Record Child Support Collections Despite Freezing Temperatures

Despite the record-low temperatures that gripped West Virginia in January, child support collections hit new heights, marking a significant achievement for the West Virginia Department of Human Services' (DoHS) Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE).

Regions 2 and 5 reported impressive increases in collections for January 2025. Region 2, covering Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties, saw collections rise to 70%. Region 5, which includes Boone, Lincoln, Logan, and Mingo counties, reached an even higher increase of 76%.

"I am proud of our staff’s ongoing efforts to grow the paying caseload each month," said Garrett Jacobs, DoHS Bureau for Child Support Services. "The success of both regions demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted approaches and team collaboration."

In Region 2, despite staffing challenges, the experience of more tenured staff helped specifically target current support collections, case closures, and modifications to support orders. These efforts paid off with a two-percent increase in collections compared to January 2024.

Region 5 also employed additional collection strategies, such as phone call reminders, brightly colored mailers, and follow-up tracking, which led to a more than one-percent increase from the previous year.

Margarette Hiatt, BCSE’s Chief Compliance Officer, emphasized the importance of experienced staff in these successes. "Tenured staff play a vital role in doing the job BCSE is tasked with, matched with concentrated team efforts that pay off for the families we serve. Together, we all win."

These achievements reflect BCSE’s ongoing commitment to supporting West Virginia’s families and ensuring that more children receive the financial support they need.

The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) provides a wide range of necessary and life-saving services to many West Virginia residents.?DoHS includes?the Bureau for Social Services,?Bureau for Medical Services, Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, Bureau for Family Assistance, Bureau for Behavioral Health, Office of Drug Control Policy, Commission to Study Residential Placement of Children, Family Protection Services Board, Catastrophic Illness Commission, and the WV Women's Commission.

For more information, visit humanservices.wv.gov.