Wednesday, April 15, 2009
CONTACTING THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES IS LARGELY A WASTE OF TIME
If you are one of the tens of thousands of South Carolinians who want to know why you are not receiving your child support, we suggest that you not try to contact anyone at DSS other than “Ms. Barbara” at 1-800-768-5858.
Larry McKeown, the Director of the Child Support Enforcement Division is unfamiliar with the CSED website, is unfamiliar with the substance of applicable South Carolina statutes, and apparently has no clue as to when the computerized child support collection and tracking system that he has been promising for years will be in place. And he also apparently has not mastered the phone system, so if you do telephone him, he may accidentally cut you off while transferring you to someone who can answer your questions.
Brant Wood—the self-described “number three” man at the CSED is pleasant, courteous, patient, and professional—whenever you can get him. The problem is that Mr. Wood cannot answer simple questions, has no authority to correct the problems brought to his attention, and appears to spend his days in meetings.
According to published newspaper accounts, Dr. Kathleen Hayes is genuinely concerned about the long-standing problems at DSS and is determined to correct them. However, she also apparently spends her days in “important meetings” and either chooses not to return her telephone calls or is unaware that she is receiving telephone calls.
DSS General Counsel Virginia Williamson may also be spending her days in important meetings and thus unavailable to receive telephone calls. However, according to a message left on the DSS telephone system, as of 10:30 A. M. on April 15, 2009, her voicemail had not yet “been activated” and so voice messages could not be left for her.
Katie Morgan, Chief of Staff for Dr. Hayes, “will get back to you,” but it may be in a day or two or three after she gets out of those important meetings that they are always having at DSS.
So your best bet is to telephone Ms. Barbara. Of course, she cannot either answer most of your questions or solve most of your problems. But, Ms. Barbara is always cordial and can transfer you to the people who might be able to help you if they were motivated to do so. And, most important, she is never away from her desk “in an important meeting.”
