Nearly 100 people took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the many services and referrals available through Jefferson County’s Child Support Services at an Open House on August 25 at the county’s Laramie Building.

With representatives from the Work Force Center, Head Start, the Fatherhood Initiative, Mediation Services, Family Tree and the Department of Public Health and Environment, citizens found information about establishing paternity, modifying and enforcing child support orders, and participating in mini-workshops and other community services. Jefferson County Child Support Services held the Open House to commemorate National Child Support Month in August. The program serves 13,000 families and collects more than $2.63 million each month; which means, for the last quarter, every dollar the county spends to run Child Support Services, we collected $11 to pass through to families or reimburse for public assistance.

Many people commented on surveys or told staff members they did not realize the county offered so much through the Program.

“I think a lot of men don’t know there are resources available for them or where to find them,” one person said in a survey. “The information provided was relevant to my situation.”

Child Support Services can:

• Assist with child support applications
• Locate a non-custodial parent
• Collect past due payments
• Establish paternity
• Establish a court order
• Assist with court-ordered medical support (not medical bills)
• Enforce existing court orders
• Review and adjust an existing order
• Connect people with fatherhood programs, mediation services, parenting education and the Work Force Center

See the Web site for more information about Jefferson County Child Support Services and thier programs.