Sherburne County ranks near the top when it comes to collecting child support payments.

 

The 2018 Fiscal Year Performance Report released by the Minnesota Dep. of Human Services shows the county ranks high on the list in almost every category.

The report compares performances of other counties in the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators (MACSSA) region.

 

“Compared to counties in our region, we’re doing very well in some areas and better than most and better than the state average,” says Child Support Supervisor Kristie Hermanson.

 

On paternities established,  Sherburne County is at 105.04% compared to the state average of 101.23%.

 

The statewide average for (court) orders established is 88.32%. Sherburne County is at 91.68%.

 

“Collections on current child support is one of the highest performance measures that is focused on - to have your current collections at 80%,” says Hermanson.

The statewide average is 74.94% - below the benchmark. But Sherburne County’s percentage is 81.17%, and has been above the 80% benchmark for the past four years.

 

Statewide collections on arrears (prior years child support) is 72.45%. Sherburne County is at 77.48%, fourth best in the state. 

 

Perhaps the biggest indicator of how well a county’s child support collection system is working is the cost effectiveness measure - or how much it costs the county to collect child support.

 

The federal benchmark is $5 and the statewide average is $3.26 collected for every dollar spent. Sherburne County’s is $6.75 per dollar spent, sixth highest in the state and well above the federal benchmark.

 

“We’re very cost effective and efficient in how we’re doing the program,” says Hermanson.

 

For the federal fiscal year of 2018, the county collected $11,896,338.33 in current-year child support, covering 3,508 cases. 

 

The number one way to collect child support is through income withholding.

 

“We send an income withholding notice to an employer, or an unemployment agency or workman’s compensation agency,” says Hermanson.

 

That agency mails the funds to a payment center in St. Paul where the money us dispersed to a parent, grandparent, foster care provider or the state.

 

Other methods of collecting include tax refund intercepts, driver’s license suspensions, occupational license suspension and contempt of court collections.

 

There are also out-of-state cases and out-of-county cases where Sherburne County assists with collections.

 

“One of the reasons we’re so successful in Sherburne County is the cooperation we have with the county attorney’s office,” says Hermanson. “They take these cases into court and get us the court authority to get payment.”

 

Sherburne County’s staff for child support collections include Hermanson, 12 child support officers and two support enforcement aids.

 

In 2018, the county ranked tied for 10th for the most caseloads in the state.

 

“We’re always busy,” says Hermanson.