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Summary

This program aimed to improve employment outcomes and the reliable payment of child support among noncustodial parents.

The CSPED provided noncustodial parents with case management, employment services, enhanced child support services, parenting classes, and domestic violence services. Each participant was assigned a case manager to assess needs and monitor progress. Employment services included job search assistance; job-readiness training; and assistance with job placement, job retention, and rapid reemployment following job loss. Participating sites were also encouraged, though not required, to provide job skills training, vocational training, education related to employment, and supportive services. Enhanced child support services included expedited review of child support orders, order modifications, reductions in arrears owed to the state, and temporary suspension of the use of some enforcement tools. Domestic violence services included screening, assessments, and referrals. The program also provided 16 hours of parenting classes that covered personal development, responsible fatherhood, and relationship skills. Participants were noncustodial parents who were being served by the child support program and were either not regularly making child support payments or were expected to have difficulty with payments because of lack of employment. Most services were provided within a one-year period.

This program took place in 18 sites across 8 states (California, Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin).

25370-Child Support Noncus
Populations and employment barriers: Parents, Noncustodial parents

Effectiveness rating and effect by outcome domain

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Outcome domain Term Effectiveness rating Effect in 2018 dollars and percentages Effect in standard deviations Sample size
Increase earnings Short-term Little evidence to assess support favorable $669 per year 0.032 4278
Long-term Little evidence to assess support unfavorable $-42 per year -0.002 6911
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Increase employment Short-term Little evidence to assess support 0% (in percentage points) 0.000 10158
Long-term Little evidence to assess support favorable 1% (in percentage points) 0.017 6912
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Decrease benefit receipt Short-term Little evidence to assess support unfavorable $36 per year 0.013 10161
Long-term Little evidence to assess support unfavorable $74 per year 0.027 10158
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Increase education and training All measurement periods No evidence to assess support
* This intervention was assessed as supported for this domain, meaning it achieved one or more statistically significant, favorable effects. However, the intervention has an average effect size that is unfavorable because the average includes all effects in this domain - both statistically significant and favorable effects and statistically insignificant but unfavorable effects.

Effectiveness rating key:

  • Well-supported Well-supported   
  • Supported  Supported   
  • Not supported  Not supported   
  • Mixed support  Mixed support   
  • Insufficient evidence  Insufficient evidence   
  • No evidence  No evidence
Effectiveness rating terms?

Studies of this intervention

Study quality rating Study counts per rating
High High 1
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Implementation details

Cost information

The average cost per participant was $2,491 in 2018 dollars.

This figure is based on cost information reported by authors of the study or studies the Pathways Clearinghouse reviewed for this intervention. The Pathways Clearinghouse converted that information to a single amount expressed in 2018 dollars; for details, see the FAQ. Where there are multiple studies of an intervention rated high or moderate quality, the Pathways Clearinghouse computed the average of costs reported across those studies.

Cost information is not directly comparable across interventions due to differences in the categories of costs reported and the amount of time interventions lasted. Cost information is not an official price tag or guarantee.

The information contained here reflects how the intervention was implemented at the time of the evaluation.

Local context

Characteristics of research participants
Black or African American
40%
White
33%
Asian
1%
American Indian or Alaska Native
1%
More than one race
3%
Unknown, not reported, or other
1%
Hispanic or Latino of any race
22%

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if the authors reported race and ethnicity separately; in these cases, we report the category White, rather than White, not Hispanic.

State(s) where implemented

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Canada

The Pathways Clearinghouse refers to interventions by the names used in study reports or manuscripts. Some intervention names may use language that is not consistent with our style guide, preferences, or the terminology we use to describe populations.

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