Two new pilot programs represent efforts by the Texas Office of the Attorney General to extend and expand upon the original, highly successful Non-Custodial Parent Choices (NCP Choices) program. The two programs are the Non-Custodial Parent Choices Establishment Pilot (NCP Choices-EP) and the Non-Custodial Parent Choices PEER curriculum enhancement pilot (PEER). Center research scientist, Dr. Daniel G. Schroeder and other researchers from the Ray Marshall Center have published two reports that describe the impacts of each pilot program.
In the report titled “Non-Custodial Parent Choices Establishment Pilot: Impact Report“, Dr. Daniel Schroeder and Amna Khan review the Establishment Pilot, which extends the successful NCP Choices program to non-custodial parents earlier in their case histories, with the goal being to avoid the accumulation of child support debt. The pilot began in four offices in San Antonio in early 2010, and although there are differences in targeting and recruitment, NCPs who are enrolled receive the same workforce development services as those in the original NCP Choices program. Findings to date suggest that the Establishment Pilot has clearly led to increased child support collections, including increased frequency, amount, and consistency of payments made by NCPs.
The second report, “Non-Custodial Parent Choices PEER Pilot: Impact Report” by Dr. Daniel Schroeder, Kimberly Walker and Amna Khan, focuses on the impacts of the PEER pilot, which began in late 2010 in Hidalgo County, El Paso, and Beaumont/Port Arthur. The PEER pilot tests whether the addition of a curriculum including parenting and relationship skills and financial literacy to the standard workforce development services in the original program can measurably enhance the program’s impacts on the ability of low-income non-custodial parents (NCPs) to support their children. Early findings suggest that PEER has been highly successful in engaging noncustodial parents; roughly three out of every four NCPs ordered into PEER either completed the curriculum or obtained full-time employment during the pilot period. Impact evaluation results indicate that the PEER pilot has clearly led to increased child support collections, including both increased frequency and consistency of payments made by NCPs.
For more information on the Ray Marshall Center’s work on the Non-Custodial Parents Choices project, please visit the project page at this link.
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