Blagojevich Announces Illinois Child Support Collection Milestone

Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced that the state's Deadbeat Parents Web site has recovered $500,000 in unpaid child support. The site was launched in 2003 by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services' Division of Child Support Enforcement and is one of the innovative steps the administration has taken to hold non-custodial parents accountable for supporting their children.

"In Illinois we are thinking and acting outside the box to make sure that our children and the parents raising them have the financial support they need," said Blagojevich. "The success of the Deadbeat Parent Web site shows that non-custodial parents are getting the message that if you are a parent who is not meeting your child support obligations, there will be consequences for your actions."

Payments attributed to the Deadbeat Parent Web site are those made by individuals as a result of having their profiles posted on the site. The site is used as a last resort mechanism to collect unpaid child support from the individuals who owe the largest amounts of unpaid child support and who otherwise would not make payments. Parents whose photos are featured on the Web site, owe more than $5,000 in past due child support based on an Illinois court or administrative order. Some parents on the site owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid support. The information is publicized with the consent or at the request of the custodial parent involved.

"Having your picture available over the Internet as a notice to the world that you do not support your children is powerful incentive to make payments on back child support. Much of this $500,000 has been collected due to parents' shame at being on the Deadbeat Parent Web site. This Web site has been a wonderful tool in helping the Department fulfill our mission to improve the lives of children across Illinois," said Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Barry S. Maram.

Blaine Ozment was featured on the site after he moved out of state, according to a release from the Governor's Office, leaving a child support debt of more than $40,000. After posting his profile on the Deadbeat Parent Web site, the Department received a tip detailing his current residence. He is now making regular payments for his child.

"It's not just the Web site, to be perfectly honest. It's all the services the state offers," said Tammy Elliott, who had a child with Ozment, according to the release. "For the longest time, I couldn't get any support out of my ex. It was through the services that the state provided that he finally realized that this was serious. He has been making payments consistently over the last year, and I think it's really helpful that when you Google his name, the first thing you see is the Deadbeat Parents Web site."

The Web site is one of many innovative steps taken since Gov. Blagojevich took office to make sure children and custodial parents receive the child support they need. In February the governor announced a partnership between the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, under which deadbeat parents must resolve unpaid child support debt before they are able to purchase hunting or fishing licenses.

Last month, HFS announced a joint effort with Secretary of State Jesse White in suspending drivers licenses for parents who fail to pay child support. These changes have helped produce results. In fiscal year 2007, the Illinois child support collections reached $1.22 billion, an increase of more than 7 percent from the $1.14 billion record-breaking collections for the state in fiscal year 2006. In 2001, by comparison, $726 million was collected.

As a result, Illinois is being recognized as a national leader in child support enforcement. In September 2007, Illinois