Helping Deadbeats Catch Up On Child Support....

We have all seen the profile of the stereotypical deadbeat dad: A man who leaves his children, refuses to financially support his kids and often works off the books, hiding money and assets in his new girlfriend or mother's name. These deadbeats often owe thousands, sometimes, hundreds of thousands of dollars in back child support. Programs like garnishment of wages, revoking driver's licenses and jail time work well if you can find the deadbeat. They often stay one step ahead of the law and are difficult to track down and catch.

What we don't' always hear about are the "deadbeat" dads who may be behind on child support because of legitimate reasons. They have lost their jobs or have become ill. These fathers often want to support their kids and may find themselves facing serious legal repercussions if they fall behind in support.

In Carver County, Minn. they may of come up with a solution. The county is offering a new program to help parents who fall behind on support by offering them job training, such as resume-writing and computer classes. Some receive gas cards, bus passes or even have a county-paid cab take them to work. Others have been given work clothes and had their cars fixed so that they may return to the work and catch up on support payments.

Carver County is the state's most effective in collecting child-support payments. It recently was ranked No. 1 by the Minnesota Department of Human Services for the second year in a row. Their new program should be used as a model for other states to follow. Although tough child support enforcement measures, like jail time, are necessary in the collection of child support, a program that encourages and helps parents get back on track financially is needed. Many families' child support issues will be solved by providing parents with the tools they need to work again.