Hhs Awards Grants For Child Support Development Projects
Over $2.2 million in grants has been awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to twelve states, faith-based, non-profit and tribal organizations to further advance the performance of the nation’s child support enforcement system.
The Maryland Child Support Enforcement Program received $200,000 to, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, Maryland Department of Corrections, and community-based groups, test a model approach to increase employment and incentives for paying current support, for fathers who are ex-offenders /parolees.
In Muskegon, Michigan, Family Court Services of the 14th Judicial Circuit received $199,772 to, in collaboration with the County Departments of Employment and Training, Corrections and Child Support, as well as various faith-based and community organizations, help unemployed fathers by combining employment programs with family counseling and management of their child support debt.
The Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program’s Project Dads, in El Centro, California, received $141,858 to, in collaboration with other agencies, help fathers obtain employment, assist them with child support order modifications and help them access parental skills training.
Three grants were awarded to faith-based and non-profit organizations and a state agency to emphasize the importance of healthy marriage to a child’s well being.
The Marriage Coalition, a faith-based organization in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, received $199,994 to test a curriculum to provide poor, unmarried parents with knowledge on the importance of establishing paternity and paying child support or the advantages of a healthy marriage.
In Allentown, Pennsylvania, the Community Services for Children, Inc. received $177,374 to provide, in collaboration with local faith-based organizations, marriage education, employment and other services to unwed couples involved with Early Head Start or Head Start.
The Alabama Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board received $200,000 to provide services to help low-income, ethnically diverse, unmarried parents learn practical skills to promote healthy marriage, improve employment and increase paternity establishment rates and child support payments.
Four grant awards will focus on expanding use of automation and state best practices to enhance enforcement tools, improve customer service and increase child support collections.
South Carolina received $414,574, on behalf of the Electronic Parent Locator Network/Financial Institution Data Match Consortium of 14 states, to develop an on-line means to initiate and respond to state requests for automated enforcement of interstate cases. This project aims to expedite and successfully collect past-due child support through seizure, as necessary, of funds in non-custodial parents’ accounts in financial institutions located in states other than those where the child support is owed.
Colorado was awarded $100,000 to utilize web site technology to increase customer services by providing parents, employers and caseworkers the ability to access case data and input data on-line.
Iowa received $99,090 to enhance its web site to provide self-access services for its customers to improve its process of qualifying and applying for child support order modifications.
North Carolina received $200,000 to develop an automatic “call-back” telephone system to remind customers of scheduled appointments and hearings and also to remind those who have missed payments that they are delinquent– a proven technique used by private debt collectors.
Two grant awards were made focusing on assistance to tribal child support programs and enforcement of medical support orders.
The National American Indian Court Judges Association, Inc. received $199,887 to conduct a needs assessment and provide technical assistance and models of child support services to help tribal courts and agencies implement successful and effective child support programs.
Montana was awarded $149,464 to initiate enforcement of the custodial parent’s health insurance coverage, as appropriate; to decrease public funds spent on childrens medical coverage and increase the number of cases where premium costs are shared in a balanced manner between parents.
