Michigan Child Support Uses Agile Approach to Strategic Planning

By Maureen Leif, J.D., President, Grays Peak Strategies 

Partner agencies collaborate in
the Michigan Child Support Program.

Often the mention of strategic planning elicits a nonenthusiastic sigh. It can be difficult to get excited about strategic planning. Typically, a lot of work is done at the executive level, and a plan is developed and rolled out to all levels of the organization for everyone to follow. 

The Michigan Child Support Program[1] (“Program”) wanted to approach its new strategic plan differently and began a process of revamping the plan this year. The Program Leadership Group (PLG) decided that the new plan would be a three-year plan and take the program through 2020. Grays Peak Strategies was hired to help facilitate the process and recommended Agile strategic planning.[2]

Putting Our Minds Together for Our Children

Meet Chief Judge Michael Petoskey and Chief Judge Bryan Newland

[This is the first article in a three-part series focusing on continued improvements to cross-court understanding between state and tribal courts through education and collaboration.]

This article features perspectives from the Pokagon Band
of Potawatomi Indians and the Bay Mills Indian Community.

Interacting with Native American Indian tribal courts on child support issues can present unique challenges, much like intergovernmental work, because each jurisdiction works on shared matters from a different set of rules. Over a century ago, the Lakota Sioux chief Sitting Bull said, “Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can make for our children.”[1]

Tribal and state courts can accomplish a lot by working together when the relationships are based upon mutual trust, respect, and professionalism.[2] In Michigan, there are 12 federally-recognized tribes. Two tribal court judges provided The Pundit with some insight into custody, parenting time, and child support matters from a tribal court perspective.

Judge Thane Offers Guidance on Child Support Agreements

Judge Nancy Thane

By Judge Nancy Thane, Presiding Judge, 54th Circuit Court Family Division

In our business, we always hope that “everyone can get along.”  We like to encourage parents to come to agreements and reach resolutions when it comes to their children.  After all, conflict is an enormous waste of time.  So, we should embrace agreements within our cases.  However, we still need to exercise caution for these agreements, especially when it relates to the support of a child. 

Below are several questions and answers related to the use of the Michigan child support formula (MCSF) when parties have reached an agreement related to child support.  These are designed to provide assistance to you when reviewing such agreements/orders.

After 37 Years, 'I Cannot Recall a Dull Moment'

Jeff Albaugh accepting the Daniel J. Wright Award.

Jeff Albaugh is a well-known figure in the Michigan IV-D child support program. You might know him from serving on a committee or work improvement team, or because he was honored in 2014 with the Daniel J. Wright Lifetime Achievement Award. Albaugh served as court administrator and friend of the court (FOC) director for Calhoun County Circuit Court from January 1, 1980, through his retirement date of September 26, 2017. He is the last-serving FOC director to have been appointed to his position by the governor.

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS: A Special Focus on Communication Tools for Courts

By Michelle Le Feve, Executive Director, Courtland Consulting

Today’s Communication Tools Increase Productivity & Team Collaboration

Courtland Consulting works with many courts, agencies, organizations, and businesses to share our knowledge of new tools and technology trends that can help people do their job and market their programs and services. This Technology Trends article is the third in a series to share opportunities to take advantage of new online tools to easily collaborate and save time when working on team projects or delivering services to customers.

Fall Child Support Conference Highlights

The Michigan Family Support Council (MFSC) put on another great conference October 4 – 6, 2017. This year there were 470 registered conference attendees from all across the state. The keynote speaker Linda Larsen kicked off the conference with motivational tips about fostering positivity like dedicating time each morning to reflect on gratitude. Office of Child Support Director Erin Frisch and Friend of the Court Bureau Director Steve Capps jointly presented the program’s new strategic plan at the closing of the conference, followed by a brief message from Scott Lekan, Commissioner of the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement.

Steve Capps (left) and Erin Frisch (right) present the new strategic plan.

Legal Corner - December 2017

"The Legal Corner" provides a summary of recent Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals decisions relevant to the child support program, as well as recently released state policies.

Enforcing with Purpose: Developing a Tool to Help Guide Child Support Enforcement

By: Paul Gehm, FOCB Management Analyst

You are working your alerts like a dutiful IV-D worker when you suddenly stop and scroll back up. Something caught your attention: the case – the one that always gives you and your office headaches. The payer’s time is up, again, and it is time to trigger another show cause hearing because the payments have not been made. Even show cause is hit or miss with this payer. Why does it work sometimes and other times not at all? When does enforcement work? Why does it work? What does it mean to be successful with enforcement? These and many other questions will be answered by the SCAO Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB) workgroup tasked with developing an enforcement manual. 

Collaboration within Michigan's Intergovernmental Community

Linda Bess

By: Linda Bess, Enforcement Officer at Calhoun County Friend of the Court

It has been my good fortune and privilege to have spent the majority of my 30+ year career at the Calhoun County Friend of the Court (FOC) working in the intergovernmental world (or interstate, as we used to call it, and “intergov,” as it is now known in its short form).

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS: A Special Focus on Graphic Design & Content Creation Tools

Michelle Le Feve

By: Michelle Le Feve, Courtland Consulting

[Editor’s Note:  This article is the second in a three-part series of articles that focus on the availability of technological resources to help courts collect information and perform efficiently.  While certain products are highlighted, this is not an endorsement of one product over another.]

Through my work with Courtland Consulting, I share knowledge of new tools and technology trends with many courts, agencies, organizations, and businesses.  These technological advances can help people do their jobs more efficiently and market programs and services more effectively.  This Technology Trends article is the second in a series that I am writing to share how people and companies are taking advantage of new online tools to collaborate and work on projects, saving time and money.

Fall Conference at Boyne Highlands - Register Now!

Boyne Highlands Resort, fall conference site.

Did you know that this is the 35th year of the fall Michigan Family Support Council (MFSC) conference? Two of its key organizers, Sheila Waldrop and Pam Sala, provided some insight into why the conference is held each year, the history of the conference, what to expect at this year’s conference, and why they are personally dedicated to making the conference happen.

Meet FOCB's New Analyst

Amy Lindholm

Amy Lindholm is the newest management analyst at the Michigan Supreme Court’s Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB). Amy earned her undergraduate degree at Kalamazoo College and her master’s degree from Grand Valley State University. Her master’s degree is in public administration with a focus in policy and planning. 

Beyond the Numbers: Patience Pays Off

Juan Rosario

Submitted by Juan Rosario. Juan is a case manager at Kent County Friend of the Court. Juan is thankful for his diverse life experiences from growing up in the Dominican Republic, New York City, and later Grand Rapids.

One dad whose story sticks with me is Deante.* When he first came in for an appointment to tell me about why he hadn’t been paying his support, he was really irritated with the friend of the court, and he didn’t trust me to help him.

He was well-spoken and told me about his dream job and the training he had done to get that job. But he had a felony on his record now, didn’t have housing, and didn’t get along with the mom on his case.

Legal Corner - August 2017

"The Legal Corner" provides a summary of recent Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals decisions relevant to the child support program, as well as recently released state policies.

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS: A Special Focus on Productivity and Survey Tools

By: Michelle LeFeve, Courtland Consulting

[Editor’s Note: This article begins a short series of articles that will focus on the availability of technological resources to help courts perform efficiently and collect information.  While certain products are highlighted, this is not an endorsement of one product over another.]

Technology Has Completely Changed the Way We Work and Communicate

My work at Courtland Consulting  allows me to share with many courts, agencies, organizations, and businesses our knowledge of new tools and technology trends that can help people do their job and market their programs and services.  This Technology Trends article is the first in a series that I will be writing to share how people and companies are taking advantage of new tools to collaborate and work on projects, which ultimately helps save time and money.

A Responsive Guide to Communicating Friend of the Court Resources

By: JoAnne Lockey-Sarrault

Case Manager, Cheboygan County Friend of the Court

The Friend of the Court (FOC) is a complex place to use resources.  Often, our clients are already on edge about the issues they must address with this arm of the Circuit Court — one’s family, finances, and very personal information.  There may be an element of fear involved, as this may be the first time a client has had to conduct FOC business.  This is especially true if clients are acting on their own, attempting to navigate the complicated procedures and legal language that are the fundamental pieces of any domestic relations case.

What Are You Posting Online? – Effectively Using Social Media in Child Support Cases

Social media is a valuable tool for support specialists, prosecutors, and friend of the court investigators. Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, have been used as effective means to locate parents and to clarify information received from parties.

Using Technology to Ease Document Exchange in Intergovernmental Cases

As states prepared to pass the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), the U.S. Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) began developing an application for states to electronically exchange child support documents and UIFSA forms. The Electronic Document Exchange (EDE) was released to the states in 2014, creating a secure way for states to efficiently exchange case information and supporting documentation in intergovernmental cases.

Good Things Do Come Free: Free Resources for Your Court

In today’s economy, every penny saved is a penny earned; this saying is especially true when it comes to the Michigan court system. As Michigan’s courts attempt to provide an exceptional level of service, there is an equal struggle to save court funds. Thankfully, there are a multitude of free resources the courts can use to help perform everyday duties. The following are a few examples of free resources:

Legal Corner - May 2017

MICHIGAN COURT OF APPEALS DECISIONS

PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED SEE: http://courts.mi.gov/courts/coa/opinions/pages/zipfiles.aspx

March 2017 Edition - PDF

Click on the link below to access the entire March 2017 Edition as one pdf.

Pundit - March 2017

Muskegon County's Holistic Approach to Child Support is Becoming a National Model

By Jane Hess

MSC Public Information Office

Muskegon County’s creative and collaborative approach to administering child support has other states taking notice.

In 2012, Muskegon’s prosecuting attorney and chief judge determined that the public in Muskegon County would be better served by having their offices combine resources to provide in one location the services that were formerly provided separately.  

Justice on a Planet with No Atmosphere

Imagine you are on a planet with no atmosphere.  Much like our moon there may be great mountains, stunning vistas, sweeping plains, and more beauty than you could ever imagine.  But with no atmosphere, you cannot experience it to the fullest because you are forced to wear a protective space suit. 

Sometimes courts can come across the same way.  Court processes and services are designed to deliver fair and just results, but sometimes, they end up depriving court users of a true sense of what they are going through.

The Hague Convention and What it Means For the Child Support Program

Why do I keep hearing about this convention?

In early 2007, the Hague Conference on Private International Law called for a convention to improve cooperation between countries to effectively recover international child support and other family maintenance. In November of 2007, The Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (“the Convention”) released a list of recommendations and a uniform law for participating countries, all aimed at the collection and disbursement of international child support. The Convention was signed by all participating parties, including the United States (US); however, this would not be effective until further action was taken by the US Senate.

The Importance of Screening Friend of the Court Cases for Domestic Abuse

No Friend of the Court office (FOC) can adequately anticipate when violent acts will occur. However, identifying domestic abuse early in a case allows the FOC to take proper precautions to promote the safety of the parties, their children, and court personnel. In addition, identifying domestic abuse early in a case allows the FOC to gather information about the parties’ circumstances that is needed to provide a sound factual basis for judges and referees who must issue orders governing the parties.  

How common is domestic abuse in the state of Michigan? According to the Michigan Incident Crime Reporting (MICR) statistics for 2009 (the most recent year with completed data), there were 103,331 offenses of domestic abuse reported to law enforcement.

Weaver v. Giffels – Case Summary and Impact On FOCs

Although child support obligations generally end when a child reaches the age of eighteen, there are limited circumstances where the court may make an exception. If the child reaches 18, but is attending high school full-time and residing on a full-time basis with the child support recipient, the support obligation may continue. In the recent State of Michigan Court of Appeals case, Weaver v. Giffels, the court decided that “residing on a full-time basis with the child support recipient” means the child must physically live at the residence of the child support recipient and intend to make that place the child’s permanent residence. Ultimately, the case was returned to the trial court to determine whether the child resided with her mother full-time.

Legal Corner - March 2017

MICHIGAN COURT OF APPEALS DECISIONS

PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED SEE: http://courts.mi.gov/courts/coa/opinions/pages/zipfiles.aspx

Weaver v. Giffels, opinion of the Court of Appeals, released November 10, 2016. (Docket No. 327844). In determing whether a child is residing with a parent on a full-time basis for the purpose of contining child support, the custody and parenting time order is irrelevant because the order no longer applies to an 18-year-old; rather, full-time basis refers to the child’s physical presence at the child support recipient’s residence combined with the child’s intent to reside there permanently.