County’s amnesty program helps those who owe child support

It's amnesty week for people who owe unpaid child support in Clark County.

That means those with a bench warrant or a suspended driver's license because they're behind in payments can clear up the penalty if they make a payment by Saturday.

The office overseeing back child support will be open additional hours during the week and on Saturday, and will be accepting credit card payments for the first time on Saturday.

"Really, what we're looking for is a commitment to work with us," said Teresa Lowry, who heads the Family Support Division within the Clark County district attorney's office. "They need to come in and make a really good-faith child support payment.

"We're looking for sustained payments -- consistent, predictable payments."

About half of the department's 74,000 cases are in some state of delinquency. This fiscal year, $150 million in child support is owed, but only about $73 million of that has been distributed.

The department tried something similar in 2009, timed to coincide with the holidays, and collected a little more than $200,000. This time, they're using the back-to-school season to encourage deadbeat parents to tend to their responsibilities.

"We hope this special program will bring the children involved the money they need for school supplies, new clothes and school lunches," Lowry said.

Those who don't take this opportunity to catch up on delinquent child support could face aggressive collection efforts later, she added, including contempt of court charges or even time in jail.

This year's amnesty started Monday.

"We had a line outside the door before we even opened," Lowry said. "The response has been steady and positive."

What hasn't been positive for some time is Southern Nevada's economic climate, and the child support office has seen some of those effects. In addition to collections, the office hears requests for modifying the amount of child support due if a parent's circumstances have changed.

With job losses throughout the economy, that description fits many people.

"We've seen a significant spike in the number of modification requests," Lowry said. "I think it's reasonable to link that to the economy."

Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861.