DSS recognizes August as Child Support Awareness Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Danielle Jones
(803) 898-7248
Danielle.Jones@dss.sc.gov
DSS recognizes August as Child Support Awareness Month
August 1, 2022 – Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed August as Child Support Awareness Month to highlight child support and the services available to both custodial and non-custodial parents provided by the South Carolina Department of Social Services. According to the Administration for Children and Families, approximately 1 in 5 children in the United States receives services from a child support program.
“Child support is essential in the overall well-being of a child. Every parent has a legal responsibility to ensure that their child is supported until they reach adulthood,”
said Michael Leach, SCDSS State Director. “August is a time to celebrate the tremendous job done by child support programs year-round in serving parents and custodians in improving the financial condition of children in single-parent homes.”
The South Carolina Department of Social Services provided services to 216,000 children during the federal fiscal year of 2021. During that period, the child support program collected $317 million with 95% being distributed directly to families and the remainder being recouped for public assistance provided to families. South Carolina’s Child Support Program was ranked as the 14th most cost-effective in the country for the 2021 federal fiscal year.
DSS has made strides to add new features to the agency’s website to enhance the customer’s experience with the Child Support Services Division. In July 2022, DSS launched the Custodial Parent Portal, which gives 24/7 access to individuals who seek to apply for child support services. In 2021, another online portal was launched to help individuals paying or receiving child support inquire about their case status virtually on a 24/7 basis. Since then, over 32,000 people have created accounts involving over 40,000 cases. As of July 2022, at least one party in 25% of the cases serviced by the Child Support Services Division has created an online account within the agency’s portals.
Another one of the DSS Child Support Program’s offerings is the Visitation Involved Parenting Program, also known as the V.I.P. Program. It currently operates in 16 South Carolina counties. The program offers parenting classes, mediation, and help with establishing and enforcing orders.
To learn more about the child support program, its services and how to apply, please visit: https://dss.sc.gov/child-support/.
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