PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE LAUNCHES CHILD SUPPORT EDUCATION CAMPAIGN

Jefferson Co. Prosecutor

Jefferson County Prosecutor, David Sutter, believes strong communities are built upon stable families. This is why he places such a strong emphasis on issues involving the collection of child support. “It impacts everything we do in our office,” said Sutter, explaining that as paternity and child support is established, it leads to fewer children living in poverty and also lowers the likelihood they will one day become involved in the criminal justice system.

Sutter is launching an effort to educate and inform parents, guardians, grandparents, or other custodial parties in how to access child support services through his office. The education campaign is geared toward establishing child support orders, establishing paternity, and providing other services to promote the well-being of children. Sutter says, “Many of these services are not widely known to the general public and can be accessed without hiring an attorney.” The services, claims Sutter, are vital to those seeking help with locating non-custodial parents, establishing paternity, and medical or child support orders.

“As your county prosecutor, I take the well-being of our children seriously, and believe that consistent child support payments can help custodial parents achieve economic stability,” he said.

In 2018, more than $1.6 million child support dollars were collected and distributed in Jefferson County, a number Mr. Sutter hopes to increase through the awareness campaign. According to Sutter, “Regular child support can mean the difference for a child to remain in their home, and have food, clothing, and other needs met.”

The first step toward establishing a support order is establishing paternity. Sutter strongly encourages mothers to take this step at the birth of their child, even when the relationship with the father is amicable. "It's risky to not establish paternity," he said, explaining if paternity hasn't been established and there's no custody or support order "it limits the actions our office and the police can take. If more custodial parents took this step immediately, it would save a lot of issues later in the process.”

Sutter stressed his child support staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and ready to assist. “There is really nothing to be afraid of; you're taking action to best serve your children and protect your rights. It's an easy process and we keep you informed every step of the way."

Alternatively, there are consequences for parents who fall behind or fail to pay their child support. Parents who fail to pay support can be charged with a felony, however, Sutter encourages any non-custodial parent who has fallen behind in paying child support to contact the office. "Most cases are not contentious," said Sutter. "When people who owe acknowledge that, we play the role of facilitator." However, those who continue to fall behind can expect the prosecutor to be aggressive in seeking support payments for families.

The full range of prosecutor-provided services is available for a one-time fee of $25. Services are free to families receiving Medicaid benefits for children.

"Financially supporting our children is crucial to their well-being and their ability to thrive during the critical years of childhood," said Sutter. "My office continues to work to diligently to ensure that parents provide that financial security for their children. This education and awareness campaign is designed to help families become more aware of the services we provide and to utilize them, and to make others aware of the consequences of non-payment."