A Day in the Life (cont'd)

Don’t know who the daddy of your kid is? Who you gonna call? Family Support! Momma left you with the kids and you think she ought to pay? Who you gonna call? Family Support! Is the ex not paying the support ordered in the Divorce Decree? Who you gonna call? Family Support!

We were admonished in the Law Enforcement Training Academy not to be caught smiling at grizzly accident or crime scenes. It seemed an unnecessary warning until investigating a horrific multiple fatality accident on I70 when it became apparent that if you weren’t going to break down and cry you probably fought it off with a stupid grin. That’s the same way I feel about what I do at Family Support.

Each morning I power up the mighty Dell Optiplex GX620 at my desk and start bringing up IBM Reflection sessions along with Outlook and an extensive array of links available through my Explorer browser. The purpose of all this state-of-the-art technology is simply this: determine who the parents of children are and find a way to make them financially responsible. Part of our public relations spin is that we are saving the taxpayers millions of dollars, which is probably true in that the State has somehow become obligated to support these kids if their parents won’t.

Our office alone has nearly 90,000 cases, and if you conservatively estimate two children per case then you’re talking 180,000 kids that unknowingly look to DAFS to keep their family finances afloat. I’m not a math whiz, but I think that figure is knocking on the door of 10% of the metropolitan population. It’s a sad indictment of what is happening to our society (but I’m sure that King George’s amendment to ban gay marriage will make it all right when he manages to get it railroaded through). So, if you happen to see me between 7 AM and 6 PM each Monday through Thursday I’ll just be sitting here with a stupid grin on my face. It’s a better public image than sobbing.