The Child Support Specialist (CSS) Certification program is a recognition program for individuals who maintain a caseload. It is a program to recognize proficiency acquired in the educational and professional development of child support services staff. The process will continue to define and assess uniform standards for skills expected of child support professionals to do their job.

An individual may be recognized as a general child support enforcement specialist with expertise in many areas or with expertise in specialized areas. An individual can take competency-based assessments to document demonstrated expertise. An individual can take an assessment in one or in multiple functional areas.

Certificates can be obtained in one or multiple functional areas. Full certification is awarded to individuals after completion of all five functional areas plus core.

Core includes topics that are universal to all areas of child support. The five functional areas are: Locate, Establishment, Enforcement, Interstate, and Finance. Demonstrated expertise in Core by successful completion of core assessments is a prerequisite to taking assessments in the functional areas. The seven core areas are: Ethics, Case Initiation, Child Support Law and Policy, Microsoft Office Applications, Written Communication, Oral Communication and Managing Your Caseload.

Certification is good for two years. To obtain re-certification, participants take one comprehensive test on the seven core areas and five functional areas, and provide 20 hours of service as a subject matter expert every two years to maintain certification.

Download Certification Application (Word Format) 

For additional information about Certification for Child Support Specialists go to http://www.okdhs.org/divisionsoffices/visd/ocss/plan/certification/