Silver State Times

Nevada's Child Support Program has climbed two spots in the top-ten rankings in the country for paternity establishment, order rate, current support arrears and cost effectiveness during the 2021 federal fiscal year.

According to the Clark County website, Clark County's DA Family Support Division (DAFS) is responsible for more than half of the entire state's child support enforcement caseload.

"This last year presented an opportunity to expand best practices and implement innovative strategies," said Karen Cliffe, Director of Clark County's DAFS, according to the Clark County website. "We extended customer service hours, improved customer participation in court hearings through remote appearances and strengthened outreach partners to ensure parents have access to employment resources."

Nevada has routinely landed among the top ten and has outperformed each of the five federal performance measures. The release noted the latest seventh-place ranking set a new record. 

During the ranking period, Clark County's DAFS collected an impressive $87,142,908. According to the release, the DAFS handles more than 45,000 cases each year. 

The DAFS has over 300 designated employees and make up almost half of the District Attorney's Office staff. District Attorney Steve Wolfson applauded the work of the DAFS.

"I commend the tireless efforts of our DAFS division," Wolfson said, according to the Clark County website. "They continue to ensure children in Clark County and beyond receive the support they need and deserve. This ranking is a direct reflection of their commitment to improving the lives of children and families."