County using federal money to boost child support
$2M goes to create services for low-income parents
Franklin County will embark on a two-year program with $2 million in federal money to find ways to keep lowincome, noncustodial parents employed so they can make regular child support payments.
Earlier this week, Franklin County commissioners approved a resolution accepting the money channeled through the nonprofit social-policy research group MDRC for the program, which is called “The Journey — A Parent’s Voice.”
Franklin County collects child support on time in about 67% of cases, but in the remaining 33% of the cases, collections are often sporadic or parents miss payments altogether, said Susan
Brown, director of the county Child Support Enforcement Agency.
Most of the parents who have problems making payments earn less than $10,000 a year, Brown said.
According to Brown, of the 54,931 cases involving child support orders that are in enforcement mode, there were zero dollars paid in 13,804 cases during calendar year 2020.
The county oversaw a total 73,430 open child support cases last year, involving 84,445 children and 106,765 parents.
Brown said the county will create a curriculum involving parenting classes and employment and other community services to improve their economic security and bolster the relationship between parents to help noncustodial parents make their payments on time and in full.
“Basically, we were chosen as a research trial site,” she said.
“The child support program interacts with parents for 18-plus years. It’s long-term case management,” Brown said. “If we can initiate the case with strong supports, the family may be more successful in the long run.”
In an emailed statement, Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce said that “a successful child support system keeps many young kids from living in poverty. We pride ourselves on our innovative approaches, and are excited to be part of a study that will help shape policy nationwide for years to come.”
According to the contract the county released, the money will pay for a site manager earning $57,466, along with four support officers each making $34,028, plus money for other positions.
Goodwill Columbus and Jewish Family Services will also be involved, and there will be a financial literacy program.
The county’s program is part of a national effort called Building Evidence on Employment Strategies that was launched in 2017, evaluating the effectiveness of programs boosting earnings and employment for low-income Americans, said Megan Millenky, an MDRC senior research associate in New York.
The money MDRC channels to the county comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration.
“It’s still a bit of a work in the progress, delayed because of the pandemic,” Millenky said. Other communities participating in the project include Portland, Oregon, and Chicago and Cook County, Illinois, she said.
Meanwhile, the Columbus Foundation announced earlier this week that it was distributing $1.375 million to 18 area nonprofit organizations through its Gifts of Kindness fund.
Normally, the fund takes applications from individuals and families, and the grants range from $500 to $3,000.
But in COVID-19 pandemic circumstances, Columbus Foundation officials felt they needed to do things differently. The grants announced this week range from $100,000 to $200,000.
“This allows nonprofits to more efficiently and swiftly meet the needs of the clients they are serving,” said Dan Sharpe, the foundation’s vice president for community research and grants management.
Among the groups receiving grants were central Ohio mainstays such as the Columbus Urban League, Goodwill Columbus, Lifecare Alliance, Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio and Maryhaven.
The change in philosophy for Gifts of Kindness grants began in December, when the foundation announced a $500,000 grant to IMPACT Community Action to support the HOPE fund, which provides rental and mortgage assistance to Franklin County families. mferench@dispatch.com @Markferenchik kgordon@dispatch.com @kgdispatch
Dear Car Talk: Two years ago, I purchased a brand-new 2018 Subaru Forester. I got the basic, no-frills model because I am cheap (and, really, who needs a moonroof?).
I don’t care that it doesn’t have a navigation system. But I do wish it had a compass. No problem. I went to the auto parts store and bought a compass to stick on the dashboard.
The only problem is, no matter which direction I am driving, the compass always points east! I take it outside the car, and it works fine, but no matter where I put the compass inside the car, whether the engine is on or off, the compass always tells me that I’m driving toward the land of the rising sun.
I asked the Subaru mechanic about this, and he had never heard of anything like it. Why does my car have a magnetic field stronger than the planet Earth and is there any way to degauss it?
– Mike
I don’t know, Mike. But I have two guesses.
No. 1 is that there is something magnetic in the car that’s affecting the compass. And my first guess would be the car’s speakers.
If you bought the bare bones Forester, you probably have four speakers. The front speakers are larger than the rear speakers, and they’re either in the front doors or up on the dashboard, right near – what? – your compass.
It’s possible that the magnets in those speakers are screwing up the compass readings. Particularly if my second guess is correct.
My second guess is that you bought the cheapest compass money could buy. Why do I suspect that? Because you also bought the cheapest Forester money could buy. And when you combine a cheap, poorly shielded compass with a nearby magnet, you can only go east.
So what’s the solution? Well, if you hadn’t been so cheap and skipped the sunroof, you’d be able to mount your cheap compass on a stick now and fly it out the sunroof, away from the magnets.
Alternatively, you can go to your Subaru dealer and buy the auto-dimming rearview mirror with a built-in compass. It’s a Forester accessory, and it costs about $150. That’ll work. Guaranteed.
Or, you can try a better quality aftermarket compass. You can search around and read the reviews, and you’ll find options that were designed for cars by companies like Ritchie Navigation, ACECAR and Filfeel, among others. You’ll still be looking at $30-$60, rather than the $2 you spent on the stick-on compass at the auto parts store.
If you go that route, look for the best rated one you can find and order it from a place that accepts returns, just in case we’re wrong and explorers discover a second north pole under your driveway.
Got a question about cars? Write to Ray in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at cartalk.com.