Franklin County staff acknowledge stigma and say child-support orders can feel 'weaponized'
Summary
Intake and enforcement staff acknowledged fathers can view child support as intimidating or weaponized and urged better communication, individualized casework and referrals to reduce stigma.
Peter Green, an intake worker for Franklin County Child Support, said some fathers find the child-support system "scary" and that it "could look to be weaponized," reflecting how orders and enforcement can affect relationships between parents.
Support officers on the panel responded by describing an approach that emphasizes communication and individualized attention. Steven Block said caseworkers should take a "clean slate" approach to each file, do diligence on notes and life circumstances, and ask "what can I do to help them" rather than treating people as numbers. The panel described that reframing and referrals to supportive services are among the agency’s efforts to reduce stigma and improve engagement.
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