OKDHS Child Support Program Receives National Recognition

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- The Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Support Enforcement Division received national recognition for an innovative program that improves the lives of Oklahoma’s children, helps parents find jobs and saves taxpayers more than $3 million a year. The Court Liaison Program received an Honorable Mention for the 2007 Excellence Award for Outstanding Program from the National Child Support Enforcement Association.

The program has been in its pilot phase over the last few years and is now expected to expand statewide.

CLP works with non-custodial parents who have been delinquent in meeting their child support obligations. It provides guidance, resources and referrals that help people find jobs and training if needed, and helps with resolving other issues that block gainful employment. The program also motivates people to meet their child support obligations and promotes their making a habit of paying consistently, with jail time as a consequence for noncompliance.

“Often these people have circumstances that complicate their capacity to pay,” explained Debra West, OKDHS CSED managing attorney for the South Oklahoma City Office and Central Region administrator. “Their delinquencies frequently represent long-standing issues resulting from the person’s unemployment, chronic health issues, lack of education or other problems.”

“Typically, our customers have reached their last stop before serving jail sentences, usually 180 days,” she added. “As a part of the Court Liaison Program, the judges give these non-custodial parents a choice. If they do not make the payment, they will serve jail time for contempt of court, or they can choose to participate in the Court Liaison Program. The CLP helps participants get jobs and increase their capacity to meet their obligations.”

Mike Norman,15th Judicial District judge, also received the 2007 Judicial Award for Excellence from NCSEA for initiating and maintaining the “problem-solving court approach” throughout his district. Only one of these Judicial Excellence Awards is given each year to a judge within the United States.

In central Oklahoma, the CLP operates in four Child Support Enforcement offices, including: South Oklahoma City, Midwest City, North Oklahoma City and Bethany. In northeastern Oklahoma, where the program began a few years ago, the CLP has been operational in Muskogee, Wagoner, Adair, Cherokee and Sequoyah counties.

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