Counties recognize Child Support Awareness month

August is Child Support Awareness month in Colusa and Sutter county and this year’s theme is “Families have changed a lot; So has child support.”

Recognized nationwide, the month of awareness intends to bring light to the child support programs and services that help parents and families, such as establishing legal orders for financial or medical child support and parentage and helping to enforce or modify current court orders for support.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives and routines, especially for families,” said Natalie Dillion, director of the Colusa, Sutter and Yolo County Child Support offices. “We know that co-parenting isn’t always easy in the best of times but COVID-19 complicates things, from visitation and shared custody to changes in jobs and financial resources as well as distance learning and modified school schedules.”

According to a release issued by Colusa County Child Support Services, offices in both counties implemented several enhancements during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a self-serve portal, a more mobilecompatible version of Customer Connect that allows parents to email case managers directly, streamlined communication between parents and staff via text and health and safety provisions implemented within the Child Support Services offices.

Child support services are free for parents receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and cost $35 a year for families not enrolled in that program, according to the release.

For more information on services in Colusa County, visit https://www. countyofcolusa.org/96/ Child-support-services.

For more information in Sutter County, visit https:// www.suttercounty.org/doc/ government/depts/css/ css_home.