Cassopolis, Michigan, December 16, 2024 – The Cass County Friend of the Court announces the establishment of an Alternative Contempt Track (ACT) program to assist payers of child support to overcome barriers that negatively impact their ability to make consistent child support payments. The ACT program is a voluntary, year-long program that allows a payer of child support to work directly with the Friend of the Court Program Services Co-Ordinator to address challenges that are impacting their ability to pay their child support. During the program, the participants check in weekly with the FOC Program Services Coordinator to work on specific goals as part of a case service plan. Participants also have a hearing one to two times a month in front of Probate/Family Court Judge Carol M. Bealor to discuss their progress on their case service plan.
The ACT program is specifically designed to help parents address barriers that impact their ability to financially support their children and to be actively involved in their children’s lives. These challenges and barriers can include things such as chronic unemployment, homelessness, lack of transportation, substance abuse, and lack of education. The goal of the ACT program is to connect payers of child support with service providers in the community to support and help them address challenges so they can financially and emotionally support their children.
According to Cass County Friend of the Court Director, Sarah Mathews, “Many of the child support payers in our community struggle with transportation and other issues that impact their ability to regularly meet their child support obligations. The ACT program provides an opportunity for the Friend of the Court to connect parents with the resources they need to get on track with their child support payments. It truly takes a village to raise a child, and the ACT program allows payers of child support a way to connect with this village.”
The Support and Parenting Time Act was amended in 2015 to allow Friend of the Court Offices to implement ACT programs if appropriate for their community. Courts that wish to implement an ACT Program through their Friend of the Court must submit a plan for the program to the State Court Administrator’s Office and have the plan approved. The Cass County Friend of the Court joins Allegan, Ottawa, Emmet, and St. Clair counties in providing an ACT Program for child support payers in Michigan.
Individuals who are interested in participating in or assisting with the ACT Program should contact the Cass County Friend of the Court Program Services Coordinator, Amanda Wicker, by calling the FOC directly at (269) 445-4436.
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