Improving Engagement in Child Support Debt Reduction Programs

The New York City Human Resources Administration’s Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) lifts tens of thousands of NYC children out of poverty every year. OCSS serves parents and guardians regardless of their income or immigration status. OCSS has implemented several debt reduction programs to prevent and reduce child support debt accumulation by low-income noncustodial parents. However, its biggest challenge is low program participation, with an estimated tens of thousands of eligible noncustodial parents not engaging. Tasked with offering tangible solutions to increase engagement, the Capstone team created and administered a qualitative analysis to fully understand the issues and barriers noncustodial parents face. The analysis included an extensive literature review and interviews with noncustodial parents and various stakeholders—including debt reduction program service providers and community-based organization leaders. The team compiled a final report with recommendations that include a framework for increasing participation in OCSS debt reduction programs.