WISCONSIN: Doyle: Boost parent education, child support

Doyle: Boost parent education, child support

By Matt Pommer
May 5, 2004

Gov. Jim Doyle today called for expanding existing child support collection
and new parent education programs statewide.

The proposals are part of the KidsFirst plans that Doyle will include in the
2005-2007 budget, which he will submit to the Legislature next year. He also
said he would seek to expand a female alternative to prison program and give
priority to mothers.

Nine Wisconsin counties have operated a pilot program offering voluntary
visits from professionals to help new parents with basic information about
caring for their newborns and where to get additional help. Dane County is
not in the pilot program.

"For new parents there is no owner's manual, and no easy step-by-step
instructions," Doyle said. "Parents may not know what services are available
to help them, what to expect in terms of their child's development, and what
the warning signs are if there is a problem."

Basic parenting information can improve children's health and save money, he
indicated. In counties where the program operates, children are less likely
to end up in emergency rooms and there are fewer abuse reports and foster
home placements.

Wisconsin already ranks eighth in the nation in child support collection.
Last year the state collected and distributed $578 million, up $4 million
from a year earlier.


"Although we're doing well, there are still 110,000 kids waiting for the
financial support they need, and we can do better," Doyle said in remarks
prepared for a visit to Wausau.

Thirty-nine counties now operate a program in which judges can place
non-custodial parents, helping them get the jobs that will allow payment of
child support. Doyle said all 71 counties should participate in the program,
and the state will provide technical help for district attorneys to allow
them to get federal matching child support enforcement programs.

One third of all single, separated and divorced parents get little or no
help from the non-custodial parents, according to Doyle. The payments from
the non-custodial parents is especially crucial in low-income families, he
added.

The governor said it's important to break the cycle of incarceration among
families. Nationally, one in seven children have at least one parent who is
in prison, jail or on probation. The number of women in Wisconsin prisons
has doubled since 1990, and 70 percent have minor children, he said. Their
children are five times more likely than other children to end up in prison
when they become adults.


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In article , Editor - Child Support News
says...

Doyle: Boost parent education, child support

By Matt Pommer
May 5, 2004

Gov. Jim Doyle today called for expanding existing child support collection
and new parent education programs statewide.

The proposals are part of the KidsFirst plans that Doyle will include in the
2005-2007 budget, which he will submit to the Legislature next year. He also
said he would seek to expand a female alternative to prison program and give
priority to mothers.
===
Hmmm...No custody/visitation program in the works. Seems that would be a crucial
component of any KidsFirst plan. Also beneficial to kids would be father
resource plans including focus groups on dealing with NCP/coparenting issues,
and navigating the system when visitation is denied by the CP. Hopefully, some
Wisconsin dads will write the Governor about that. They seem to be of the
opinion that the only need for dads is job placement. (I left that "female
alternative to prison program" in there in case Kenneth missed it
===

(PLEASE NOTE: I never bottom-sign my posts.
Check Headers to Verify the Authenticity of This Post)

In article , Editor - Child Support News
says...

Doyle: Boost parent education, child support

By Matt Pommer
May 5, 2004

Gov. Jim Doyle today called for expanding existing child support collection
and new parent education programs statewide.

The proposals are part of the KidsFirst plans that Doyle will include in the
2005-2007 budget, which he will submit to the Legislature next year. He also
said he would seek to expand a female alternative to prison program and give
priority to mothers.
===
Hmmm...No custody/visitation program in the works. Seems that would be a crucial
component of any KidsFirst plan. Also beneficial to kids would be father
resource plans including focus groups on dealing with NCP/coparenting issues,
and navigating the system when visitation is denied by the CP. Hopefully, some
Wisconsin dads will write the Governor about that. They seem to be of the
opinion that the only need for dads is job placement. (I left that "female
alternative to prison program" in there in case Kenneth missed it
===

(PLEASE NOTE: I never bottom-sign my posts.
Check Headers to Verify the Authenticity of This Post)

In article , Editor - Child Support News
says...

Doyle: Boost parent education, child support

By Matt Pommer
May 5, 2004

Gov. Jim Doyle today called for expanding existing child support collection
and new parent education programs statewide.

The proposals are part of the KidsFirst plans that Doyle will include in the
2005-2007 budget, which he will submit to the Legislature next year. He also
said he would seek to expand a female alternative to prison program and give
priority to mothers.
===
Hmmm...No custody/visitation program in the works. Seems that would be a crucial
component of any KidsFirst plan. Also beneficial to kids would be father
resource plans including focus groups on dealing with NCP/coparenting issues,
and navigating the system when visitation is denied by the CP. Hopefully, some
Wisconsin dads will write the Governor about that. They seem to be of the
opinion that the only need for dads is job placement. (I left that "female
alternative to prison program" in there in case Kenneth missed it
===

(PLEASE NOTE: I never bottom-sign my posts.
Check Headers to Verify the Authenticity of This Post)