SPECIAL PERFORMANCE PROGRAM

      The Douglas County Child Support Agency is conducting a special performance program designed to increase collections and increase the number of current child support orders.  The purpose of the program is an attempt to meet and exceed Federal criteria for payment of incentives from collections to states, and subsequently, counties.  Douglas County is at 100% in 3 of 5 Federal criteria, and at 80% or better in 2 of the 5. 

This program is designed to reach 100% incentives  in those two areas.  The cost of the special program is paid for with already earned incentives, which when matched will generate $60,000.00.  The amount  spent will be 100% reimbursable, so efforts to establish orders and increase collections for Douglas County families will not cost taxpayers anything.  The majority of the funds spent will be for overtime for agency staff, along with purchase of necessary equipment, such as computers, without having to levy for it.  Since the program began in July 2004, collections have increased and the number of orders has gone up.  Many increases in collections are relatively easy to get, since current income withholding is increased by about 20% to pay off any arrears for cases having arrearages due in excess of $500.00.  The agency staff has also worked with the Corporation Counsel's office to get more court time and faster service of process, which gets cases to court sooner.  Corporation Counsel has agreed to make this program a priority and the Sheriff's Department has helped out by serving subpoenas in a timely manner and arresting non-payers sooner than ever before, with the program paying the costs the department incurs.  

I would like to thank those who have helped us identify non-paying parents.  Without help from the community, we will never be able to provide the support necessary to be self-sufficient and make a better life for their kids.  I have to mention that the agency records show that 70% of payers make their payments on a regular basis, 97% of non-marital cases have paternity established, and Wisconsin counties, overall, have a $6.00 to $1.00 cost effective rate for those cases having a "file" in the county agency.  Overall, Douglas County and Wisconsin have a 10:1 rate.  In 1996, the agency collected $179,000.00; in 2003, the amount was $8.4 million in gross collections.

Dennis G. Arras (11/8/04)