NCP Choices: Providing Workforce Development Services to Non-custodial Parents

he goal of the Non-Custodial Parent Choices (NCP Choices) demonstration is to get unemployed and/or underemployed non-custodial parents (NCPs) with unpaid child support orders into workforce development services so that they can better meet their financial obligations to their children. Child support can be one of the most important sources of income in assisting single parent households to escape from poverty. Despite significant gains over the last decade or so, receipt of child support among public assistance families remains low. Many NCPs are unable to meet their financial obligations due to unemployment or underemployment. Previous attempts to engage low-income NCPs in workforce development services have had success for some participants, but typically have problems meeting enrollment goals. NCP Choices solves this in a straightforward manner: noncompliant NCPs are given the choice of paying their child support, participating in workforce services, or going to jail.

The Ray Marshall Center (RMC) is estimating preliminary impacts of NCP Choices in four demonstration sites. Outcomes of interest include child support collections, workforce development participation, employment and earnings levels of NCPs, and TANF receipt by the custodial parents (CPs).