Parents who have had their driver’s license or professional license suspended for not paying child support have the chance of reinstatement this month as Hamilton County Job and Family Services celebrates national Child Support Awareness Month with an offer of amnesty.
Delinquent parents who want to take advantage of an amnesty offer can have their driver’s license or professional license reinstated by paying a portion of their total child support obligation and reporting their employment so wages can be garnished. To determine if you qualify for license reinstatement, please call 946-7387.
Moira Weir, director of Hamilton County’s Job and Family Services, said amnesty is in the best interests of children.
“Establishing some sort of income for the child is the most important thing – we want to see that their basic needs are met,” she said. “Our hope is that re-engaging the parent will not only result in consistent payments, but in the re-establishment of a relationship with the child. We know when both parents are involved in their child’s life it produces positive outcomes for the child.”
All parents who participate in amnesty will sign a license-reinstatement agreement committing them to staying on track with child support payments. Again, to take advantage of amnesty, parents must call 946-7387.
In addition to offering amnesty, the agency is celebrating Child Support Month by asking the public to wear green Aug. 1 in support of a child’s right to financial support. This is a statewide effort to raise awareness around child support. Please share your photos at www.facebook.com/hcjfs, www.twitter.com/hamiltoncojfs, www.instagram.com/hamiltoncojfs and www.pinterest.com/hcjfs.
The agency is also hosting a coloring contest for children. Children are invited to submit their entries to the agency. Details and permission slips will be available in the building’s lobbies and visitation rooms.
The Department’s Child Support Enforcement Agency handles about 75,000 cases each month involving more than 225,000 county residents. Last year, it collected $127 million for families that might not otherwise have had the financial support necessary to pay for such items as food, medical care, child care, school clothes and school supplies. Many of the children without child support turn to public assistance, with taxpayers providing financial support.
