would not have otherwise been possible.
Other vital information such as NCCSD by-laws, resolutions, and public information about fellow directors are readily accessible to us and the rest of the Child Support Community via the public portion of the website. With the help of the webmaster, and creative ideas from all of you, we will utilize both the list serve and website to a greater extent this year.
Our short term goals over the next month include an audit of the treasury, establishing a monthly conference call schedule for the Executive Committee, and especially, establishing a framework for communication that will ensure that the issues and opinions of all directors are heard and considered.
The longer term goals encompass making the choices regarding the issues on which NCCSD must focus over the coming year or two. These choices are not easy ones to make, and they are ones that require thoughtful input and discussion. To begin that dialogue I have included a document "Potential NCCSD Issues for 2002-2003". This document includes many issues that we have jointly identified during the past 2 years, as well as more recent ones. Please review this document and prioritize the top five issues that you think are critical, either ones contained in this document, or others that you have identified within your own state, or in discussion with fellow IV-D Directors. Please provide your choices to your regional representative by October 9, 2002.
Two other documents are included to assist you in the coming year: a listing of the NCCSD Officers and Executive Committee; and a document with more specific information about the website. Once a conference call schedule has been developed for the Executive Committee that information will be shared as well as the agendas and the minutes from the calls.
I look forward to a year in which we will continue our commitment and dedication to the children of this nation.
Sincerely,
Diane M. Fray
President, NCCSD