Colorado Works families can now receive child support

With the implementation of Senate Bill 15-012 last month, kids in families receiving Colorado Works can now also benefit from full child support payments. Research indicates that parents who pay child support are more likely to visit their children and influence how they are raised. Plus, parents are more likely to pay child support on time, because they see that the money goes directly toward their child’s needs.

“When children can get financial support from both parents, everyone benefits,” said Reggie Bicha, executive director of the Colorado Department of Human Services. “Children are less likely to live in poverty, parents who live with their children become more self-sufficient, and non-custodial parents form stronger relationships with their children. Even if the child support payment is modest, it helps.”

Colorado Works provides families with temporary cash assistance and helps connect them with employment, education and training so they can become self-sufficient. The program is called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families at the federal level. The new policy will lead to an estimated $4.2 million in child support each year directed to more than 7,000 Colorado families who receive Colorado Works.

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