
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 11, 1990                   TAG: 9003122968
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CHILD SUPPORT/ CREATIVE COLLECTION

THE CHALLENGE of collecting huge amounts of delinquent child-support money is forcing the bureaucracy to be creative. Social-service workers in Danville get this month's award for ingenuity. They saw opportunity in a news event.

When the story broke of a buyout at Dan River Mills Inc., workers in the Division of Child Support Enforcement took a look at the company's files. They found 96 employees or former employees who were behind in child-support payments and would be getting lump-sum distributions from a stock plan.

The social-service workers got court orders withholding the amount due in support from the employees' checks. The total collected was $109,876, with individual debts ranging from $300 to $6,000.

The arrangement apparently worked out well for all concerned. Certainly the Department of Social Services liked marking "paid" beside so many names on its roster. The parents with custody of their children liked getting the money due them.

Even the people who got docked were relieved to get their debts paid, according to Tim Shelton, support-enforcement supervisor: Parents with limited incomes have a tough time catching up if they fall behind in payments.

Company buyouts don't occur every day, so Danville's experience might not be duplicated elsewhere. But the city's commitment to the task of collecting overdue child support is something that every department in the state ought to adopt.

by CNB