Child support enforcers vowed to crack down on deadbeat parents in Maryland after a recent review revealed many were allowed to keep lottery prizes and state-issued professional licenses.
Lawmakers questioned why the state’s child support collection agency did not report more than 600 deadbeat parents to the Maryland Lottery, which would have diverted their winnings into support payments. The findings were released in an audit last week that also said more than 5,200 state licensees owe child support totaling more than $47 million.
“Obviously this is quite a hammer — if you’re going to take someone’s license away,” said Del. Wade Kach, a Baltimore County Republican. “Why wasn’t it pursued aggressively?”
Joseph Jackins, executive director of the state’s Child Support Enforcement Agency, appeared before Kach and other members of the General Assembly’s joint audit committee Tuesday to address issues identified in the audit.
Jackins said lottery winners were not intercepted because of a “technical glitch” that has been fixed and added that 472 occupational licensees belonging to deadbeat parents may now be suspended.
“The process needs to be streamlined, and we need to make it easier for our workers to effect the suspension of a license,” Jackins said. “But it’s going to be done. Professional licenses are going to be on my radar screen.”
The child support agency issued payments totaling more than $331,000 to about 575 dead people, according to the audit, some of which were cashed by unknown people. Jackins told lawmakers many were cashed by subsequent caretakers, and others are under investigation.
The agency collected more than $1 billion in payments over the past two years, and Jackins said turnover among caseworkers remains a problem. The agency lost three caseworkers in recent budget cuts.
“I think we need to figure out a way to get the staff that works these caseloads some assistance,” said Del. Marvin Holmes, a Prince George’s Democrat. “It is in fact the biggest bang for the buck.”
The committee also discussed a report identifying several problems with the state’s foster care database, including a glitch that auditors said could leave children vulnerable to maltreaters. Department of Human Resources Secretary Brenda Donald said most of the problems have been corrected.
