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CSEA is not just a collection agency
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning County Child Support Enforcement Agency doesn’t want to be known as just a collection agency.
“It’s more than just a collection agency. We’re trying to make sure that we can get the orders right-sized based on job changes or family situation changes,” said John Caroline, enforcement administrator and managing attorney.
The agency stands ready, he said, to help both the parent who has custody of the children, who is seeking or receiving support, and the noncustodial parent, who owes it.
Under its “Deals for Your Wheels” program this month, the agency is offering debtors an opportunity to reinstate their suspended driver’s licenses for a one-month child support payment, plus $1 on the arrears, and an agreement to seek employment if the debtor is not working.
To date, $105,472 in support has been collected under that program this month, said Toni Tablack, CSEA fiscal administrator.
“We’re here to help them re-engage into the system, get their licenses back, try to become a productive citizen and engage with their children more,” Tablack said.
To help inform the public about programs or services the agency provides to those who have support orders or wish to establish them, the agency conducted a child support awareness day Wednesday at Oakhill Renaissance Place in observance of August as Child Support Awareness Month.
The agency serves both custodial and noncustodial parents, regardless of their income levels, free of charge, Caroline said.
Custodial parents can help the CSEA staff establish a support order or collect the support by supplying as much information as possible as to the whereabouts of the debtor and his place of employment, said Diane Laboy, CSEA program administrator. “That gives us a good jump start,” she said.
“If they don’t have the information, then, of course, we have to do some investigation,” she added.
The arsenal of collection tools includes wage garnishments, seizures from bank accounts, interception of the debtors’ state and federal tax refunds, suspension of the debtors’ driver’s license or professional practice license, civil contempt actions, criminal prosecution, and most recently, interception of the debtors’ insurance settlements, Caroline said.
Visitors to the agency wanting to pay child support, get their driver’s licenses reinstated, establish a support order or collect support should go to Entrance D at Oakhill Renaissance Place, 345 Oak Hill Ave., between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.
For more information about the agency’s programs and services, call (330) 740-2073 or go to csea.mahoningcountyoh.gov.