ADOPTED - MAY 11, 1999

Agenda Item No. 14

Introduced by the Finance Committee of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION REGARDING FUNDING CUSTODY & PARENTING TIME ACTIVITIES

RESOLUTION #99-118

WHEREAS, the Michigan Friend of the Court system faces serious funding restrictions in relation to funding of non-IV-D activities; and

WHEREAS, the Federal waiver that has supported custody and parenting time enforcement, mediation and investigations will expire on October 1, 1999, resulting in a loss of between $10 million to $15 million to the State of Michigan; and

WHEREAS, it is anticipated that this loss will be passed on by the State to the local units of government that will result in potential decreased funding of $104,681 in 1999 and $418,724 in 2000 to the Ingham County Friend of the Court; and

WHEREAS, the loss of funding will result in non-IV-D mandated services being severely cut or the County will need to bear the burden of these expenses; and

WHEREAS, in 1998 the Ingham County Friend of the Court handled over 6,340 parenting time complaints, conducted over 1,716 custody and parenting time investigations, held 2,606 dispute resolution/mediation sessions, presented the SMILE program to parents; and

WHEREAS, the loss of funding of these services by the Friend of the Court will negatively impact the ability of parents to have access to their children for parenting time, in domestic relations cases; and

WHEREAS, statistics have shown that regular access to both parents creates a positive influence on a child's feelings of self-worth, enhancing his/her productivity in school and life; and

WHEREAS, statistics have further shown that regular access to their children greatly increases the likelihood of non-custodial parents paying weekly support and providing health insurance, thereby reducing the burden on the taxpayers of the State of Michigan.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners requests that the Legislature amend the Family Independence Agency's budget to include a line item of $15,000,000 to fund non-IV-D services to all Friend of the Court offices in the State of Michigan.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the County Clerk to Governor John Engler, the Michigan Association of Counties and our state legislative delegation.

FINANCE: Yeas: McDonald, Bernero, Grebner, Lynch, Juall, Minter

Nays: None Absent: Schafer Approved 5/5/99