DCF marks Child Support Awareness Month with commitment to modernize system

(MADISON) – Wisconsin’s county and tribal child support agencies play a key role in the support and wellness of over 341,000 children in the state. According to data from the federal Office of Child Support Services, $841 million was invested into the well-being of children in 2023, thanks to Wisconsin’s dedicated child support agencies (CSA). To increase public awareness of Wisconsin’s robust Child Support Program and the importance of providing kids with the support they need, Governor Tony Evers has proclaimed August as Child Support Awareness Month.

CSAs across the state are modernizing the child support program by using family-centered approaches to help families navigate the child support process and gain access to critical resources. To better support these efforts, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) kicked off the Child Support Modernization (CSM) project in 2021 to develop a new automated child support system named THRIVE. The new system will allow state and partner agencies to provide efficient service to customers, while ensuring that children and families receive financial and medical support they need.

“All families are unique and deserve a collaborative plan to help them succeed,” said DCF Secretary Emilie Amundson. “Child support staff work hard to eliminate barriers to employment, build strong bonds between parents and children, and connect them to services they might need. The Child Support Modernization project will ensure connecting folks to the programs and services is a lot smoother and more streamlined.”

The multi-year CSM project will impact thousands of stakeholders in over 100 groups, including children, parents, and families; employers; local county and tribal child support agencies; judges and family court commissioners; clerks of court; the DCF; state and federal partner agencies; private partners, and more. The current timeline forecasts a pilot and rollout of the system in 2027.

Research shows that non-custodial parents who remain current in providing child support also have contact with their children and are engaged in daily activities. To help foster increased parental participation in their children’s lives, CSAs are not only working to ensure timely payments, but are also aiding parents in gaining the means to stay involved with their children both financially and emotionally. To discover more about the Wisconsin Child Support Program, visit https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cs/home or follow @WisDCF on Twitter and Facebook.

This press release is also available in PDF Format.