Incorporating Shared Parenting into Title IV-D

Michael Hayes – Deputy for Family Initiatives

State Public Policy As Guide

The public policy of this state is to: • Assure that children will have frequent and

continuing contact with parents who have shown the ability to act in the best interest of the child;

• Provide a safe, stable and nonviolent environment for the child; and

• Encourage parents to share in the rights and duties of raising their child after the parents have separated or dissolved their marriage. (Texas Family Code 153.001)

Problems parents in the IV-D program report

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Other parent will not let you see the children*

Do not know where the children live*

Do not know what the court order says aboutvisitation

Other parent does not see the children enough

Other parent does not bring the chidren home ontime after visits

Children are not safe with the other parent

Child does not want to go visit the other parent*

Children live too far away to visit them

There has been hitting and fighting betweenparents*

CP NCP

* Statistical significance

What IV-D staff used to do

0102030405060708090

100

Tell parent childsupport and

parenting time aretwo separate

issues

Tell parents there'snothing child

support can doSuggest the parentcontact an attorney

Refer parents tocommunity services

Refer parent to aspecific worker inthe child supportagency for help

usually sometimes never

What IV-D staff think about access issues

Broad approach to shared parenting services

Access and Visitation Hotline Toll-free, legal education line for noncustodial and custodial parents

Companion legal web site www.txaccess.org

A&V On-line Directory A&V providers by county/services—on IV-D staff desktops

https://www.oag.state.tx.us/cs/access/

Grants to community-/faith-based organizations and local governments Services include: co-parenting education, mediation, supervised visitation,

and legal assistance for enforcement Shared Parenting Project

On-site facilitator at two Child Support units to resolve parenting disputes Parenting Order Legal Clinics - 25 sites

Monthly legal clinics for parents with IV-D child support orders Publications designed to promote cooperative parenting

“For Our Children” “My Sticker Calendar” “Know Before Your Go”

Resources for IV-D staff for referrals

Texas Access and Visitation Hotline

Texas Access and Visitation Provider Map

Resources for IV-D staff to share

Got Visitation? The OAG Child Support Division, in collaboration with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, now offers free legal clinics to answer parents’ visitation questions.

Please help us: Give parents (custodial and non-custodial) a flyer and ask them to bring all court orders to the next clinic.

Event: In a town hall-style meeting, attorneys explain legal terms, help parents understand their orders, and how to change/enforce orders. OAG attorneys may be present for child support/medical support questions.

Link: http://texaslawhelp.org/link.cfm?2412Lists over 30 monthly clinics by time, date, and location/where to call for free child care/Spanish interpreter.

To Get Flyers: Or other visitation resources, contact the Shared Parenting Coordinator, Anita Stuckey (512) 460-6437 anita.stuckey@cs.oag.state.tx.us

Got Visitation? The OAG Child Support Division, in collaboration with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, now offers free legal clinics to answer parents’ visitation questions.

Please help us: Give parents (custodial and non-custodial) a flyer and ask them to bring all court orders to the next clinic.

Event: In a town hall-style meeting, attorneys explain legal terms, help parents understand their orders, and how to change/enforce orders. OAG attorneys may be present for child support/medical support questions.

Link: http://texaslawhelp.org/link.cfm?2412Lists over 30 monthly clinics by time, date, and location/where to call for free child care/Spanish interpreter.

To Get Flyers: Or other visitation resources, contact the Shared Parenting Coordinator, Anita Stuckey (512) 460-6437 anita.stuckey@cs.oag.state.tx.us

IV-D staff in partnership with legal aid