DATE: Tuesday, October 7, 1997              TAG: 9710070300

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A6   EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: WASHINGTON                        LENGTH:   25 lines

33 STATES DON'T MEET DEADLINE TO INSTALL CHILD-SUPPORT SYSTEM

Two-thirds of the states failed to meet a deadline to install computer systems tracking child support, with one-third not even close to compliance and facing fines.

Officials had predicted that about a dozen states would miss the Oct. 1 deadline, but 33 state systems have not yet been certified.

Of those, 16 states are ready to be certified, including four already reviewed and 12 ready for review, said Michael Kharfen, spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services.

That leaves 17 states - representing nearly half the nation's child support cases - with systems that are incomplete.

Virginia's system has been certified. North Carolina's system is awaiting review.

The computerized systems are important because one-third of all child support cases involve an out-of-state parent, and the automated systems should help find parents who move from state to state. They also track in-state cases by making information about parents available electronically.

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