With this being Child Support Awareness Month, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is bringing back its “On the Road Again” program. Assistant Secretary of Family Support, Sammy Guillory, says it’s an opportunity for noncustodial parents who lost their driver’s license because they haven’t been paying their child support to regain their driver’s license.
“We encourage them. It creates better relationships with the kids. It gets them possibly back into work, where they can meet their obligations or at least attempt to meet them,” Guillory said.
During the promotion which lasts through September 30th, eligible parents can reinstate their license by paying two months of child support for each case, pay $100 toward any past-due balance for each and pay any court-ordered fees.
Guillory says last year 131 parents participated in the On the Road Again initiative, resulting in more than $155,000 collected on behalf of 202 children.
“It makes a difference in the lives of those 202 children and in the lives of some of their parents, contributing to the support of their children,” Guillory said.
Guillory says it’s a last resort measure to suspend a non custodial parent’s driver’s license because they have fallen too far behind on their child support payments.
“They have to be delinquent 90 days before we pursue the suspension of a license. Once we do suspend it, there are ways to get it reinstated,” Guillory explained.
Guillory says the On the Road Again initiative gives parents a real opportunity to get back on track…not just with their license, but with their role in supporting children.
