Tuesday, January 24, 2006

National child support group opens local chapter

By JAN HOLST

A national child support advocacy organization, The Association for Children for Enforcement of Support, Inc. (ACES) will soon have a local chapter. ACES members represent families of 18 million children, who are owed $100 billion in unpaid child support, says their Web site.

Michigan statistics may be even worse, say local organizers Kelli and Dawn.

Although their personal experiences with Friend of the Court (FOC), enforcement agency for child support collection, are different, they agree on one thing the system is broken.

"There are 1,023,874 children in this state who are owed over $8 billion in unpaid child support," said Dawn.

Proposed reductions in federal funding may worsen the situation.

"For Michigan parents who have had problems getting child support checks, state Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan has a warning: Get ready for more trouble," said a Lansing Bureau press release last month.

"Yes we have problems," said John Cole, director of Kent County FOC. "Every comment they (Kelli and Dawn) made is true to one degree or another." Noting, "the FOC has a tough job."

Cole supports groups like ACES.

"We have had fatherhood initiatives and this one is mother driven," he said. "We put out the welcome mat to both groups. So much of what we do is determined by the law in terms of procedure, some things cannot be done. But I'm pleased to work with this group to listen to their concerns. If there is something within my power to change, I will do it."

One complaint about FOC procedure is inadequate enforcement.

"I have a collectible case, with a withholding order, and they aren't enforcing it," said Dawn. "Once I reach my threshold, I take him to court and then I get paid."

Court-ordered child support for Dawn's daughter comes sporadically. The first time she was granted a hearing, a caseworker talked her into settling for $1,000.

"I gradually learned the process," she said. "If I wanted it all, I had to go to court."

The next time a judge ordered the father to pay in full. Now a year and a half later, support is again $6,000 behind. When arrearages get "too high," Dawn makes "numerous" calls to her caseworker, eventually gets a court date, and just before the hearing, receives the money.

Kelli's case is different. With a court order for $50 a week (plus interest on missed payments) for her son's support, she is due $68,000 but she knows she will never see it.

Sixty-five percent of people pay without incident, said Cole, but "others fall through the cracks."

"We use computers tied to all new hires (to keep track of non-custodial parents)," he said. "If you move and change addresses, we will know it, but there are those who disappear from our outreach."

Cole also points to a high number of Michigan jobs lost and said some have no ability to pay what their original order asks.

"And then there are some who try everything to avoid paying. They give all fathers a bad name. That is an issue too," he said. "Someone laid off isn't necessarily a deadbeat dad.'"

Also of concern is the difficulty of connecting with FOC caseworkers.

"You can't get through unless you constantly call," said Kelli.

"My number-one priority is customer service," said Cole, who has been on the job for three years. "I instruct my staff to return every phone call within two business days and respond to written requests within five. These are policy, but I can't honestly say we live up to them."

If you divide the number of Kent County FOC cases and by the number of caseworkers, each has about 6,000 cases, but most do not require enforcement, said Cole. Still the volume of cases and number of workers makes for about "30- plus calls per day per worker."

"With these numbers, it is rare they get through without going to voicemail. Then in addition to their other work, the caseworker has to respond to all of those. On days when they are in court, they get even further behind," he said.

Who the FOC answers to also puzzles Dawn, who has gone all the way to Governor Jennifer Granholm's office and still hasn't found the answer. Part of the answer may be in a Citizen's Advisory Council, appointed by Kent County Board of Commissioners, who review random written grievances.

"We probably get thousands of complaints," said Cole. "But formal grievances have sunk to about 60 last year (2004)."

According to ACES research, grievances were 62, but actual complaints, including phone calls, e-mails, and letters totaled 75,967 during 2004.

Kelli and Dawn, who became friends after meeting at FOC hearings, believe others in Michigan need support when embroiled in the FOC process.

"It is not about us," said Dawn. "It is about the kids and holding them (non-custodial parents) responsible. Sometimes when a parent is not involved with the child, it is really out of sight, out of mind.' For me, this started very personal, but I have found that the same things happen over and over at the FOC and if there are enough of us, maybe things will change."