OHIO

FAIRFIELD COUNTY:

A CUSTOMIZED APPROACH TO ARREARS COLLECTIONS

Goal:Increase collections through the management of child support arrearages by implementing an approach to arrears management which was developed by employee's suggestions.

Strategic Plan: Supports Strategies 1, 2, 8, 10 of the National Child Support Strategic Plan.

Description:The Fairfield County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) created a work group with the goal of increasing collections and managing child support arrearages. The approach was customized based on elements of the cases with arrears. This is an innovative approach, as governments sometimes apply a single enforcement method, based on computerized or legalistic processes.

The county set a goal to collect $200,000 annually from the special measures implemented from the project. The project sought to develop creative enforcement techniques from employees' suggestions.

Early Education & Outreach Tools Used to Increase Collections: In addition to the typical agency education and outreach events, the work group suggested more proactive measures for outreach to child support obligors.

The three projects initiated to increase awareness and empower new obligors are hearing labels, payment reminder letters and customer care calls.

• Hearing Labels:These are labels placed upon entry copies of paperwork provided at the time the hearing is held to establish or modify a child support order. These labels are brightly colored and a quick read. The main objective of the label is to provide information that would alleviate potential delays in child support payments prior to the income withholding taking effect.

  A recent customer service survey showed that information about the child support program is helpful in increasing compliance, especially long-term compliance with court orders for child support. This includes basic child support agency information and the responsibilities of new obligors.

• Payment Reminder Letters: The CSEA uses an enforcement tracking system for cases known as SETS - the Support Enforcement Tracking System. As soon as a SETS Specialist enters a new order into SETS, a payment reminder letter is sent to the obligor. This letter provides additional information to the "Welcome to SETS" letter. The letter explains the average time that it takes for an income withholding to be initiated, a definition of default and actions that can be taken as a result of default, the total obligation on a monthly or bi-weekly basis for informational purposes, and specific instructions about mail and drive-thru payment options. The letter specifically states the information that must be included with the payment.

• Customer Care Calls: Within 15 days of receiving a child support order, case managers make contact with new obligors. Customer Care Calls are intended to introduce the obligor to his or her case manager and to provide an additional opportunity to answer any questions about the child support program. The calls also provide an opportunity to gather information needed for the case and serve as a reminder that payments need to begin promptly. At the point of the Customer Care Call, several fact sheets are sent if there are questions about the Guidelines, Enforcement Techniques, Arrearages, the Agency Legal Services or the Pro Bono Legal Clinic. If phone contact is not successful, another letter is sent for the initial contact.

Creative Enforcement Techniques: Creative enforcement techniques were suggested by the group members. Such measures included a letter campaign, stepped-up use of special enforcement techniques, increased publication on the Internet and notification of potential publication in the media, and additional private investigation efforts for location.

• The Letter Campaign, Publication and Enforcement Activities:A letter campaign to encourage compliance and to gather information was conducted with obligors and obligees. Cases were identified from the cumulative Default Report. The criteria were that the case had no current employment information and no payments or contact with the agency for the last three months.

  More than 500 letters were sent to obligors asking for employer information. The letters included a specific contact at the CSEA. The Fairfield County Sheriff posted search lists and warrant lists on their website. The website asks for anonymous tips and provides telephone numbers for contact. More than 500 additional letters were sent to obligees. These letters asked for location information or any other information that would be helpful in enforcing the case.

  The mass mailing resulted in phone calls from obligors, some of whom had never contacted the agency before. In many cases, employer information and social security information were obtained from either obligees or obligors.

  Collections of more than $25,000 were achieved within three months of the initial mailing. The letters to obligors were also used as supporting correspondence with hearing notices and emancipation recommendations. A single caseload resulted in increased collections of over $13,000 using this method.

  Case managers reviewed cases in more depth and applied special enforcement actions, including criminal non-support, financial institution account seizure, and drivers' license suspension in greater numbers, as compared to the twelve months prior to the existence of the work group. There was also a more detailed identification of cases that needed additional location or private investigation efforts.

  More than 35 cases were identified for additional review with a private investigator under contract. More than 50 cases were identified for criminal non-support referrals. In addition, a special enforcement log tracked the success of collections by individual case manager and team, in order to motivate the employees in achieving additional collections.

• Prison Cases and Stepped Up Efforts to Coordinate with Probation Officers:A review of all cases where a parent was imprisoned was conducted. This review confirmed if an income withhold (even from commissary income) had been initiated. In addition, the agency initiated increased contact with Municipal Court and local probation officers. The Municipal Court Judges in Lancaster have a heavy prosecutorial background and have made compliance with a child support order an important probation condition. Several meetings were held with local probation officers.

• Referrals to Job Coaching and Training Programs and Connection with Workplace Development and Other Partners:As part of Child Support Awareness Month, the office opened its doors in the evening to obligors who desired an additional opportunity to make a good faith effort of a payment, or to provide information regarding employment circumstances, prior to the agency pursuing additional enforcement actions through traditional legal processes. Letters were sent to delinquent obligors announcing the date and time of the event. Obligors were advised they would not be arrested at the conference. A good faith payment in cash or money order was requested. Thirty obligors participated. Nine provided additional employment information and about $3,200 in payments were collected based on this initiative. Thirty referrals were made to job training programs, which resulted in increased payments over the next six months as compared to the six months prior to the contact.

• Connection with Workforce Development:The work group included workforce development partners in its plans to increase collections on arrears. The CSEA maintains a close relationship with Workforce Development Coordinators in order to stay abreast of local job opportunities and job trainings. CSEA managers and employees attend local job fairs sponsored by Workforce Development to ensure that accurate information about child support is available to those who are looking for employment. As part of a review process involving contempt hearings or criminal non-support proceedings, the court will order obligors to attend workforce trainings and to use their resources for job searches.

• Communication about Modifications and Workforce Development:The agency created a fact sheet about Administrative Adjustment and Review to help support the telephoning efforts to the parties to the cases. In addition, inserts and fact sheets were created about the number of different options available for job training and job searches. E-mails are sent throughout the combined agency to inform all staff of job fairs and new employment opportunities.

Results:The Fairfield County CSEA achieved the highest performance measurement for collections on arrears as of October 2004 for large Ohio counties with a workload between 4,000 and 19,999 cases. Overall, collections specifically attributed to the three-pronged approach exceeded $200,000.

A foundation was established to focus on collections of arrears and help to avoid the accumulation of debt.

• The creative enforcement techniques came from employees' suggestions, and it was motivating to see the collections on arrearages increase. Employees gained knowledge and job confidence.
• The strategies implemented allowed for a more customized approach to customer service. By making additional personal contacts with letters and telephone inquiries, the agency was building trust with the parties to cases for long-term success.
• By communicating more information about the procedures for administrative modifications and by connecting with workforce development, the agency was helping to avoid the build-up of arrearages.
• Early intervention activities can help prevent the build-up of arrearages. The earlier the contact with the parent about child support procedures and responsibilities, the better chance there is for compliance and payment.

Location:Fairfield County is the third fastest growing county in Ohio. It is contiguous to metropolitan Franklin County, yet agriculture remains an important part of its economy.

Funding:Regular IV-D funds were used. Approximately 200 hours of training were provided in an in-house training program which costs about $2,600 annually. The training is an on-going activity.

Replication Advice: Employees were encouraged to consider each step that could be implemented in order to improve performance. A twelve-month committee met every other week and provided an update to all-staff meetings monthly. At each step of the way, successes, no matter how small, were celebrated with a recognition of individuals and teams. Participants included management, case managers, assistants, clerical staff, computer specialists, and local government partners. The strategies were developed from the bottom up and the top down to ensure a broad point of view.

Contact:

Carri Brown

CSEA Director

Phone: (740) 687-6788

Email: brownc10@odjfs.state.oh.us