Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

MADISON – Gov. Scott McCallum announced today that Wisconsin tops the nation in the amount of child support it collects per full-time state employee.

Gov. McCallum said that in federal fiscal year 2000, Wisconsin collected an average of $548,000 for each full-time worker employed in the area of child support collection, compared to a national average of $306,000.

"A parent who receives child support depends on the state doing everything in its power to ensure the payment is delivered on time," Gov. McCallum said. "This number one ranking is a true testament to the dedication and hard work of state, county and tribal child support staff, and it shows that our aggressive efforts in this area are paying dividends."

Wisconsin ranked in the top 10 for child support collection in four areas, according to a report released by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE).

• Wisconsin ranked third for its cost effectiveness (dollars collected versus dollars spent), collecting $6.51 for every dollar spent, compared to a national average of $4.21.
• Wisconsin ranked sixth for the percentage of cases with child support orders that had a collection, reaching 83 percent, compared to a national average of 68 percent.
• Wisconsin ranked seventh for its collections per case at $1,613, compared to a national average of $1,027.
• Wisconsin ranked ninth for its total collections of $569 million, compared to a national average of $239 million.

"These rankings are especially encouraging when you consider at least 15 other states have a higher population and child support caseload than Wisconsin, which increases the potential to collect. Despite those factors, Wisconsin ranks consistently high in its collection rates," said Jennifer Reinert, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. "At the same time, we still have a great deal of work to do. About $1.9 billion in unpaid child support is still owed in Wisconsin and we will continue to take every step necessary to ensure that money is collected."

Some of the most recent collection initiatives unveiled by the department include the child support lien docket and vehicle liens, which allow the department to place liens on homes and vehicles owned by parents who owe back child support. In its first 10 months of operation, the lien docket has resulted in the collection of nearly $1.2 million in back child support. About 75 percent of child support collections are the result of income withholding by employers. Wisconsin was the first state to implement income withholding as a child support collection method in 1987.

The FY2000 Data Report can be seen on the OCSE website at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/pubs/2000/datareport/

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