Letters to the Editor

NCCSO members and supporters are working to ensure that special interest groups are not successful in limiting parents' options to collect child support in a way that makes most sense for them.

Enforcement Options More Important Now Than Ever

In your Nov. 24 editorial "An Empty Legal Gesture on Child Protection," your paper cited several inconsistencies behind state officials words versus their actions in a time of revenue shortfalls. I would like to add that budget cuts aren't the only threat to Virginia children. Child support enforcement options in our state - now more important than ever - are also at risk and Virginia's children will pay the price.

The Virginia Division of child Support Enforcement says it puts the interests of Virginia families first - but its action tell a different story.

The Virginia Division of Child Support Enforcement's (DCSE) collection record is dismal. Despite a reported 9% increase in collections, $2 billion of child support remains uncollected. More than 216,000 children in Virginia's child support enforcement program haven't received a penny of the money they are owed. Click here to read the NCCSO December press release addressing Virginia's claims.

And to add insult to injury, the Virginia DCSE is preventing families whom they have been unable to help from getting assistance elsewhere. There are dozens of private child support enforcement agencies around the country that have helped thousands of families get their child support when the government couldn't.

My family is one of them. I waited for years for the Virginia DCSE to collect my daughters' child support. Then I heard about a private enforcement agency and decided to work with them. I waited for the state to help me for eight years, and that private agency was able to collect the child support my ex-husband owed me in 8 months. That money has changed my children's lives.

Yet, despite private agencies' success rates, the Virginia DCSE now has a policy of non-cooperation with private enforcement agencies making it virtually impossible for Virginia families to work with them. While families in most other states have several enforcement options, Virginia families only have one: the Virginia Division of Child Support Enforcement.

Limiting enforcement options hurts Virginia families. In a time of budget deficits and cut backs, the government should be looking for ways that the private sector can supplement services so that families in need can still get help.

Tammy McArthur
Newport News, VA
Member of National Coalition for Child Support Options

Click here for Tammy's story.

After reading Michael LaFaive's commentary entitled "Friend of the Court plan needs replacing," I felt as if my own life was being written about. After 16 years of dealing with the Friend of the Court I haven't been able to collect my child support. The father owes me $32,000 and I have been trying to get the court for over a year to have a "show cause hearing" but to no avail. My daughter is going without many necessities because the Friend of the Court cannot do its job. I understand that the employees are overworked and over burdened, but if they can't do it, then they should let someone else try. When I heard about the FOC interfering with efforts by private agencies to help parents collect their child support, I was horrified. The FOC couldn't collect and then they try to prevent someone else from helping? That's not fair and something must be done to change it.

Lynn Behler Best
Northville, MI

Dear Editor:
After I read Michael LaFaive's commentary entitled "Friend of the Court plan needs replacing," I totally concur with this statement. I have been dealing with the Lapeer County Friend Of The Court for 10 years and I have not been able to collect my child support. It's been an extremely difficult experience that has left me bitter and struggling financially. First of all the entire system is bias against single fathers if your a man you will be treated much worse than if you are female. The only thing you ever hear about is the "Dead Beat Dads" you never hear about the "Dead Beat Moms." I have had custody of my daughter since she was 6 months old she is now 14 years old and after all of this time dealing with the court system it has not gotten any better for me.

My daughter has to go without because the system has failed us. I understand that the employees are over worked and over burdened, but if they cant do it, then they should let someone who can. When you try to get some assistance from the Friend Of The Court it's fruitless they do not even know what your there for and they will ask you "ARE YOU HERE TO MAKE A PAYMENT?" I heard about the FOC interfering with efforts by private agencies to help parents collect their child support and that is disturbing. The FOC can't collect and then they try to prevent someone else from helping because that would mean their jobs would be in jeopardy. That's not fair and something must be done to change it if our children has any chance of succeeding in this world. I could go on and on about the treatment I have received from the Friend Of The Court but that would not get us anywhere we need things to change so the custodial parents have more resources and get the support they deserve so they can raise their children properly. Thanks for listening to my opinion.

Timothy Stine
Colombiaville, MI

Friend of the Court or fiend of the custodian?

I am writing to tell you my story of problems I have had with FOC. First off I am a single parent raising two kids on my own. When I got divorced the judge ordered my x- wife to pay only $11.00 a week. I know it is minimal, but it is the least that she could do for her children. Since 1996, she has been bucking the system and getting out of not having to pay. I am constantly informing the friend of the court where she lives and they send out letters informing her that she has to go to court and show cause, well she never shows up and I tell the friend of the court why can't she be held in contempt and they say as long as she does not call the FOC they can't obtain service on her. I thought up of the idea of having a letter sent certified and that was tried and of course as long as she does not respond, she will not be held in contempt. I asked them about sending some one to personally serve her the letter, and they say they can't do that. To me it sure looks like they are looking out for non-custodial parent while the children suffer, but who cares they are still getting paid, or should I say their check is in the mail.

Jason Murra
Rapid River, MI

The Courts Should Cooperate with Support Collection Agencies - July 8, 2002

Re: A recently published "anti-option" newspaper story. After 21 years of marriage and five children, my husband decided he did not want to be married any more.

I was left to fend for myself and our children, ages 11,12,14,15 and 16. I went to court for help and was awarded $1,300 per month for support. The money started, then decreased and stopped.

I went to family court in Connecticut many times. After court appearances, the money would start, then decrease and stop. The courts seemed too busy to follow through.

At times I sold our furniture, freezer, the kids' musical instruments, just to survive. I worked second and third jobs as the children's expenses increased.

It was not until my daughter saw an ad for a private child support enforcement agency that relief finally came. Three months after I contacted them, the back support came. Yes, this agency charges a fee, but to finally get some support, it is well worth it.

Private support collection agencies should not be stopped from providing their services. How much better it would be for the family courts to work with private agencies, rather than blocking them.

Edna R. Goode
Connecticut

Re: A recently published "anti-option" newspaper story.

Dear Editor:
I am a custodial parent owed child support and did not get help collecting that support until turning to a private enforcement agency. Accordingly, I read with interest your newspaper’s recent article on private child support enforcement. I was, however, extremely disappointed that the story did not include a fairer representation of cases in which private enforcement agencies successfully assisted custodial parents. I am certain that successful cases far outnumber the types of cases included in your article. In addition, I was offended by the viewpoints against private enforcement by Geraldine Jensen and Joan Entmacher, both of whom claim to represent the interests of custodial parents.

What I find so offensive about Ms. Jensen’s and Ms. Entmacher’s views is that they seem to think they know what is best for everyone needing help collecting child support. They want to dictate that custodial parents should only be able to get help from government enforcement agencies. Don’t they know the statistics? There is $89 billion in uncollected child support. The government child support enforcement program can only help fewer than half of those who go to the government for help in getting their child support collected. Those that get help often wait years before anything happens. And yet Ms. Jensen and Ms. Entmacher would deny me, and tens of thousands of other custodial parents in the same situation, from being able to get help from private enforcement agencies.

Let me state unequivocally that I knew exactly what I was doing when I hired a private enforcement agency. I was owed more than $16,000 in unpaid child support. It was the best and smartest thing I did for my family. So, Ms. Jensen and Ms. Entmacher, when you are owed support, you go stand in line at the government office. But don’t tell me that’s the only place I can get help for my family.

Sincerely,

Susan Willams
Member, National Coalition for Child Support Options

Click here for Susan's congressional testimony.