David Briggman
December 10th 04, 12:29 AM
By MARSHA SHULER
Capitol news bureau
For the first time, a Louisiana prosecutor is preparing to file criminal
charges against a parent who has failed to pay child support.
Meanwhile, a state agency is opening a service center in Baton Rouge to
give residents with child-support questions quick access to answers.
The number of Louisiana child-support cases -- 275,666 -- continues to
climb. While annual collections near $300 million, $923.4 million is
overdue in cases dating back to the 1970s, according to the most recent
state statistics.
Ouachita Parish District Attorney Jerry Jones said Tuesday a criminal
complaint has been filed against a deadbeat parent who built up more
than $5,000 in past-due child support since a new state law went into
effect Aug. 15.
Being $5,000 in arrears or one year past due in payments now exposes
deadbeat parents to criminal charges and potential jail time.
Previously, civil prosecution could drag on for years before a parent
might be subject to jail time for neglect or contempt of court.
"We'll be in court sooner than later," said Jones.
His prosecution is apparently the first criminal charges to be pursued
under the law he asked the Legislature to pass.
In Baton Rouge, the state agency overseeing child-support enforcement
has just awarded a multimillion dollar contract to establish a customer
service center for people with child-support questions and problems. It
will serve a statewide audience.
The current in-house system has been on-again, off-again and failed to
respond timely to people seeking help, said Robbie Endris, executive
director of the Department of Social Services' Support Enforcement Services.
"What most of our clients complain about is they can't get through,"
said Endris.
"They leave a message and the case worker is out or in court. They can't
get help. This is going to give a lot more information, give them a real
live person to talk to," Endris said.
"We have not been as responsive to our clients as we should be due to
sheer volume and time pressure," said Endris. "This is our way to be
responsive."
The agency hopes to have 35 to 40 customer-service representatives
handling inquiries by the end of January, Endris said. The toll-free
number will be 1-800-256-4650.
The new contract is with Affiliated Computer Systems -- a company that
already handles in-coming child-support payments.
The service center will be in the Dean Tower, 5700 Florida Blvd. Endris
said she wants the center in Baton Rouge so its activities can be
closely monitored.
The three-year performance-based contract is not for a specified dollar
amount, but Endris said she has budgeted a little more than $2 million a
year.
"If we see it is getting too expensive, we can pull back certain parts,"
Endris said.
Endris said her agency, in connection with district attorneys' offices,
are working on 275,666 child-support cases, including 196,532 cases
where parents have been ordered to make payments through the state system.
Every case "has two very interested parties -- the person ordered to pay
and the person expecting to receive the pay," Endris said.
"There's nearly 400,000 people wanting to call. Then, you add in the
grandparents, aunts, in-laws, employers. It's an endless circle of
interested parties."
Endris said every year collections increase, but every year the agency
gets more child support obligation cases. The workload has grown from
76,006 collection cases in 1990-91 to 196,532 cases today, she said.
Meanwhile, the staff is about the same -- 463 in 1990 and 475 today, she
said.
"The only way we have stayed afloat is a cooperative effort of the state
of Louisiana and the district attorneys around the state," she said.
Endris said the new service center will have available information such
as payments received; payments owed; upcoming court dates; how an
individual can apply for services; explanations about what the support
agency does; and information for employers who must deduct employee pay
checks to fulfill child-support orders.
If a customer service agent cannot handle the question, calls are
referred to the actual case worker who then will have 48 hours to
respond, she said.
The state has become increasingly successful in forcing reluctant
parents to pay:
Year Cases* Collected
1991 76,006 $73 million
1995 118,813 $132 million
1998 144,352 $183 million
2001 170,760 $249 million
2004 196,532 $299 million
* Only cases in which parents are paying. Many other cases still seek
payment.
Capitol news bureau
For the first time, a Louisiana prosecutor is preparing to file criminal
charges against a parent who has failed to pay child support.
Meanwhile, a state agency is opening a service center in Baton Rouge to
give residents with child-support questions quick access to answers.
The number of Louisiana child-support cases -- 275,666 -- continues to
climb. While annual collections near $300 million, $923.4 million is
overdue in cases dating back to the 1970s, according to the most recent
state statistics.
Ouachita Parish District Attorney Jerry Jones said Tuesday a criminal
complaint has been filed against a deadbeat parent who built up more
than $5,000 in past-due child support since a new state law went into
effect Aug. 15.
Being $5,000 in arrears or one year past due in payments now exposes
deadbeat parents to criminal charges and potential jail time.
Previously, civil prosecution could drag on for years before a parent
might be subject to jail time for neglect or contempt of court.
"We'll be in court sooner than later," said Jones.
His prosecution is apparently the first criminal charges to be pursued
under the law he asked the Legislature to pass.
In Baton Rouge, the state agency overseeing child-support enforcement
has just awarded a multimillion dollar contract to establish a customer
service center for people with child-support questions and problems. It
will serve a statewide audience.
The current in-house system has been on-again, off-again and failed to
respond timely to people seeking help, said Robbie Endris, executive
director of the Department of Social Services' Support Enforcement Services.
"What most of our clients complain about is they can't get through,"
said Endris.
"They leave a message and the case worker is out or in court. They can't
get help. This is going to give a lot more information, give them a real
live person to talk to," Endris said.
"We have not been as responsive to our clients as we should be due to
sheer volume and time pressure," said Endris. "This is our way to be
responsive."
The agency hopes to have 35 to 40 customer-service representatives
handling inquiries by the end of January, Endris said. The toll-free
number will be 1-800-256-4650.
The new contract is with Affiliated Computer Systems -- a company that
already handles in-coming child-support payments.
The service center will be in the Dean Tower, 5700 Florida Blvd. Endris
said she wants the center in Baton Rouge so its activities can be
closely monitored.
The three-year performance-based contract is not for a specified dollar
amount, but Endris said she has budgeted a little more than $2 million a
year.
"If we see it is getting too expensive, we can pull back certain parts,"
Endris said.
Endris said her agency, in connection with district attorneys' offices,
are working on 275,666 child-support cases, including 196,532 cases
where parents have been ordered to make payments through the state system.
Every case "has two very interested parties -- the person ordered to pay
and the person expecting to receive the pay," Endris said.
"There's nearly 400,000 people wanting to call. Then, you add in the
grandparents, aunts, in-laws, employers. It's an endless circle of
interested parties."
Endris said every year collections increase, but every year the agency
gets more child support obligation cases. The workload has grown from
76,006 collection cases in 1990-91 to 196,532 cases today, she said.
Meanwhile, the staff is about the same -- 463 in 1990 and 475 today, she
said.
"The only way we have stayed afloat is a cooperative effort of the state
of Louisiana and the district attorneys around the state," she said.
Endris said the new service center will have available information such
as payments received; payments owed; upcoming court dates; how an
individual can apply for services; explanations about what the support
agency does; and information for employers who must deduct employee pay
checks to fulfill child-support orders.
If a customer service agent cannot handle the question, calls are
referred to the actual case worker who then will have 48 hours to
respond, she said.
The state has become increasingly successful in forcing reluctant
parents to pay:
Year Cases* Collected
1991 76,006 $73 million
1995 118,813 $132 million
1998 144,352 $183 million
2001 170,760 $249 million
2004 196,532 $299 million
* Only cases in which parents are paying. Many other cases still seek
payment.