| Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development News Release | |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, March 3, 2004 Governor Jim Doyle Secretary Roberta Gassman |
News Media Contact Rose Lynch 608/266-6753 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784 |
Madison/Crandon - Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman and Forest County Potawatomi Tribal Child Support Agency Director Carol Nunway-Tyler today announced the opening of the Forest County Potawatomi Tribal Child Support Agency.
Secretary Gassman said, "Our children are our most important resource. Now that the tribe has established its own child support agency, they can be sure that the children of their tribal members are receiving the supports they need." Agency Director Carol Nunway-Tyler agreed, "We believe it is important to provide child support services to the Potawatomi tribal members. These services will help support the children, our common and most important goal."
Tribal child support agency services include establishing legal fatherhood (paternity), establishing and enforcing support orders, reviewing and modifying orders and locating parents. In the past, tribal members have received child support services from DWD through county child support agencies. The Forest County Potawatomi Nation will now have jurisdiction over issues related to child support matters where the paying parent is a member of the tribe.
The Forest County Potawatomi Tribe is the third tribe in Wisconsin to have a federally approved and funded child support program. The Lac du Flambeau and Menominee Tribes also provide child support services to tribal members. Since 1975, states and territories have received federal funding for child support programs, however tribes were first granted funding for independent child support programs in 2002.
For more information, contact the Forest County Potawatomi Community Tribal Child Support Agency at 1-800-960-5479 or 715-478-7260.
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Content Contact: Rose Lynch