NORWICH – This week marks the start of Child Support Awareness Month in New York State, a time to promote the protection and well-being of children across The Empire State.
The impact of child support carries evident long and short-term effects in the area, explained Chenango County Department of Social Services Deputy Commissioner Daniel Auwarter.
“Assuring that parents uphold their responsibility to help provide for their child’s success and well-being is crucial to fostering positive child development, and also plays a substantial role in current and future economies,” he said.
Last year alone, Chenango County DSS processed more than $5.57 million in child support from 2,855 cases. The DSS Child Support Unit expects to surpass that amount this year with $3 million in child support already collected from the first two quarters.
“We typically collect about $5 million each year and what we are seeing this year is just a little higher than last year,” said Trudy Huggins, head of the Child Support Unit. “These figures are absolutely a good thing because money collected goes back to support families, and it shows that we are doing what we can to collect.”
A report released by DSS shows annual collections of child support have stayed relatively static over the past five years: $5.82 million collected in 2008; $5.57 million in 2009; $5.65 million in 2010; $5.64 million in 2011; and $5.57 million in 2012.
There are, however, parents who have not paid, Huggins added. In Chenango County, the total amount due is $6,600,292 for all fiscal years, she said.
The report also shows that the DSS Child Support Unit filed 926 petitions with local family court and outside jurisdictions in 2012. It also attended 1,106 family court hearings, established or modified 492 child support orders, and established paternity for 56 children. Moreover, it collected $353,325 initially paid out in child support to families that fall under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families guidelines (TANF).
“These are significant numbers and demonstrate how these amounts can serve both children and the taxpayer,” Auwarter said. “Our Child Support Unit is staffed with dedicated individuals who help guide parents to file for court assistance, as well as assure that the financial responsibilities of parenthood are not passed on to the taxpayer.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that he has issued a proclamation declaring August as Child Support Awareness Month. This was announced in conjunction with the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), the state agency that works with local departments of social services to administer child support enforcement programs
OTDA sees more than 900,000 cases, providing services to more than 1.1 million children. New York exceeded $1.8 billion in child support in 2012 - a record high.
OTDA also assists in obtaining financial assistance and health insurance coverage for children by locating non-custodial parents, establishing paternity and support orders, collecting, distributing, and enforcing payments of child support.
Said Auwarter, “While it is an unfortunate fact of life that parents sometimes grow apart in their relationship with one another, their responsibility to provide for their children must remain intact.”