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Pilot Project Makes Failure to Pay Child Support a Felony
By Rita Fuerst Adams, National Executive Director, Fathers and Families
New Mexico’s Governor Susana Martinez is celebrating August being Child Support Awareness Month by kicking off a pilot project. The Felony Prosecution Project will seek the prosecution of the state’s worst child support offenders for the abandonment of a child, which is a fourth degree felony under New Mexico law.
It is aimed at increasing the collection of child support from parents who are among the worst offenders at failing to honor their obligations to financially support their children. The project will be a partnership between the New Mexico Human Services Department Child Support Enforcement Division and the District Attorneys’ offices.
“In recognition of August being national Child Support Awareness Month, I’m proud to announce this innovative pilot project that will help us continue our crackdown on those who refuse to pay their child support obligations. Doing so will ensure that the children of New Mexico receive the financial support that they deserve and need,” said Governor Susana Martinez. “Hopefully this project will help bring more awareness to the issue of bringing delinquent parents up-to-date on their child support payments.”
"It is the intention of the State to seek restitution for children that have been neglected year after year by the ones they depend on most, their parents," said Ninth Judicial District Attorney Matt Chandler. "If it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt that a parent has willfully neglected to pay child support, our office will seek justice for the children by asking for restitution through a court ordered monthly payment plan that will be monitored by the Adult Probation and Parole Department. Incarceration will be a last resort for prosecutors and reserved for those that are convicted and show no intention of meeting their legal obligations."
The National Child Support Enforcement Agency named New Mexico the Most Improved Program in the country . It also recently set a state record for the child support collections at $129 million in State Fiscal Year 2012, which ended June 30th.
August is Child Support Awareness Month
By Rita Fuerst Adams, National Executive Director, Fathers and Families
Several states are celebrating Child Support Awareness Month in August. The emphasis, of course, is the importance of the money for children. Two states, California and New York, provide these descriptions about child support and how it is helpful to our children:
“Child support and the difference it can make in a child’s life is the theme of this year’s Child Support Awareness Month. Receiving child support helps California’s children feel secure, builds confidence and trust, and helps our kids pursue their dreams. “According to the California Department of Child Support Services.
“Child Support Awareness month is a time to recognize the vital role child support plays in the lives of millions of children. For many children, a monthly child support payment is all that stands between them and poverty,” according to New York City’s Human Resources Administration of the Department of Social Services. It collects child support payments on behalf of New York City’s children. In 2011, it collected a record-breaking $731 million.
Where Are Our Olympic Athletes’ Dads?
By Rita Fuerst Adams, National Executive Director, Fathers and Families
Throughout the wonderful coverage of the Olympic Games, there have been touching shots of Michael Phelps’ mother in the stands and stories about the mothers of other Olympians.
Procter & Gamble kept its advertising focused on the mothers. How many times during the coverage did you hear P&G’s commercial with “To their moms, they will always be kids.” No mention of fathers from one of the largest advertisers.
The best coverage of a father seems to be David Beckham. He obviously enjoyed the games and it seems he enjoyed them with his three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz. At least one father received star billing.
Five hundred thirty athletes represented the United States: 269 women and 261 men. This is the first time the United States has sent more women to the games than men. What is interesting is that the men did out rank the women on one number: 53 of the men are dads and 11 of the women are moms. |
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