Figures recently compiled by Kansas Child Support Enforcement show the program continues to make steady progress in increasing the amount of court-ordered support going to Kansas children. During state fiscal year 1997, which ended June 30, the Child Support Enforcement Program (CSE) collected $127.57 million, up 13.8 percent over last year when $112.06 million was collected.

New collection tools created by federal welfare reform that will come into play in the near future are expected to help increase collections even more in coming years.

The continued increase in child support collection also plays a major role in welfare reform; as collections increase, the number of people on public assistance in Kansas continues to shrink. Court-ordered child support being provided with the assistance of the state helps families move off welfare and allows them to stay off welfare. The average number of persons receiving cash assistance each month during state fiscal year 1997 dropped from 71,697 to 57,762, a drop of 19.4 percent.

The CSE program, operated by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, was set up to counteract the tax burden of public assistance to children left unsupported by one or both parents and to improve the lives of children living in poverty. The program is a joint federal, state, judicial and private operation. The program supplies assistance both to child custodians who are on public assistance and those who are not, as well.

SRS Secretary Rochelle Chronister calls the CSE program the "last safety net" for children. She praised work done by CSE workers, both with public and private agencies. Together with a strong Kansas economy and KansasWorks, the state's welfare reform plan, a big part of the reason for the drop in the public assistance caseload in Kansas can be attributed to the continued increase in child support collections, the Secretary said. "We have a dual responsibility to children and taxpayers," she said. "Children benefit when they are financially and emotionally supported by both parents. And when families do not receive their child support payments regularly, they must look to the state for help. By helping families with court-ordered child support, we not only allow families to remain financially independent, but we also save tax dollars."

With the 13.8 percent increase in collections during the last fiscal year, total collection increases in the last decade have been 429 percent, up from $10 million in fiscal year 1988 to this year's $127.57 million.

The increased collections during FY 1997 were in all categories. Collection of $34.68 million for children in families receiving public assistance represented an increase over last year of 11.3 percent. The $89.65 million collected for children not on public assistance represented a 15 percent increase. $3.22 million collected for children in the General Assistance/Foster Care programs represented a 9.7 percent increase.

The collection increases also occurred in every area of the state, with the Lawrence CSE area leading the way with a 19.4 percent increase in collections, followed closely by the Southeast Kansas CSE region with a 17.4 percent increase.

The current CSE caseload consists of about 142,000 public assistance and non-public assistance cases. Because each case represents parents and children, the CSE program in total serves more than 250,000 Kansans.

Provisions of welfare reform now being implemented in Kansas also will help increase collections of child support. Most of these provisions streamline existing procedures and simplify the processes involved in making collections of money due children.

For instance, the Kansas Department of Human Resources is preparing letters to advise employers of the New Hires Directory, which builds on Kansas existing quarterly reports of employment. Under welfare reform, these reports will be filed within 20 days of the hiring of new employees with support orders, which allows the collection efforts to take place more quickly.

Other welfare reform improvements include:

*Amended income withholding laws will be used to include weekly workers compensation benefits and the nationwide use of standard forms sent to employers.

*Under a subpoena, better access will be available to information for locating a parent or the parent's assets in an SRS child support case.

*Personal property liens are now available against judgements and settlement proceeds or against lump sum workers compensation awards.

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001