Editorial: Good trade?

Maybe this year’s results will be better, but the downward trend in the percentage and actual dollars of child support collected in Kansas bears watching.

A system that is more efficient but collects fewer child support dollars for Kansas families doesn’t seem like a step in the right direction.

In September 2013, the state turned child support collection duties over to private vendors in an effort to boost collections. Last month, a Topeka newspaper used an open records request to obtain data showing that the percentage of current child support payments collected by the state during federal fiscal year 2014, was lower than in 2013. In fact, it was the lowest percentage collected by the state since 2000, and a lower actual dollar amount than in 2013. The collection percentage for past-due child support also fell to a 13-year low.

In FFY2014, which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, the state contractors collected 54.04 percent of current support, the lowest percentage since 2000, when the state had a 48.17 collection rate. And, although the amount of current support due grew in 2014, the actual dollars collected fell to $130.6 million, about $4 million less than was collected in 2013. From 2013 to 2014, the percentage of past-due support collected dropped from 62.62 percent to 60.14 percent.

Asked about the privatized collection system, Gov. Sam Brownback said, “thus far, we’ve had good overall results,” and noted that “collection levels haven’t been that much increased” (actually they have decreased). He proudly pointed to the fact that declining state costs resulted in higher payments to the people who did receive support. During 2014, Kansas collected $5.89 for every $1 it spent, compared to $4.12 for every $1 it spent in 2013.

Officials with the Department for Children and Families argue that the first year of privatization “was all about getting this cost-effectiveness number up” and that collection rates will improve with time.

Better cost-effectiveness may be good for the people who received support, but it’s cold comfort for the people who didn’t.

The move toward privatizing government functions has gained considerable favor among state officials in recent years as a way to cut costs and improve efficiency. Those are both good goals, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of reduced services and benefits for Kansas residents.