***MEDIA ADVISORY***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2021

ELKHART COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S CHILD SUPPORT OFFICE COLLECTIONS HIGHEST IN HISTORY, EXCITED ABOUT ENHANCED ACCESS FOR COMMUNITY

Media Contact: Vicki Elaine Becker (574) 296-1888

Despite the extraordinary challenges faced in 2020, the Elkhart County Child Support Division facilitated the collection of more than Twenty-Five Million Dollars in child support last year. The $25,373,916.00 amount is the largest amount collected in Elkhart County history and a 13% increase over 2019. As an auditing practice each year, child support cases are randomly selected and reviewed at the state level for overall performance. In 2020, the Elkhart County Child Support office achieved a 100% success rating for the third year in a row on federal requirements in, “Case Closure, Enforcement, Disbursements, Medical support and Interstate actions.” Indiana currently ranks 7th in the nation for overall child support program performance.

Beginning April 5, 2021, the Elkhart County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is excited to announce the deployment of their web-based Child Support Program Participant Portal. This online access will allow current and new program participants to access Child Support forms to enroll, upload documents, change an address, update employment or simply submit a question about their case from the comfort of their home. Once a submission is made through the portal, a tracking number will be assigned allowing participants to track the status of their submission via the portal or email. To access the portal, please visit our website at www.elkhartcountyprosecutor.com

In conjunction with the deployment of the new program participant portal, a marketing campaign via social media will be launched to help current and future child support program participants become more aware of the numerous “no fee” services available to them. The combined project will help Elkhart County Child Support achieve their goal of helping families become more self-sufficient both financially, and medically.

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“Under Indiana law, all persons arrested for a criminal offense are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”