Building Assets for Fragile Families: The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Office of Child Support (OCS) was awarded a grant by the US Department of Health and Human Services to participate in an innovative program designed to improve the financial well-being of children by increasing the financial literacy and standing of parents who pay child support. 

The Asset Building for Financial Responsibility Program will connect low-income, non-custodial parents involved in the child support system with financial education and asset building programs.  The goal is to develop financial stability among the parents, so their children will receive the support they need to lead happy, healthy lives. 

Click here to read our ohiofathers.org press release on the project.  Scroll down the page to our policy brief section for a report on Financial Literacy and Low-Income Non-Custodial Parents.

The 2009 Ohio Child Support Guidelines Council released their report to the legislature and public on July 1, 2009. 

The Executive Summary of the Guidelines Council Report can be downloaded here or from the Office of Child Support website: http://jfs.ohio.gov/Ocs/pubsmain.stm  Check back here for updates as these reform recommendations make their way through the State Legislature and get implemented.

In January of 2009, a Collaboration of the Ohio Office of Child Support (OCS), the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) and the Ohio Child Support Directors Association (OCDA) submitted a report to the State Directors of Job and Family Services and DRC making policy recommendations related to incarcerated and reentry obligors.  The recommendations are designed to empower parents so that they can successfully remove barriers to the payment of child support.  The Collaboration Report can be downloaded here.  Check back here for updates as these reform recommendations make their way through the State Legislature and get implemented.

Financial Literacy and Low-Income Non-Custodial Parents - a report by the Center for Family Practice and Policy on the issues low-income noncustodial parents face in regard to financial literacy and asset development services.

The Potential Impact of Increasing Child Support Payments to TANF Families - an article by Laura Wheaton and Elaine Sorensen of the Urban Institute on changes in Child Support rules that will allow up to $200 a month in child support payments to be "passed-through" directly to custodial parents and not counted when determining a family's TANF benefits.  These new rules will take affect in October of 2008.  States will have to change policy to adopt them.   Click on the link above for a pdf version of the article.

Assessing Child Support Arrears in Nine Large States and the Nation - this report, commissioned by the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement conclusively shows that the vast majority of child support arrears are owed by poor fathers with either no income or reported income of $10,000 or less.   Click on the link above for a pdf version of the article.

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