Press Release
Publish Date: 3/26/2019DSS Child Support Unit Recognized by Legislature
Employees Acknowledged for Dedication and Cooperation
FONDA - The Montgomery County Department of Social Services Child Support Unit works to assist families in the community and on Tuesday they were recognized for their efforts.
"We do provide a very good service of trying to get financial assistance for the children," Child Support Coordinator Keith Fisher said.
The Montgomery County Legislature recognized employees for their dedication and cooperation during their March Full Board meeting. Fisher’s unit has 10 employees who are responsible for just under 5,000 cases throughout the county.
Under the Child Support Unit, there is one child support coordinator, one senior support investigator, four support investigators, one social welfare examiner, two account clerk typists and one clerk typist.
As the child support coordinator, Fisher has to regulate everything that goes on within the unit.
From left, District 1 Legislator Martin P. Kelly, Child Support Coordinator Keith Fisher, Child Support Investigator Christina Smith,, Child Support Investigator Josefina Alamo, Clerk Typist Nancy Dreaney, Account Clerk Typist Chris Moore, Director of Finance Michele Russo, Deputy Commissioner of Social Services Thomas Lippie and Chairman and District 4 Legislator Robert Headwell Jr.
"Basically, I have to oversee everything. I make sure the people who are going to court are reviewing every aspect that they are supposed to. We deal with a lot of money. I have to regulate the daily and monthly reconciliations. The phone calls that come in, people who stop in for interviews," Fisher said.
Although the job descriptions vary, the staff works simultaneously to assist families in Montgomery County.
"Each employee does their role as far as helping to ensure the department runs smoothly," Fisher said.
The Child Support Unit works to assist the custodial party, or the individual who lives with the child and has primary care of the child with the tools and resources they need to help them provide both financially and medically for their families. The non-custodial party is the parent who does not have physical custody of the child. New York law states that parents are financially responsible for their children until the age of 21.
The Child Support Unit offers many services to the public such as locating non-custodial parents, establishment of paternity, assisting clients in preparing and filing appropriate support modification and violation petitions, as well as collecting, monitoring and disbursing all support payments. They help parties that reside in or have an order in Montgomery County. They also work with other counties throughout the state. Employees work closely with the court system and are involved in any child-related services throughout DSS.
"We are very fair, we just assist with getting the financial support," Fisher said.
Employees enforce the collection of unpaid support by various administrative means such as Income and Property Executions (bank accounts), Driver's License, Business & Gaming License Suspensions, Federal and State Tax Withholdings and Property/Asset Seizures as well as reporting to the Credit Bureaus.
Fisher said the department receives an incentive based on their productivity and this helps bring revenue into the county. The state and federal government evaluates the department yearly. Funds are distributed to each county based on their productivity.
"It's a smooth running department, they have really professional staff and do excellent service and I think that's been evident since I've been here," Department of Social Services Commissioner Michael McMahon said. "They are unsung heroes, as many of them are over here," he said. "They do great things."