(a) Arkansas is the responding state when another state, tribe, or country:

1. (1) Requests assistance because it is unable to use its long-arm statute for the establishment of paternity and support; or
2. (2) Requires assistance in the enforcement or modification of an obligation.

(b)

1. (1) All available action will be taken according to Arkansas state law.
2. (2) The Arkansas Office of Child Support Enforcement will assess and recover costs and fees as described in 9 CAR § 1-801, Cost/Fees for service, of this document in intergovernmental cases, when applicable.
3. (3) Any fees deducted will be identified when payments are forwarded to the initiating state.

(d)

1. (1) Within ten (10) business days of receipt of a case from the initiating state, the Central Registry must:

   1. (A) Ensure that documentation submitted with the case has been reviewed to determine completeness;
   2. (B) Forward the case for necessary action either to the State Parent Locate Service for location service or to the appropriate agency for processing;
   3. (C) Acknowledge receipt of the case; and
   4. (D) Ensure that any missing documentation has been requested from the initiating state.
2. (2) The Central Registry must respond to inquiries from other states within five (5) business days of receipt of the request for a case status review of cases that have not yet been forwarded to the local office.

(e)

1. (1) Central Registry will refer intergovernmental cases to the appropriate caseworker.
2. (2) The caseworker must provide location services if the information provided is inadequate or at the request of the initiating state within seventy-five (75) calendar days of the referral of the case.

(f)

1. (1) If the noncustodial parent is located in a county other than where initially located and there is no Arkansas court order, the case must be transferred to the appropriate county within ten (10) business days of verifying the noncustodial parent's location.
2. (2) If an Arkansas court order already exists, the case will be assigned to the county that issued the order.
3. (3) New information acquired while working the case must be transferred to the appropriate county within ten (10) business days of verification.

(g)

1. (1) If the noncustodial parent is located in another state, the Arkansas Office of Child Support Enforcement must notify the initiating state within ten (10) business days of the verification of the noncustodial parent's location.

2. (2)

   1. (A) The Arkansas Office of Child Support Enforcement, as the responding state agency, must return the form and documentation, including the new location, to the initiating state.
   2. (B) Or, if directed by the initiating state, the Arkansas Office of Child Support Enforcement must:

(i) Forward the form and documentation to the Central Registry in the state where the noncustodial parent has been located; and

1. (ii) Notify the initiating state where the case has been sent.

(h)

1. (1) The caseworker will provide all services necessary to:

   1. (A) Locate noncustodial parents;
   2. (B) Establish paternity and child and medical support orders; and
   3. (C) Enforce existing child and medical support orders.
2. (2) The Office of Child Support Enforcement will recognize and extend full faith and credit to court orders and affidavits acknowledging paternity issued in another state unless and until a court of competent jurisdiction directs otherwise.
3. (3) The caseworker will employ all remedies available under state law and Office of Child Support Enforcement policy to ensure compliance in intergovernmental cases.

4. (4) The caseworker must provide location services if the information provided is inadequate or at the request of the initiating state within seventy-five (75) calendar days of the referral of the case.

   1. (i)
5. (1) The Arkansas Office of Child Support Enforcement, as the responding state agency, must pay the costs of processing intergovernmental cases, including the cost of paternity testing in actions to establish paternity.
6. (2) If paternity is established in Arkansas, an attempt to obtain a judgment for costs of paternity testing from the father will be made.

(k)

1. (1) In an intergovernmental case, the state that initiated the case is the Office of Child Support Enforcement’s customer.
2. (2) It is not the responding state’s responsibility to be in direct contact with the custodial party in the initiating state.
3. (3) However, it is the caseworker’s responsibility to keep the initiating state informed of significant actions taken in the case so that the initiating state can keep the custodial party informed as to the status of the case.