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Cuyahoga and Hamilton County Child Support Programs Aid Children by Helping Parents Reach Financial Stability
Parents who owe child support will be tutored on money management, debt reduction, credit scores, home ownership
Cuyahoga County Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) and Hamilton County’s Job and Family Services Department (Hamilton JFS) have been selected by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Office of Child Support to participate in an innovative program designed to improve the financial well-being of children by increasing the financial literacy and standing of parents who pay child support. The Asset Building for Financial Responsibility Program will connect low-income, non-custodial parents involved in the child support system with financial education and asset building programs. The goal is to develop financial stability among the parents, so their children will receive the support they need to lead happy, healthy lives. The CSEA is partnering with Wealth, Education Collaboration Opportunity Fund (WECO), an organization with a vision to provide comprehensive financial services and economic education, and empowering families to achieve their financial goals while enhancing the quality of life in the Cuyahoga County community. Hamilton JFS is partnering with SmartMoney Community Services, an Over-the-Rhine organization with a vision to provide comprehensive affordable financial services and economic education, empowering families to achieve their financial goals while enhancing the quality of life in the Cincinnati community. Each participant who is referred to the program will be able to take advantage of one-on-one counseling and coaching sessions and financial literacy workshops. The case plan will detail an agreed-upon level of improvement expected to achieve some financial stability by demonstrating an increased knowledge of effective practices and strategies in managing debt, increasing credit scores, and consistently making child support payments. There is more to collecting child support than chasing down non-paying parents. There are many non-custodial parents who want to pay consistently, but they don’t have the financial stability to do so. The Cuyahoga and Hamilton County agencies have a history of working with non-custodial parents in a positive manner and this program adds another option for those parents to take care of their children financially. Research has shown that parents who regularly pay child support are more involved in the lives of their children. The program will help parents build life and leadership skills to assist them in obtaining employment and financial stability. They will be coached on money management, debt reduction, credit scores, home ownership and more. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Office of Child Support was awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services based on the need for such services, particularly in Hamilton and Cuyahoga counties. The application for the grant pointed out that “Cleveland (where 42% of children live in poverty) and Cincinnati (where 36% of children live in poverty) have both consistently ranked among the top ten poorest cities in the country. Ohio is the only state in the Union to have two cities among the top ten.” The application also noted that many child support obligations throughout the state were now being met through unemployment compensation and, when that compensation runs out for those parents, children will suffer. Cuyahoga and Hamilton County collectively handled more than 235,000 cases and collected nearly $385 million last year for families that might not otherwise have had the money necessary to pay for such items as food, medical care, child care, school clothes and school supplies. Many of the children who do not receive child support turn to public assistance, with taxpayers providing financial support.
The mission of the Ohio Practitioners’ Network for Fathers and Families is to enhance the outcomes of children, families and communities by providing information, training and encouragement to father and family-serving practitioners.
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