CHENANGO COUNTY – August was child support awareness month in New York State and in recognition, the Chenango County Department of Social Services is reminding the community of the importance of providing financial and emotional stability for children.
The child support unit of DSS processed more than $5.46 million in child support payments in 2013. The agency additionally collected over $356,000 in child support for assistance provided to recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), established or modified 375 child support orders, and assisted in determining paternity for 53 children in the county.
“Locally, child support enforcement and collection is important to ensure parents and children receive the help they need to live safe and healthy lives,” said Daniel Auwarter, Deputy Commissioner of the Chenango Department of Social Services.
Despite seemingly high numbers, child support in Chenango County is comparable with surrounding counties, said Child Support Unit Supervisor Trudy Huggins.
“There have been a lot of laws passed that allow us to do a better job of collecting child support over the years, so children are getting the support they need,” Huggins said. “It’s incredibly important that families with children receive that help.”
Child support figures in Chenango County have remained relatively static over the past five years. In 2010, the Child Support Unit processed a total $5.66 million in annual child support collections. A total $5.64 million was processed in 2011, and $5.57 million in 2012. Huggins said the unit saw upwards of 2,800 separate cases in 2013, although the number has been as high as 3,000 in past years.
Huggins explained that people who do not pay child support face a number of potential consequences, including suspension of their drivers license, recreational licenses, or professional licenses. Approximately one person is convicted in Chenango County each month for failure to pay child support, she said.
“If there is someone who is unable to pay, they need to know that there are remedies available to them,” she added. “Unfortunately, some people think that nothing will happen if they don’t pay ... If they don’t pay and they don’t have a good reason, they can go to jail.”
In light of Child Support Awareness Month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a proclamation late in the month which emphasized the importance of providing financial stability for the life of a child.
“Parents have the most critical role in the development of their children, and an obligation to provide safe, loving and secure environments in which their children can grow and flourish,” the proclamation reads, citing studies that when both parents provide financial and emotional support, children are less likely to engage in unhealthy and unproductive behaviors and more likely to do well in school.
The proclamation continues, “The Child Support Enforcement Program and child support professionals throughout New York State continue to play a vital role in assisting parents in achieving and maintaining economic security for their children.”