Maryland program helps non-custodial parents find employment
A program in Maryland has been helping non-custodial parents find employment for the past two years. The program, called Re-engaging Individuals Through Successful Employment (RISE), operates in the five-county region known as Mid-Shore in the state. The program was created by the Caroline County Department of Social Services with Chesapeake College.
The non-custodial parents looking for jobs typically have not paid their child support. There are some 200 parents active in the program, while 116 were able to acquire full-time employment as forklift operators or construction road crew flaggers. The parents are certified in Maryland and Delaware to work their jobs.
The Caroline DSS child support lead supervisor said, “The program gives individuals a skill-set to obtain a job that pays a living wage that will support both their children and themselves. Since inception, we have collected more than $370,000 from RISE participants who were not paying child support.”
Aside from forklift operations training and flagger training, parents in the program will also be able to train for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine training and for four Occupational Safety and Health Administration certificates. Parents can also take classes that help improve their skills in resume writing, interpersonal skills and learning how to be on-time.
The Maryland Department of Human Resources Child Support Enforcement Association funds the RISE program through a grant. The grant provides training, transportation and equipment for the members of the program. The members of the program can use the funding for transportation for up to six weeks and to purchase equipment such as safety vests, goggles, hard hats, steel-toed boots and reflective vests.
Caroline DSS and Chesapeake College work in conjunction with the judicial system in the county to create a schedule of courses for parents who currently have child support orders issued. In the near future, courses will be offered in Dorchester and Kent counties at correctional facilities.
An experienced family law attorney can answer all of your questions regarding child support in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Source: Times-Record, “RISE Program helps non-custodial parents find jobs,” April 14, 2017
