DHR Child Support Case Study

Child support is by far the most common thing in America. Families which include both parents are slowly dying out. Although raising a child in a single family home might be easy to some, it is actually pretty stressful for those who aren’t financially stabled. I could go into many details and situations regarding child support due to the fact that my siblings are either on the supporting side or the one who needs the support. Child support is a very big deal to me because I do feel that if the other parent doesn’t want to be in that child’s life then the least they could do is give money to the care giver so that child is not going without, especially in the infant stage.

This case was last before the court on 1/4/2017 for a report to the court. The hearing was rescheduled until 2/6/2017, as all the attorneys were not present. At that time, temporary custody of Issac Johnson remained with the Department. The case was continued until 2/6/2017 for a status report.

A report was received on 06/05/2017 alleging that the mother (Hermionne) left Ashante (C-V 17) with a non-relative since 02/2017 without any legal rights. According to the report, the mother refuses to take her child back home and will not engage with Ms. Aarons (caretaker) to provide legal documentation for the child to be enroll in school and taken to a Primary Care Physician. Ashante has not been is school for the past 4 months and are unable to enroll in school without paperwork. According to the report, Ashante self mutilates her arms, and the mother refuses to get counseling. The report indicates Ashante was to follow-up with a Cardiologist for a chest pain and the mother refuses to take her to the doctor.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into a current legislation and conduct background research, and inform the legislator of my own views on this issue. This paper will also provide the effect of the Family and Consumer Sciences mission, through social policy and legislative channels, in regards to children and families tied to concerns surrounding them and their communities. Through this paper, I will be conducting research on California Family Code Section 3900: Duty of Parent to Support Child as well as the subsections that follows under this chapter (3901 & 3902). I will provide an insight on how unemployment and poverty affect non-custodial parents as well as the role strain of child support on fatherhood.

Ms. Gomez informed HS that last permanent address was located on 615 East 179 St. Bronx, NY and client specified that family resided there for 3 years. Family was evicted from the apartment due to no-payment. Family is currently residing at 1195 Sherman Ave. Bronx, NY Unit 2B, admission date 04/17/2015. Family composition consists of Yannette Gomez (34y, self); Xavier Baez Gomez (15y, son); Joselyn Velazquez (daughter, 6y); Naidelynn Velazquez (daughter, 5y); Juan Velazquez (son, 3y). However, Ms. Gomez informed HS that Jorge Baez (son, 16y) and Deliala Baez (14y, daughter) are residing in the facility with the family. HS reminded client that she must at both children to the case. Furthermore, this is an ongoing issue CMS Pimentel and CM Pagan had advised client several times to Ms. Gomez that she must add both children to the case. Ms. Gomez informed HS that no one else is going to move in with the family. Also, no one in the family composition is going to move with them if permanent housing is obtained.

The lawsuit transpired against Department of Human Services in Mississippi because the system deserted the children. In this case, a young girl named Olivia Y was abused by her mother and the foster home. While taking her out the home at the age of three, the system continually neglected her. Department of Family Children Service failed to present Olivia with adequate medical and health support. “This case is alleged that Mississippi’s foster care system was failing adequately to protect children in its custody and provide necessary services in violation of their federal constitutional rights (www.mdhs.state.ms/olivia-y-lawsuit/”).

The Child Support Enforcement Amendment was amended to Aid to Families with Dependent Children law by requiring State welfare agencies to notify law enforcement officials when benefits were being furnished to a child who had been abandoned by one of the parents. Child support would be given to the parent who has custody of the child. The nonresident parent would be considered the non-custodial parent and would have to pay support for the child. The courts were notified of any parent receiving benefits for the child and themselves. AFDC was first established as support for children whose father had died. By 1970s, AFDC was aided due to parents being divorced or separated, or never married. This then created The Child Support Enforcement and

Lee County DHR’s testimony revealed that the case with the non-custodial parent (NCP), Felton Harley, Jr., begin back in 1992 when the custodial parent(CP), Wanda Marshall, applied for services to establish a paternity order, income withholding (IWO), and medical. An order was established and the NCP was paying child support. On July 9, 2008, the CP requested enforcement; DHR filed contempt against the NCP because he had not paid a child support payment since April 2008. The NCP appeared in court and paid $400.00; the court dismissed the review because an IWO had been mailed and the payments were being received through the IWO. On November 5, 2010, a contempt action was filed again, due to the NCP not paying child support since August 2010.

Madison County DHR revealed that the only testimony they have is the spreadsheet. The representative stated that credit needed to be given to the NCP for those payments that he made without DHR’s knowledge. She stated DHR has no issue in adjusting the payments with

Elmore County DHR’s testimony revealed that based on the request for a hearing that the non-custodial parent’s (NCP) attorney sent, the agency is under the impression that the NCP’s attorney is of the opinion that the court findings is that the arrears could not be determine; dismiss the arrears. The custodial parent (CP), Tracey Boozer, applied for services on June 10, 2014. At that time, the agency completed an Affidavit of Past Due Support based on the divorce and the courts payment record. The agency filed a contempt action with the court against the NCP. On October 27, 2014, the court referee ruled that it was unable to determine the arrears. The order quoted “Arrears are unable to be determined after testimony.” Afterward, through

Mobile County DHR’s representative revealed that the on August 27, 2015, the FIDM hearing was requested. On August 31, 2015, the balances were provided to the NCP’s attorney. On September 11, 2015, a notice was received from Regions Bank stating there are no funds available. On October 7, 2015, the child support supervisor reviewed the accounts of the hearing. The agency closed the State arrears accounts due to the accounts being more than 20 years old and meeting the statute of limitations. Also on that same date, the State interest account was closed. On November 10, 2015, the case was reviewed for enforcement; payments were being submitted for the NCP's additional cases only. On the same date, the court ordered a payback of $120.00 to Seymour Fleet Inc.; an income withholding order was sent. On November 15, 2015, the spreadsheet was completed beginning with the judgement amounts given during the November 1, 2006 court hearing in the amounts of $16,917.68 in arrears and $18,127.09 in interest both to

Jefferson County DHR representative’s testimony revealed that the custodial parent (CP), Peggy Butler, made an application with the department to enforce the Jefferson County, Alabama divorce order DR-2003-2290, which includes the minor children, Michael Walker (DOB 2/12/1996) and Heather Walker (DOB 11/11/1998). The court order of November 2003, ordered that the defendant shall pay to the plaintiff $905.00 per month for the support and maintenance of the minor children commencing on July 1, 2003. This was not a per child order. On February 2, 2015, the child, Michael Walker, emancipated at the age of 19. Therefore, the current support continued at

Lee County DHR’s testimony revealed that the case with the non-custodial parent (NCP), Mr. Harley, begin back in 1992 when the custodial parent(CP), Wanda Marshall, applied for services to establish a paternity order, income withholding (IWO), and medical. An order was establish and the NCP was paying. On July 9, 2008, the CP requested enforcement; DHR took legal action and filed contempt against the NCP because he had not made a payment since April 2008. The NCP appeared in court and paid $400.00; the court dismissed the review because an IWO had been mailed and payments was been received through the IWO. On November 5, 2010, a contempt action was filed again, due to the NCP not paying since August 2010. On January 5, 2011, the NCP

In 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) passed through Congress in response to “a crisis affecting American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children, family and tribes (NICWA, 2017).” ICWA’s was enacted due to an exorbitant amount of Native American children being removed from their parents and stripped of their heritage as children were forced to assimilate to the dominant culture. Approximately 85% of the 25-35% of children were “placed outside of their families and communities (NICWA, 2017),” often in off-reservation federally funded boarding schools and/or foster placements where the values of christian, white, blue-collar were emphasized to “civilize” the children (Atwood, 2017). Native American children were often

utauga County DHR Child Support representative’s testimony revealed that the issue is that there was an overpayment and that the custodial parent (CP), Teresa Warren, received a letter that she had to pay back money that she received for child support.