PARENT'S RIGHTS NOW!

DSS RESPONSE TO BUDGET PROVISO 26.20 VS. E-MAIL

Those who compare the Department of Social Services Response to Budget Proviso 26.20 with the e-mail sent by DSS will note that the former leaves out the following language:

What is the maximum penalty that could be assessed?

The maximum penalty is the disapproval of the State’s Child Support Enforcement (Title IV-D) State Plan. This would result in the withdrawal of all federal funding for the State’s Child Support Enforcement program of approximately $22.8 million and over 200,000 child support cases annually. The second level of penalty would be the disapproval of federal funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, potentially $99 million annually.

While we question the accuracy of the information in the DSS e-mail, it is more comprehensive than the information provided to the entire General Assembly and underscores the pressing need to commit whatever resources are needed to put this system in place as soon as possible. Perhaps if DSS Director Koller would share this information with the entire General Assembly, DSS would receive adequate funding to do its job. As it stands, DSS is apparently utilizing much of the $22.8 Million it receives each year from the federal government for the Child Support Enforcement Program for other purposes.