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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Parents who are behind on child support payments are encouraged to participate in the Child Support Program’s Amnesty Project. The temporary effort is intended to help parents establish regular support payments for their children. The project will run from June 1 through June 30, 2016.

“The majority of parents in North Dakota do a good job of supporting their children. But while nearly 75 percent of the current support is paid when it is due each month, there are still about 18,000 parents who owe past-due support,” said Jim Fleming, director of the Child Support Program, a division of the North Dakota Department of Human Services.

Fleming said nearly $259 million is owed in past-due support. Adding privately-enforced child support cases, past-due support climbs to $349.4 million. There are 7,654 parents who owe more than $10,000 in past-due support with 3,325 of those parents owing $25,000 or more.

“This project provides a fresh start for parents who are behind on paying support. They can get back on track and stay on track with ongoing, sustainable payments for their children, Fleming said. “The children will benefit by having more regular and reliable payments.”

The first step parents should take is to contact Child Support to talk about their case. The Amnesty Project has a match incentive. For every $2 paid toward past-due support, eligible parents can receive a matching credit of $1 toward any accrued interest or to past-due support assigned by the state.

In addition, parents will have a chance to enter into a payment plan with a reduced or waived down-payment in exchange for paying current support and an affordable contribution toward past-due support. If a payment plan is signed, Child Support will reinstate any suspended licenses and will suggest to the court that any outstanding warrants for non-payment of court-ordered child support be dismissed.

Fleming said the Amnesty Project will help parents who have owed past-due support for a long time get back on the right path and get out of debt and will also help parents who have experienced temporary reductions in income and who need a little time or help to catch up on support payments.

Parents who are behind on child support payments and are interested in participating in the Amnesty Project should contact Child Support. Contact information is online at www.childsupportnd.com. Offices are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This is the first time the North Dakota Child Support program has offered an Amnesty Program.

The North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Child Support Program serves about 66,400 children per year by helping disburse nearly $158 million in support payments to their families. The program also helps to establish paternity and child support orders, and takes enforcement against those parents who are not supporting their children.