Resolution in Support of Increased County Child Support Funding

Sauk County administers the Child Support Enforcement Program on behalf of the state, providing a holistic set of services to Sauk County children and their parents, including paternity establishment, assistance with finding employment, obtaining child support and establishing health insurance orders for children, and enforcing and modifying those orders; and

Child support is one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in the state, with county child support agencies serving approximately 347,000 children and collecting roughly $906 million in financial support for Wisconsin families in 2021; and

Child support is proven to reduce childhood poverty rates, lead to better educational and behavioral outcomes for children, and have a positive effect on food security, health and housing stability; and

County child support agencies work closely with both parents to ensure that they have the help they need to be successful, including assistance with finding employment, referrals to other social service programs and right-sizing orders for individuals impacted by substances use disorders or other challenges; and  

State funding for county child support services has failed to keep up with county agency costs, which have steadily increased due to a high number of caseloads per worker, increased complexity of cases, inflation and new regulations; and   

An abrupt federal interpretation change in June 2019 eliminated $4.2 million in federal birth cost recovery matching funds for Wisconsin; and

 Wisconsin’s strong performance in child support is at risk without additional funding. The state has already dropped from 2^nd in the nation for the collection of current support in 2016 to 6^th in the nation in 2021.

Without additional state funds, county child support agencies may need to eliminate positions, further increase caseloads, or reduce services, further impacting federal performance measures, which would result in the loss of additional federal funds; and

The individuals most impacted by insufficient funding for child support are the children and families served by county child support agencies, who will need to seek out public assistance programming absent the financial security provided by the child support program; and

State investments in child support are amplified by a generous federal match.  Every $1 of state GPR invested in the Child Support Program generates roughly $2 in federal matching funds; and

Wisconsin’s Child Support Enforcement Program is incredibly cost-effective, collecting an average of $6.43 in support for every dollar invested in the program.