Tuesday, February 23, 2010
ALABAMA V. SOUTH CAROLINA--A RACE TO THE BOTTOM
The population of Alabama and the population of South Carolina are similar in size, although Alabama's population is slightly higher. Each state has 1.4 % of the total child support cases in the United States. And, according to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, the amount of child support arrears in Alabama as of the end of FY 2008 was $2,391,239,402, whereas, the amount of child support arrears in South Carolina was $1,175,425,929.
At first blush, it appears that South Carolina is head and shoulders above Alabama in the area of child support collection. However, closer examination of the AFC data reveals that South Carolina's total child support arrearage is increasing by approximately $80,000,000 a year, whereas Alabama's total child support arrearage is increasing by approximately $40,000,000 a year. More important, unlike South Carolina, Alabama has instituted a mandatory New Hire Reporting Program and has also installed a computerized child support tracking and collection system to help reduce the child support arrearages and increase overall child support collection rates. Additionally, whereas Alabama has not been fined for its child support collection inadequacies, South Carolina has been fined in excess of $72,000,000 by the federal government with another $20,000,000 expected to be levied.
The population of Alabama and the population of South Carolina are similar in size, although Alabama's population is slightly higher. Each state has 1.4 % of the total child support cases in the United States. And, according to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, the amount of child support arrears in Alabama as of the end of FY 2008 was $2,391,239,402, whereas, the amount of child support arrears in South Carolina was $1,175,425,929.
At first blush, it appears that South Carolina is head and shoulders above Alabama in the area of child support collection. However, closer examination of the AFC data reveals that South Carolina's total child support arrearage is increasing by approximately $80,000,000 a year, whereas Alabama's total child support arrearage is increasing by approximately $40,000,000 a year. More important, unlike South Carolina, Alabama has instituted a mandatory New Hire Reporting Program and has also installed a computerized child support tracking and collection system to help reduce the child support arrearages and increase overall child support collection rates. Additionally, whereas Alabama has not been fined for its child support collection inadequacies, South Carolina has been fined in excess of $72,000,000 by the federal government with another $20,000,000 expected to be levied.
A snapshot shows that Alabama is closer to the bottom than South Carolina. However, a motion picture shows South Carolina gaining in the race to the bottom.
Labels: Child Support Collection, Computerized Child Support System, Federal Fines, New Hire Reporting, Welfare Reform
