At a ceremony today, Cabinet officials announced the state’s top 10 contracting officials, as measured by their combined performance in child support establishment, paternity establishment, current support collection and collection of past-due support. The Cabinet, which administers child support enforcement jointly with local contractors, rated the performance of contractors in all 120 Kentucky counties during the fiscal year that ended July 1.

In most instances, the Kentucky Division of Child Support contracts with a county attorney to administer its work, but in some cases a special prosecutor can be appointed.

In second and third place for the 2003 fiscal year was special prosecutor Steven Dallas, for his record of child support enforcement in Harrison and Owen counties. Dallas, who handles child support contracting for four counties, was also ranked fifth for his handling of child support cases in Boone County and eighth for his child support achievements in Gallatin County.

Other honorees, in rank order, are fourth place, Adair County Attorney Jennifer Hutchinson-Corbin; sixth place, Larue County Attorney Dale Morris; seventh place, Allen County Attorney William Hagenbuch, Jr; ninth place, Washington County Attorney Hamilton Simms; and tenth place, Green County Attorney Jeff Eastham.

Other county contractors were honored for their rates of improvement in child support enforcement activities over the last year.

Breathitt County Attorney Brendon Miller was recognized for having the greatest increase in collections statewide, jumping 45 spots, from 87^{th statewide in FY 03 to 42nd statewide in FY 04. Breathitt County increased its paternity establishment ratio by 18.75 percent and boosted its child support order establishment ratio by 15.19 percent.}

Counties which increased their paternity or child support order establishment ratios by 10 percent or more and those with 5 percent or greater increases in current support or arrears collections were also honored. They are:

Cabinet Secretary Dr. James W. Holsinger Jr. said local child support contractors deserve much credit for helping Kentucky achieve some of the nation’s highest rates of improvement on all measures of child support enforcement. He said their efforts have an impact on other Cabinet programs and services, also.

"The quality of the child support program contributes strongly to the success of other Cabinet services," Holsinger said. "By helping establish paternity, adoption services are improved by the work of child support enforcement contractors and their efforts also play a role in helping families move from welfare to work by helping them obtain financial support that can pave the way to self-sufficiency."

Over the past two years, the Cabinet and its local contractors have worked to eliminate duplication of duties and improve the accuracy and organization of child support data. The contractors now bear most responsibility for direct services to clients, while the Cabinet provides technical assistance, case reviews and other forms of support to its contractors.

The Cabinet recently received certification of its automated child support system by the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement for meeting all standards for a variety of efficiency measures, including case establishment and management, enforcement and maintenance of client privacy.