Two contracts for child support services were approved during the March 21 meeting of the Cuyahoga County Health and Human Service and Aging committee. Rick Wiler, Manager at the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency, provided testimony for both contracts.
The first contract was worth $11.6 million. It runs from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018, and is an agreement between the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, the county prosecutor’s office and the county, for services related to child support, and the enforcement of child support. The total amount would be divided up as follows:
- Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas/Division of Domestic Relations $3.98 million
- Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas/Division of Juvenile Court $3.7 million
- Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office $3.98 million
Councilman Dale Miller inquired why this contract was coming in front of the HHS committee in the middle of March, even though it will be applied retroactively to the beginning of the year. Wiler replied that this is due to timing, as the process to put together and execute the contract can only be done after the county budget is decided. Councilwoman Nan Baker followed, asking if there is any way that the process of drafting the documents and contracts can be completed sooner, to get the contracts to County Council quicker. Wiler said there is not, as the agencies do not have their budgets finalized until the county’s budget is finalized, and any agreements cannot exceed the agency budgets. Wiler asked that the committee pass the agreement under second reading suspension, as the contracts need to be finalized quickly. The committee voted to pass the contracts out of committee, to the full council, under second reading suspension.
Two contracts for child support services - worth nearly $12 million - awarded by County HHSA committee Click To TweetThe second contract, worth $107,826, was also for child support services. The money was divided between the Cuyahoga County Treasurer’s Office which received $73,484, and the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas/Division of Juvenile Court/Cashiers Department, which received $34,342.
The contract is a cooperative agreement between the County Treasurer’s office and Juvenile Court. It allows for a County Treasurer’s office cashier to be located in the cashier’s office of Juvenile Court. This allows for individuals who are ordered to pay child support, and want to pay in cash, to be able to do that in the Juvenile Court building, instead of going downtown. There were no questions, and the contract was moved to Council under second reading suspension.
The committee then heard an informational presentation about the Ryan White program. Presenters were Kimberlin Dennis, a 24-year survivor of HIV, who serves as co-chair of the Cuyahoga Regional HIV Health Services Planning Council and Melissa Rodrigo, Supervisor of the Ryan White Program at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the committee was adjourned.