LANCASTER, Pa. — Lancaster County commissioners declared August 2023 as Child Support Enforcement Awareness Month. The action came amid the 48th anniversary of the county’s Child Support Enforcement Program.
Lancaster County’s Office of Domestic Relations collected and disbursed more than $53 million to custodial parents and caretakers in 2022, according to county officials.
Some children, though, still are not getting the support they need. Officials said between 2,000 and 3,000 people in the county are behind on their child support payments.
“When you’re dealing with children and finances and family, it gets extremely emotional because often they’re angry at each other. They’re angry at the system and there’s a breakdown. I think there’s a sense that some people have that they failed in a relationship,” said Domestic Relations Director Gary Kline.
Child support is ordered when parents split up and one retains primary custody of their child or children.
The amount of support is determined by state guidelines, in addition to consideration for other factors such as health insurance premiums, childcare, private school and custody arrangement.
Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Judge David Workman, who also serves on the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, said he works with families to balance the kids’ living standards with the other parent’s ability to pay.
“When a family breaks up, what took all their money to support one household now has to support two households. It just doesn’t add up and it’s difficult,” Workman said. “I just try to keep that in mind.”
The Office of Domestic Relations also has programs to help parents earn enough to pay their child support.
“We try to help people with jobs. We try to help people in any way we can to help support their families,” Kline said.
If a parent falls behind on child support, courts can take punitive measures such as ordering driver’s license suspensions, credit bureau reporting, passport denial, bank account seizures and wage garnishing.
At the county commissioners meeting on Wednesday, commissioners spoke on the importance of recognizing work to protect children, especially after a breakdown of the family.
“That’s unfortunate,” said Commission Chairman Ray D’Agostino. “But when it has to happen, it’s good to know that there are people who will help the most vulnerable, which are our children.
