Lorain County marks Child Support Enforcement Month; agency cites collections gains and amnesty program

Amy Price, Child Support Enforcement Agency representative, told the Lorain County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 1 that the county’s child support program has increased collections and will again run a one‑month amnesty program timed for back to school. "Any obligor that's in default of their child support and has had their license suspended … can pay 1 month's school support and $1 towards arrears, and … we will reinstate their driver's license," Price said.

Price said the agency has 55 staff handling about 24,000 open cases and that, as of June 30, it had established paternity for 10,199 of 11,230 children born out of wedlock this year (96 percent) and established support in 17,891 of 18,740 open cases (95.88 percent). She reported $22,948,378 collected for current support (72.45 percent of current support owed) and $77,965,762…