Linking licenses to child support pays off

Denying the hunting and fishing licenses of deadbeat parents has proven to be an effective incentive to getting some parents in Illinois to pay child support.

September marks one year since the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) teamed up with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to deny hunting and fishing licenses from parents who are not paying child support.In its first year, the program has resulted in approximately $263,506 of child support being collected for Illinois families.

Technology administered through IDNR allows HFS to crosscheck the names of child support violators with everyone in Illinois who applies for a hunting or fishing license.  If an applicant owes unpaid child support, he or she may not be issued a license.

“Hunting and fishing are privileges,” said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood.  “We want people to enjoy outdoor sports in Illinois, but we cannot, in good conscience, allow people to spend money for self enjoyment before taking care of their financial obligations to their children.”

As a result of the program, Suzanne Jackson, a single mother residing in Collinsville, was able to receive child support from the father of her child, which helped her buy necessities like clothing and food.

“I think it’s a great program.  If my child’s father had not tried to renew his fishing license, I believe to this day that he would still owe that money. I think it’s a great thing that the Department is doing.  There are so many fathers out there who do not like to pay, and I hope more fathers like to fish or hunt. I really did not think that I would ever see the money, and that money is for my child,” said Ms. Jackson.