January 5 2025. Are you behind on your child support payments? Want to avoid jail time and do the right thing, supporting your children's financial needs regardless of your views of their custodial parent?
Employment Services Shown to Improve Earnings and Payment Regularity.
In December 2024 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announced a new rule to give state and tribal child support programs the flexibility to use federal funding to provide employment and training services for eligible noncustodial parents. These services have been shown to improve earnings and the likelihood of collecting child support payments that directly improve the lives of children and families.
"All parents want to be there for their children. Employment and training programs help parents build skills and secure stable jobs," said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. "By investing in these programs, we help families thrive and create a stronger foundation for the next generation."
Research shows that a noncustodial parent’s employment status directly correlates to reliability of child support payments. Providing employment and training services to unemployed and underemployed parents who have child support obligations has proven to help parents take financial responsibility for their child’s upbringing and well-being and are beneficial to children and their parents. These types of national and state-based programs can increase employment rates, earnings, and the amount and regularity of child support payments.
The rule will allow state and tribal child support programs to use federal funding for services like skills assessments, job-readiness training, occupational training, job placement and work supports, such as transportation assistance.
“Improving child well-being and increasing family self-sufficiency are core elements of child support programs,” said ACF Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Meg Sullivan. “By helping unemployed or underemployed parents who have difficulty paying child support secure a job, this rule will further support state and tribal child support programs in achieving their mission.”
"Many state and tribal child support programs already work to help noncustodial parents find jobs, improve regularity of child support payments and get on a path to economic stability," said ACF Office of Child Support Services Commissioner Tanguler Gray. "This rule supports existing employment and training efforts and helps programs launch new efforts to lift up families."
Child support programs interested in starting their own employment and training program can visit the OCSS website to access the Knowledge Works and Tribal Employment Pathways resources. These resources have planning tools, sample forms and templates, training video and more.
The new final rule may be found on the Federal Register website.
It is unclear what states and tribes will take advantage of this program to help single parents however if you are a single parent that needs help to increase your earnings so you can fulfill your financial obligations to your children this new program may be able to help you get on track if your current earnings do not provide enough to pay your child support and support your own living expenses.
