Child support system facts

* The North Dakota Child Support Enforcement Program serves about 64,100 children and 76,560 parents.

* The division has 164 full-time equivalency positions spread among the main office in Bismarck and eight field offices throughout the state.

* Child support enforcement is designed “to enhance the well-being of children and reduce the demands on public treasuries by securing child support and medical support from legally responsible parents and by encouraging positive relationships between children and their parents.”

* In 2010, total child support collections reached a record $129 million.

* Three-fourths of parents in the system pay on time and in full, Director Jim Fleming said. About 18,000 are behind in payments worth nearly $225 million.

* Child support enforcement services include finding parents, establishing paternity, establishing child support and medical support obligations, enforcing child support and medical support obligations, and reviewing and adjusting obligations.

* After the courts assign custody of children, what generally happens is the parent with primary responsibility will ask for child support, Fleming said. The child support division shares a computer system with clerks of courts so the amount of child support entered by the court is known, he said.

* Once the data is in the system, the division begins to enforce it, he said. The agency also receives referrals from public assistance programs so, if a parent receives state assistance, the state will look at establishing child support from the other parent if there’s not an order already.

* The division reviews cases every three years, but looks at cases sooner if it is notified of a material income change, Fleming said.

Tags: child support, north dakota, news