Virginia

Enforcement, Public Information (KidsFirst Campaign)

Description/Goal

In fewer than three years, Virginia's KidsFirst Campaign has netted over $96 million from 38,624 noncustodial parents who began paying in response to the Campaign's warnings, amnesty and enforcement sanctions. The latter have included a variety of high visibility actions: round-ups of the most delinquent noncustodial parents, drivers license suspensions, hunting and fishing license revocations, and boots on delinquent obligor's cars. These actions were always preceded by written warnings and accompanied by intense media attention generated by the Campaign.

“The success of the Campaign has surpassed our expectations,” says Nick Young, Director of Virginia's Child Support Enforcement Program. “When we started out, we viewed the Campaign as just one more tool with which to arm our workers - one more way to get the attention of delinquent noncustodial parents. We certainly didn't anticipate that this lone initiative would reap such a mushrooming response.”

In June 1997, as part of Virginia's welfare reform initiative and a gubernatorial commitment to collect child support to aid in family self-sufficiency, the Virginia Division of Child Support Enforcement mailed 57,000 letters to the most egregious evaders. Addressed to noncustodial parents who owed more than $500 in child support arrears or who had not made a payment in 90 days, the letters offered a limited one-time amnesty for a two-week period. If appropriate payment plans were arranged, the noncustodial parent's case would not be referred to court and the state would recommend that the parent not go to jail. During the two-week amnesty, lines of NCPs went out the doors of child support offices and staff worked overtime. 9,300 parents responded and 768 made arrangements to pay arrears totaling $5.6 million. An additional 4,039 responded with cash payments totaling $1.2 million.

In preparation for the June 20, 1997 deadline, 450 warrants and 1,200 summons were prepared. Ten days after the end of the amnesty period, local law enforcement officials rounded up delinquent noncustodial parents with outstanding warrants and issued additional warrants to others. This intensive crackdown resulted in 512 arrests and show cause notices issued. The roundup was picked up by major news sources and widely publicized through a gubernatorial press conference. The response from delinquent noncustodial parents was overwhelming. In addition to those targeted, many others paid as a result of hearing about a friend or relative who had been arrested. A second roundup in September 1997 was tied to children going back to school. That action netted $4.4 million.

A third round-up in 1997 made use of a new tool to “encourage” delinquent noncustodial parents to pay up: boots. Boots are steel mechanisms that attach to a car wheel, making it impossible to drive without damaging the car until the boot is removed by the authority that placed it there. Virginia's DCSE officials had “Property of Child Support Enforcement” printed on each boot. Designed to get attention, boots were not released until the obligor settled the child support debt or made a payment agreement. This approach was used in Fairfax County, the only jurisdiction in Virginia, at the time, with the authority to boot vehicles. In December 1999, booting went statewide. As of early April 2000, 72 bootings have resulted in cash payments of $351,000.

A fourth round-up in late May, 1998 targeted noncustodial parents who had made payment arrangements but failed to live up to them. This effort resulted in the issuance of notices to suspend 1,411 drivers' licenses statewide.

As of early April 2000, numerous periodic roundups throughout the state have kept Virginia's Child Support Enforcement Program before the public.

Results

To April 2000, $96.1 million has been received from 38,624 obligors who began paying in response to KidsFirst enforcement activities. Says Phyllis Sisk, Principal Assistant/Deputy, of Virginia's Division of Child Support Enforcement, “Delighted as we are with the collections, the positive media attention we have received has been a real boon to our program. At a minimum, this initiative has caught the attention of delinquent parents and communicates the Commonwealth's lack of tolerance for child support evaders.” She cites as an added bonus the enhanced rapport with law enforcement colleagues and the judiciary. Local sheriffs have been both willing and eager to help with the campaign.

Location

Statewide in Virginia. Funding: The Campaign has utilized regular IV-D funding - state funding with federal match. Staff from the State's Attorney General's Office and local law enforcement staff also have contributed to the effort.

Replication Advice

Says Sisk, “I would encourage any state to conduct this kind of a campaign. It will immediately get attention. Get the highest level endorsement of it possible. Try for the governor. If that doesn't work, ask the Secretary or the Commissioner to hold a press conference.”

Sisk notes, “Public relations played a critical role. We constantly made ourselves available to the media, issued press releases, and generally kept reporters informed of spinoff stories. The results have been very encouraging. Virginia's program garnered more than a little positive state and national media attention. Each successive roundup generates even more attention to the problem. In Virginia, arrearages are right at $1.65 billion and growing by $200 million a year, so we look for creative ways to focus attention on child support and increase collections.”

Being able to project a sense of fairness in the campaign is important. The initial letter and amnesty offer contributed to this, according to Sisk. She recommends balancing hard hitting quotes with statements indicating appreciation for those NCPs who pay on a regular basis to support their children.

Also recommended: advance planning with local sheriffs or law enforcement and the courts; and positive attention to child support from high levels to encourage child support workers. Court and legal staff, as well as the child support workers, must often work grueling hours preparing for and responding to a special initiative. In Virginia, Nick Young, state IV-D Director, moved around the state, visiting offices and sometimes staffing the phones himself to encourage staff and keep up morale during the initial amnesty period.