August is child support awareness month

The Laurinburg Exchange - 8/8/2022

Aug. 6—LAURINBURG — August is Child Support Awareness Month, the time of year that raises awareness about the critical income support program that assists children and families.

Scotland County Department of Social Services director, April Snead said this month draws attention to the need for child support.

"It recognizes that single parents raising children need the support of non-custodial parents," she said. "Child support is about determining paternity or maternity and then getting orders in place to collect support to help the custodial parent financially support the child."

Snead said all of the money collected goes directly to the custodial parent to take care of the child. She said some people think that DSS gets some of the money paid in child support, but that's simply a myth.

"There's a misconception sometimes that child support staff sets the amount and in fact a judge sets the amount," she said. "It's important to know that every child deserves the support of two parents. Every child deserves the financial support so that they can have their needs met. There are times when child support and the courts have to become involved in order for children to have that support.

This month, DSS is running two programs to help non-custodial parents. It's amnesty month and if a non custodial parent has a pending or a current order for arrest, Sneed said that person can contact DSS, make a $500 payment and the order for arrest will be dropped.

"The second program we are doing special in the month of August, if the non custodial parent has a current case pending because we have filed a motion because they are behind on their support, if they will come in and make payment we will drop the motion and they don't have to appear in court," Sneed said.

She said that this gives the non custodial parent a chance to become current on their payments and possibly avoid going to jail.

"If you go to court," Snead said. "There is a chance that the judge could issue an order for your arrest. It's not wiping the slate clean, because they amount they owe is never changed. But it's like a second chance to get back on point with payment."

DSS has been running the amnesty program for the last three years, according to Sneed. She said this is an opprotunity for people to get on track when it comes to child support payments.

And it seems to be working, as Snead said DSS collected $5.5 million in child support payments, meeting 100 percent of it's goal.

Cheris Hodges can be reached at (910) 506-3169 or chodges@laurinburgexchange.com.

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