Skip ACF banner and navigation
Department of Health and Human Services logo
Questions?  
Privacy  
Site Index  
Contact Us  
   Home   |   Services   |   Working with ACF   |   Policy/Planning   |   About ACF   |   ACF News Search  
Administration for Children and Families US Department of Health and Human Services

 HHS News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 9, 2003
Contact: ACF Press Office, 202-401-9215

ACF APPROVES CHILD SUPPORT DEMONSTRATIONS IN MICHIGAN AND IDAHO

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) today announced $1.5 million in funding to support demonstrations in Michigan and Idaho to promote improvements in child support enforcement efforts.

“The projects will develop and test new strategies in these communities to support healthy marriage and parental relationships with the goals of improving the well-being of children, promoting paternity establishment, and increasing financial and emotional support to children,” Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said.

Michigan will receive $990,000 in federal funds, while Idaho will receive $544,400 in federal funds. ACF will conduct a comprehensive evaluation to assess how the projects were implemented and their effects on families and children and the operation of the Child Support Program. Each project will last five years and will be supplemented by private funding. These grants represent additional funding to the states and will not affect the amount of federal funds available to administer child support programs.

“These projects are a sensible government approach to testing and evaluating creative approaches that enhance the overall goals and effectiveness of the child support enforcement program by integrating the promotion of healthy marriage into existing child support services,” said Wade Horn, Ph.D., the assistant secretary for children and families at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The grants are awarded under the guidance of Section 1115 of the Social Security Act and require each project be designed to improve the financial well-being of children or otherwise improve the operation of the child support enforcement program. Section 1115 of the Social Security Act authorizes states to conduct experimental, pilot or demonstration projects that are likely to assist in promoting the objectives of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

The goals of the demonstration projects include improving the establishment of paternity and increasing financial support for children as well as improving fathers’ relationships with their children and mothers of their children. The projects also will include efforts to improve couple relationships and reduce the potential for domestic violence. Both projects will be required to screen participants for domestic violence and refer appropriate individuals for services.

###

 

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

Back to Top


The page was last updated: May 9, 2003