Whereas the National Council of Child Support Directors believes that children deserve the financial and emotional support of both parents; and
Noncustodial Fathers often face barriers in meeting their responsibility to their children;
The National Council of Child Support Directors (NCCSD) resolves that:
Congress should pass federal legislation that promotes responsible fatherhood-helping men become better fathers and providers-and increases federal funds available to such responsible fatherhood programs.
Any congressionally authorized and appropriated funds to the states for the purpose of promoting responsible fatherhood should require partnership with the child support programs under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act; and
Fathers should be expected to establish paternity to be eligible to participate in any such responsible fatherhood initiative.
There is a growing recognition that responsible, involved fathers are important to the well being of their children and to society. It is also shown by research, that children who grow up without a responsible father in their lives are more likely to be poor, to drop out of high school, to end up in foster care or juvenile justice facilities, to bear their own children out of wedlock, and to be under-employed as adults.
More than any other agency in state government, the child support program is in a position to reach out to fathers separated from their children - to provide assistance and to benefit from supporting responsible fatherhood initiatives. Fathers who are employed are better able to pay child support and support their children, as are fathers who have a positive involvement in the lives of their children.
Child support agencies are already involved in forging relationships with fathers: The national child support community has already begun to forge relationships with community-based organizations providing services to fathers - often at the initiation of the community based organizations that recognize the importance of establishing paternity and paying child support as a key element of responsible fatherhood.
In the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193), Congress recognized the important role the child support program plays in promoting responsible fatherhood by requiring states to establish paternity for 90% of the children born out of wedlock and by including the block grant for access and visitation programs in the child support title of the Act.
Congress has passed legislation authorizing disclosure of certain information on noncustodial parents by child support agencies to Welfare-to-Work grantees and requiring noncustodial parent cooperation with IV-D: The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2000 allows IV-D agencies to disclose limited information on noncustodial parents living within a service delivery area to a private industry council operating a Welfare-to-Work project in that area. The legislation also recognizes the role of the child support agency by requiring noncustodial parents admitted to the Welfare-to-Work program to make a commitment to cooperate with the IV-D program in the establishment of paternity and to pay ordered child support.
Child support agencies' involvement will help to provide consistent, comprehensive message development: Requiring partnership with the state child support agency will ensure that the message of responsible fatherhood is consistent and comprehensive, including the message that establishing paternity and providing financial and emotional support are critical to child well being.
Child support agencies provide a natural link to coordinate with TANF programs to develop self-sufficiency: An effective responsible fatherhood initiative for low-income fathers should be coordinated with the state TANF agency, so that there is a comprehensive strategy to develop self-sufficiency for the family. The child support agency already has such a relationship with the TANF agency, including computer data that links mothers and fathers.
Child support agencies already require mothers to cooperate to receive services and are in an ideal position to help instill such responsible decision-making in fathers as well: Establishing paternity must be condition of receiving services from a responsible fatherhood program. These programs are intended to provide assistance in getting a job or improving job skills, as well as to develop or enhance parenting skills. In return for receiving these services, the father must assume legal responsibility for his child through paternity establishment.
Moreover, mothers are now required to name the father and to cooperate with paternity establishment as a condition of receiving government benefits such as cash assistance. If mothers fail to cooperate, they are subject to sanctions that range from a 25% reduction in benefits to no benefits at all for the family. Fathers should also be required to cooperate as a condition of receiving services to enhance job and parenting skills.
Child support agencies are already expected to increase father's role in families through welfare reform's new national goal of increasing paternity establishment: Finally, as noted, Congress has set very ambitious standards for states to establish paternity in 90% of the cases of children born out of wedlock in recognition of the importance of the role of fathers. Requiring the fathers to cooperate will help our country achieve this goal.