Editorial: Support Children

by Grand Rapids

Press Editorial Board

Friday March 06, 2009, 8:54 AM

WHY IT MATTERS?

Reforms to the Friend of the Court that improve efficiency and services are in the best interest of children.

The situation of children who have been borne out of wedlock, or whose parents are divorced or separated can be complex for courts. State lawmakers should support Senate bills that can help children by improving the efficiency and service delivery of the Friend of the Court (FOC). The payoff could be more children receiving the financial support and parenting time they need and deserve. The FOC oversees the welfare of children whose support, custody and parenting time are subject to court orders.

There are more than 755,000 child support orders in Michigan and 41,032 in Kent County. The bipartisan Senate measure was spurred by a 2006 funding and mandates report by the Friend of the Court Association. The report, submitted to the governor, the Michigan Supreme Court chief justice and legislative leadership, made recommendations for improving efficiency and client services. The bills spearheaded by Sen. Mark Jansen, R-Gaines Township, passed the Senate and were referred to the House Committee on Families and Children's Services.

One piece of a nine-bill package, sponsored by Mr. Jansen and co-sponsored by Bill Hardiman, R-Kentwood, would allow the court to order a jail alternative program for non-payment of child support. Some alternatives to jail include participation in a parenting program, drug or alcohol counseling, or complying with a payment plan. Parents who have the means to fulfill their court-ordered obligations but choose to neglect their children by denying support for their well-being deserve to be locked up, have a boot placed on their car or other penalties. But not everyone is a deadbeat parent.

There are those who are involved in their child's life and were making payments but fell behind or defaulted on their obligations because they lost their job or faced some other circumstance. Sending these offenders to jail doesn't make much sense. They need an opportunity to find work or resolve the issue interfering with payments so that they can contribute to their child's support and spend time with him or her. Keeping them out of jail also benefits the state by reducing jail and law enforcement costs.

Another bill would simplify payment plan requirements for past due child support to afford judicial discretion on a case-by-case basis. There are lot of people way behind in child support that the court should work with to get on plans they can afford. But no one is trying to help an offender for whom their child -- and in many cases children -- are the last priority.

A bill sponsored by Mr. Hardiman and co-sponsored by Mr. Jansen would also prohibit a child support order from going back years and years to recoup payments before the date of the complaint, except in certain circumstances. That isn't unreasonable and prevents a person from facing a five or six figure back payment amount that could be perceived as insurmountable and possibly discourage any payment. Retroactive orders can also be a time consuming process for court staff. 

Other bills would:

-- Streamline the process of suspending licenses and reinstating them if child support is owed.

-- Take out specific requirements for resolving disputes regarding custody and parenting time, enabling FOCs to craft their own programs.

The measures address key FOC issues outlined in the comprehensive report. The fact that lawmakers worked closely with not only the Friend of the Court Association, but Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan, the Department of Human Services, and the State Court Administrative Office is a good sign the legislation can effect real change in efficiency and services. Lawmakers should listen to those closest to the situation and support these reforms that can benefit children.

E-mail a letter to the editor for publication online and in print: pulse@grpress.com Please keep letters to less than 200 words and include your full name, home address and phone number.

The Non Custodial Parent Program (NCPP) where parents are sent when they are not paying child support is a $400,000 a year program in 2008. Deanna was personally in this program and did some asking around. The group (mostly of men) was told to start their own business so they could pay themselves minimum wage and have child support based off that income.

Carol Rhodes

Friend of The Court, Enemy of The Family

Former Friend of The Court worker!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M7cEi61W24

Michigan Child Support Program Launches MiCase Web Site

Contact:  Colleen Steinman 517-241-5678

May 15, 2009

Parents who pay or receive child support in Michigan now have a convenient and secure Web site to review their payment and case information - www.michigan.gov/MiCase.

The MiCase Web site provides custodial and non-custodial parents access to individual child support account information, while reducing the state's costs for providing this information. Parents can view online payment summaries, amounts owed, child support case information, scheduled hearing dates and Friend of the Court contact information.

Parents who want to use MiCase can follow the directions on the Web site to sign up for an account. Within a few days of signing up, they will receive their MiCase ID and secure password in the mail. The ID and password are required to access information about each person's individual child support case on the Web site.

"Consistently paying child support ensures that children have a good safety net and can avoid poverty," said Ismael Ahmed, director of the Department of Human Services. "Our aim is to make the process as convenient as possible for families."

MiCase is another tool to improve customer service in the child support program. Employers who assist in collecting child support from non-custodial payments use online and phone payment options. Parents can use automatic deposits or debit cards to receive payments and search the online database for unclaimed child support money at www.michigan.gov/childsupport.

"We want to make the process of paying, receiving and accounting of child support as easy as possible for parents," said Marilyn Stephen, director of the Michigan Office of Child Support. "MiCase continues our commitment to offer the most cost-effective tools for our customers."