By Amy Lindholm, SCAO-FOCB Management Analyst and Pundit
editor
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| Mark Vermeer |
Mark Vermeer recently retired from the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office after working there for over 32 years, and for its Family Division since 1998. He became well-known in Michigan’s child support program through his service on leadership groups, workgroups, and special committees.
Mark started his career interning during law school, working on appellate briefs for termination of parental rights cases. He continued as an employee after graduating law school in May 1987. He worked in the Juvenile Division for three years and in criminal prosecution for about seven years.
Mark remembers that when he began working for the Family Division in October 1998, it was a week before the annual Michigan Family Support Council Fall Conference in Boyne, where he first learned the nuts and bolts of child support. From that point on, Mark says he learned everything he knows about child support establishment through an informal mentorship from Jack Imhoff, who had started Kent County’s prosecuting attorney family division.
During his tenure, Mark saw many different leaders within Michigan’s child support program, including: three Office of Child Support (OCS) directors; three Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan directors; four Kent County Friend of the Court directors; and two Kent County Prosecuting Attorneys.
Proudest career memories
Mark was invited to join the Program Leadership Group (PLG) while Marilyn Stephen was OCS director. He is proud of the invitation and the opportunity to give voice to establishment viewpoints. Mark also noted that his experience with PLG was incredibly rewarding because of the people he served with on PLG and the opportunity to exchange different viewpoints with them and learn as a group. Similarly, Mark says that during his time on the Contract Performance Standards (CPS) Steering Committee he was proud to see the partners develop meaningful measures together that are helpful rather than punitive.
Mark also greatly values his time with the Establishment Work Improvement Team since the early 2000s. He liked this group in particular because most of the members are establishment workers, “So they’re kindred spirits.” Mark says that beyond relating to group members over common interests in prosecutors’ work, many became friends over the years.
Changes in the program
Mark is optimistic about the future of Michigan’s child support program because he has seen a move from a “directive,” or top-down approach to a more collaborative approach. He says that when he first started working in the child support program, there was not much room for partner agencies to influence the direction of OCS policies. Today, however, he sees OCS Director Erin Frisch asking partners for input and consensus when making decisions. For example, all of the partners worked together in developing the new CPS.
Advice for someone new to child support establishment
To a child support novice, Mark says, “Study and learn the statutes, court rules, and the child support formula so that you can be an expert at all of those topics. Of course, that takes some time. Start by
knowing the
Paternity Act, the
Family Support Act, the
Revocation of Paternity Act, and the
child support formula. Remember that you’re working in the best interests of the children and not necessarily the mother or father – keep your focus on the children.”
Mark also urges new establishment workers to branch out from their daily assigned tasks. “
Get involved with things like WITs, Joint Application Design groups, workgroups. Go to conferences, go to trainings, get to know people outside of your own office so that you can have a network for questions, direction, and support.”
Mark recognizes that staffing, time, and expenses do not always allow for in-person participation, but he still advocates for it as much as possible. “Don’t just hole up in your office. Participating actively to the extent you’re able enriches you and the whole program. You establish relationships better in person and your voice can be heard better in person sometimes.”
Support for children
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| Mark Vermeer with his wife and grandchildren. |
Mark and his wife have been restoring a vintage Airstream trailer, and they are thrilled to start taking it around the country this year. Mark is also really looking forward to extra time at home in his retirement. As he reflected on the time he will be able to spend with his grandchildren and how important they are to him, he had a final reminder to share with everyone in the program. “Don’t lose sight of the fact that the work we do is worthwhile, beneficial, and provides an opportunity for children they might not otherwise have to have both parents in their lives and be supported by both parents.”
