Many did not receive notices about child support changes

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Thousands of parents have not been notified of changes in the child support check distribution system in Missouri, Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill said.

In July, a state center run by the Department of Social Services began handling 128,000 monthly child support checks that were formerly routed through circuit courts.

In an audit released Saturday, McCaskill said that state's Division of Child Support Enforcement had not adequately ensured that payers, recipients and circuit court clerks understood the changes caused by the transition.

McCaskill said more than 60,000 notices sent in May about the switch did not reach affected parents because of incorrect addresses.

But Steve Renne, deputy director of social services, said most of the letters with incorrect addresses were sent to parents who were not making child support payments.

"As of July 1 of 2001, this was not an issue," Renne said. "Ninety-nine percent of all child support payments are now being received by the centralized collection unit. One percent continue to be received by the circuit clerks."