August is Child Support Enforcement Awareness Month in Carbon County.

During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board voted to adopt a proclamation to help ensure that children receive "emotional, financial and medical support they deserve from their parents."Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, vice chairman, read the proclamation following the adoption.It reads, "The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is committed to families and caregivers ensuring children receive emotional, financial and medical support they deserve from their parents. County and state child support professionals maintain a high degree of effectiveness and demonstrate a remarkable partnership between state and local government, and the executive and judicial branches of government."The Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program is focused on families first to improve the lives of children in Pennsylvania by providing exceptional customer care, establishing programs to assist families, and making child support a reliable source of income."The proclamation continues that "Pennsylvania disbursed $1.4 billion to custodial parents" in 2011-2012 and "Pennsylvania is a leader in providing employment and training to non-custodial parents;" as well as a national leader in the "Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program exceeding all federal performance standards for establishment of support orders and paternity, collections of current support and arrears, and cost effectiveness."The county and state child support enforcement workers are an invaluable resource to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, dedicated to improving the lives of Pennsylvania children," reads the proclamation.Commissioner William O'Gurek explained that there are 11 people currently employed in the county Domestic Relations office."It's a difficult job for them to pursue support and medical benefits for children," he said, adding that Carbon County has a higher collection rate in support cases than the state. "Carbon County, at this point, has an 85.57 percent collection rate and that exceeds the state average of 83.6 percent. We (the Carbon County Domestic Relations office) have consistently performed above the bar in their cases."O'Gurek commended the employees in the department for the work they do to help make sure children are getting the support they need.In other matters, the county acted on the following items:• Approve an addendum to extend the termination date of the 2012-2013 purchase of service agreement with Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries for 180 das from the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013 or until finalization of the 2013-2014 contract occurs.• Authorize the Carbon County Action Committee for Human Services to resume the Human Services Development Fund Chore Program operations. It is understood that any expense incurred as a result of these services on or after July 1, 2013 will be recorded as the fiscal year 2013-2014 HSDF Related/Human Services Block Grant costs.• Reappoint Carbon Engineering Inc. as the county engineer and accept the 2013 professional fee schedule.• Hire Kaitlyn R. Sitch and Karalyn M. Sitch, both of Weatherly, as lifeguards at Mauch Chunk Lake Park, effective Aug. 9.