ACES, The Association for Children for Enforcement of Support. We banded together from 1984 until 2008 under the motto, “Together We Can” to improve child support laws and their enforcement throughout the USA. ACEs was founded by Geraldine Jensen in Toledo, Ohio.

Our History

 “ACES”, Association for Children for Enforcement of Support – History of the Organization

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ACES

— ACES Works! Improving Child Support for America’s Children —

1984	ACES is founded by  Geraldine Jensen in Toledo, Ohio. ACES successfully advocated for legal representation for welfare and non-welfare families entitled to support. ——
1985	Income withholding at the time an order is entered during divorce or paternity. Law passes Ohio Legislature. This is ACES’ first legislative advocacy! ACES opens an office upstairs in the YWCA building in downtown Toledo. ——
1986	ACES becomes the largest child support advocacy organization in the U.S. with 45 chapters in Ohio and chapters in 16 other states. ——
1987	The first national candlelight vigil is held on April 27. ACES president Geraldine Jensen testifies before Congress to outline problems with state child support systems and to advocate for a law for income withholding at the time of divorce or establishment of paternity. ——
1988	Family Support Act is passed by Congress; it includes ACES suggestions for income withholding, mandatory guidelines, and paternity establishment. ACES leaders from 15 states are appointed by governors to state guideline committees. Five states enact felony non-support laws due to ACES advocacy. ——
1989	ACES holds its first national “Golden Heart and Heartless Awards.” ACES files a federal lawsuit against the Texas Attorney General’s office. ACES successfully advocates for regulations for time frames for government child support agencies to follow. ——
1990	U.S. Interstate Commission on Child Support is established. ACES is represented by Geraldine Jensen. ACES leaders in 18 states participate at a public hearing held by the Commission. ——
1991	ACES’ book, “How To Collect Child Support” is published by Longmeadow Press. ——
1992	Congress enacted the 1992 Child Support Recovery Act, which makes it a federal crime on interstate cases if the non-payor fails to pay for one year or is $5,000 behind, whichever occurs first. ACES chapters throughout the nation advocated for this new law! ——
1993	A total of 100,000 families entitled to child support contact ACES for information. ACES is featured on several national TV shows and magazines. Thirty-four ACES leaders are appointed to serve on state child support guideline committees. ——
1994	Mercy Hospital donates a $100,000 building! ACES has a new home! ——
1995	ABC made for TV movie, “Abandoned and Deceived” airs. The movie is the story of ACES founding and highlights the plight of families owed child support. ——
1996	ACES successfully advocates for the government to become a model employer for child support by the implementation of personnel policies that require government employees to meet Child Support obligations this policy is for all Federal Employees. Ten states and the cities of Chicago and Toledo followed by uniformly adopting these policies for State and City workers. ——
1997	ACES successfully advocates for a general accounting office investigation of the state's $2.6 billion expenditure on statewide child support computers that our member report doesn’t exist or are not working. GAO Report verifies ACES findings. ACES Chapter provided Welfare Reform information to families transitioning from welfare to self-sufficiency 88% of those who follow ACES programs become self-sufficient when Child Support payments are joined with available earned income. ——
1998	ACES successfully advocates for the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act which makes it a federal felony for parents to evade child support obligations by crossing state lines. ACES received national media attention when LIfetime Cable TV re-airs ACES Movie, “Abandoned and Deceived”. the movie, starring Lori Laughlin, is the life story of ACES founder Geraldine Jensen and her sons Matt and Jake. ——
1999	ACES successfully advocates for a new statewide child support enforcement government system in California. the new system is no longer operated by county District Attorneys, rather a statewide uniform system is created which will be implemented throughout the state within the next two years. ACES opened a new state office in Nevada so ACES now has offices in Sacramento, CA, Reno, NV, Chicago, IL, and Long Island New York in addition to our National Headquarters in Toledo, OH.

2000	ACES organizes lobby efforts to assist children of federal employees to receive medical support. Congress acts to make federal employees have to provide health insurance for their children if a medical support order provides for insurance coverage, this assists at least 200,000 children in obtaining health insurance
2001	ACES calls for an investigation of the State government which has failed to distribute over $100 million in child support payments that have been collected. As a result, the U.S. General Accounting Office undertakes an in-depth investigation and files a report with Congress.
2003	ACES leads an investigation into Ohio’s failure to properly distribute child support payments to the poorest families, those who had been on welfare.  The investigation resulted in the State of Ohio refunding $15 million to families in need.
2004	Ms. Jensen retires from ACES after 20 years of service.
2008	ACES Officially closes due to lack of funding, a victim of the Great Recession

Collecting Child Support From An Out of State Parent

PARENT LIVES OUT OF STATE

This person lives in a state different from where the custodial parent and children live. You can request the child support agency to process:

1. Interstate income-withholding if the employer of the non-paying parent is known (mandatory if the non-paying parent is one month behind).
2. Or use UIFSA (Uniform Interstate Family Support Act) to establish paternity and an order or to enforce an order.
3. Ask the County Prosecutor to file Criminal Charges under State Law
4. Ask the U.S Attorney to file Criminal Charges under Federal Law

Read more about each method to see if your case qualifies for that type of enforcement.

INTERSTATE INCOME-WITHHOLDING

(BEST AND EASIEST ENFORCEMENT OPTION)

If you have an order for support and the non-paying parent works in another state, use this method to collect current child support and payments on back support.

This is the easiest and most successful interstate child support enforcement remedy. If you do not know where the non-paying parent works, open a locate only case at the government agency and ask them to do a State Parent Locator. Under a locate only case, the government agency provides you with the information they find about the non-paying parent. You can then decide if you want to enforce the order yourself, hire a private attorney, or use the government agency.

This action can be started by you, by private attorneys, and by the government support agency.
The non-paying parent's place of employment must be known for this process. Send the completed Income-Withholding Notice to the non-payer’s employer.

INTERSTATE CASES: CIVIL ENFORCEMENT UNDER UIFSA

Under UIFSA, (Uniform Interstate Family Support Act), a government child support enforcement agency must provide services to any parent, on request. Services include the following actions:

• Take all steps necessary to enable a tribunal (court or administrative hearing) to obtain jurisdiction over the non-paying parent.
• Request that the State where the non-custodial parent lives tribunal (court or administrative hearing) set a time, date, and place for a hearing.
• Make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to the income and property of both parents.
• Send appropriate notices and correspondence received from the State where the non- custodial parent lives to the custodial parent in a timely manner.
• Notify the custodial parent if jurisdiction cannot be established and therefore a hearing can not be held for establishment or enforcement of an order.

PRIVATE ATTORNEYS

UIFSA explicitly authorizes individuals to employ private counsel to represent them in UIFSA proceedings.

GATHERING EVIDENCE ACROSS STATE LINES

Interstate cases present unique challenges for completing discovery, submitting information, and presenting testimony by the parties. UIFSA has specific provisions for transmitting and admitting evidence, as well as provisions for obtaining assistance from another State. You have a right to participate in any court hearings via teleconference.

Under UIFSA, the physical presence of the custodial parent in the state where the non-custodial parent lives is not required for establishing, enforcing, or modifying support or establishing paternity. Under UIFSA, the same rules and procedures used in civil contempt cases apply and it is used to establish paternity or support orders on an interstate case.

Under UIFSA, you are represented by the government agency in the state where the non-paying parent lives.

PATERNITY ACROSS STATE LINES

In a paternity case, the DNA sample is gathered from the mother and child in the state where they live and from the alleged father in the state where he lives. The actual testing is done by a laboratory in the State where the DNA testing was ordered.