Oct 5, 2011

Budget cuts force Child Support Enforcement Agency to alter its schedule for processing cases

      Due to a state budget cuts, it is now taking longer for the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency to process cases.
The agency is part of Athens County Job and Family Services, which lost more than $1.2 million in funding in the new state budget and had to scale back programs and lay off staff. This most recent budget cut was on top of several other state and federal budget cuts in recent years. In response to the funding cuts, the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency has now altered its schedule for processing cases.
 Area residents should now expect the following time frames:
·         Cases should be opened within 20 days of the completion of an application.
·         Paternity establishment may take up to 80 days if an interview is not needed, or 101 days if an interview is needed.
·         After the establishment of paternity, the average time for support order establishment is 97 days.
·         The trial date will be six months after the date the case is filed with the court.
·         Enforcement review now takes 60 days from the date that the enforcement is requested or the need for enforcement is identified. If judicial action is needed, the case will be referred to the legal department within 60 days. After the case is referred, the motion for the hearing will be filed within 90 days.
·         Court hearing dates will be held approximately 6 months after the case is filed with the court.
·         The average time frame for the completion of the modification process from application to completion is now 104 days.
·         The average wait time to answer calls is now 15 minutes.
·         The average wait time for walk-in visitors is also 15 minutes.
·         All voicemail messages are returned within 2 business days.
·         All e-mails are responded to within 2 business days.
·         The issuance of payment history requests and/or income verifications now takes 2 business days to complete.
These time frames are approximate and represent the average time frames.  Some cases may require more or less time based upon the individual facts of each case.

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