Caledonia Argus

Interstate child support collections challenge Houston County caseworkers

Posted: 10/23/02

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

Collecting child support payments, in light of an influx of new residents to Houston County, has proven problematic for Houston County Human Services (HCHS) staff. An increase in the staffís inter-state caseload has brought with it the burden of relying on other states for information, a burden made increasingly difficult by some stateís largely inefficient child support collection services.

The increase in the interstate caseload, Human Services staff stated, stems from the wealth of services that Houston County offers.

ìWe have good services in Houston County, so weíre a big draw,î said Marilyn Moore, a Case Aid Worker at Houston County Human Services. ìThereís a womenís shelter here, and that brings in people, too.î

ìI personally know someone who moved here because of Houston Countyís benefits,î added Patti Willette, a Child Support Officer with HCHS.

Two years ago, HCHS had 171 interstate cases. Last year, the number rose to 185, and in October 2002, the number of interstate cases reached 208. The interstate caseload has become so large, compared to the total number of cases, that Moore has been assigned to deal strictly with such cases.

ìOverall, the population in the county is growing,î said Liza Jandt, the other Child Support Officer at HCHS. ìIt used to be just that the two Child Support Officers worked the interstate cases with everything else. Due to the increase, Marilyn has taken on just interstate cases.î

Part of the problem with enforcing child support payment with interstate cases is that once HCHS staff contact the other state in a particular case, the custodial parent is at the mercy of the other state. That is, it is the other stateís prerogative to enforce the payments, and all HCHS can do is contact the other state and wait. With roughly 25% of interstate cases, HCHS staff estimated, the custodial parent hasnít been located.

ìWith interstate cases, our hands are tied,î Moore said. ìItís the other state enforcing their order and we have to wait on them.î

Another problem with interstate cases, HCHS staff noted, is that other stateís systems are often difficult to keep in close contact with. In Houston County, the relatively small caseload facilitates a personal approach among the staff members. Clients can meet with HCHS staff on a face-to-face basis, and inter-state agencies needing to contact HCHS staff speak with them personally via phone. In other states, this is not always the case.

ìWeíre a small county and weíre pretty personable with our clients; we take our phone calls and the people get to talk to their case worker,î Moore said. ìBut there are some states and counties you canít even get information from; the only way you can talk to a case worker is through fax.î

Some out-of-state counties are relatively easy to deal with, HCHS staff noted, but others provide a frustrating experience for HCHS caseworkers.

ìWith La Crosse County we have a good working relationship,î Moore said. ìThey can give us information on where cases are located in Wisconsin. A lot of states donít have a statewide computer system, so they canít tell you what county the non-custodial parent youíre trying to track down are located in. Illinois, for example, is one state that when we get a case in, itís like going down into a deep hole.î

The simplest solution, according to HCHS staff, would be for other states to better organize their systems. However, this is not feasible, nor is it probable. The solution for custodial parents living in Houston County, then, is to maintain contact with the non-custodial parent.

ìOther states should get rid of the automated line system,î Moore commented. This feat, she added, is not likely to happen anytime soon.

ìWe hope the custodial parent has some contact with the other parent; sometimes this is the best source of locating the non-custodial parent,î Moore added. ìItís worth their while to keep track of he or she.î

ìItís difficult to work with other states that donít aggressively collect the support,î Jandt said. ìWe encourage persons receiving support to keep us up to date on the non-custodial parent.î

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