Ok Dhs

[kmf563]

Partly I need help with this, partly I need to vent.

I'll start at the beginning and give as much detail as possible to express my frustration. Something has got to be done to improve this process!!

Back in August/September my ex-husband and I went through the court system to determine the legal amount of child support he was required to pay. Once an amount was settled upon the papers were drawn up, case closed. Payments were supposed to be taken out of each of his checks and mailed to my home address. This is where it gets messy.

Payments were taken out of his check and mailed to DHS instead. That is the new policy according to DHS. All cases going through the court system and automatically coming out of employment checks have to go through them. Problem was, no one told us this. I waited and waited - I've never dealt with DHS so I didn't know how they worked. Would I receive a check each time they received one? Would it be once a month? I had no idea. So I waited.

After over a month of waiting I tried to call their office. Ha! Good luck with that one. If you ever get an actual person, you will be transferred a million times and then hung up on. This happened 3 times in a row. I found a general email so I sent them one explaining the situation. According to the person that responded a week later, they didn't have an account for me. I would have to fill out the paperwork and send it in along with a copy of the court papers and copies of his paystubs showing he made payments. OK. No problem, send me the papers!

I get the papers and there are 10 of them I have to fill out including a description of the father so they can go find him. These are papers for DHS to hunt down the dead beat parent and make them pay child support. I don't need this service, I just need my money you already have! At this point I have my attorney fax over the court papers with a note asking for the matter to be taken care of.
I filled out the papers and sent them in with explanations of the situation. I get a phone call from my attorney stating that someone in the office contacted us and says they have been receiving money for me they just didn't know where to send it. They pull up my information and will put a check in the mail! Hooray.

A couple of weeks later I get something from the DHS department. It is a welfare credit card. So now I can access my money from any ATM in which I have to pay transaction fees. What? I have to pay you to access my money now? And I have to use certain ATMs. I can only make 2 monetary withdrawals a month or I have to pay a $4 fee each time thereafter. hmmm.... By the time I get this card I am 4 payments behind on child support. I called the toll free number, set up the account, got a pin, and checked the balance. There was only one payment deposited to the card. Oh and the card is in my maiden name which I haven't used since 1996. I don't care. I go to the bank and take the money out before DHS loses it again.

This monring I sent an email to the person I have been going back and forth with until now. This person never signs the emails so I don't know if it goes into an office pool and whoever opens the email responds to it, I don't know if I have an account manager, I know nothing. I tell the email fairy that I received the debit card and that I should have 4 payments on the card and only have 1. I just got a response that states my request has been forwarded to our State Receipt Unit as it is showing to be a pass through case. They also sent my email to the South OKC office as the application I supplied has been forwarded to that office and all future inquiries will need to be addressed to them. They attached my case number as well. So yay, I finally at least have that.

What is a pass through case? I have no idea. Does that mean they are just taking my checks and passing them on to me? Does that mean they only had one payment and that's all I get? Nothing is being explained to me! I looked through the website and found they determine which office you are assigned to by your area zip code. My zip code is 73013 - which shows I should be assigned to the North office. Why has all my stuff been reassigned to the South office??

If this is really the capabilities of our Department of Human Services.... no wonder their funding is all screwed up! No wonder children are not being checked on, the elderly are being neglected, and people would rather starve then have them find absent parents and make them pay child support!! This is absolutely ridiculous.

Well, it's March now. Maybe I will have money by Christmas.

[johnnyincog]

if you have a good state rep/senator they can sometimes help you get messes like this ironed out. just send them an email explaining your situation and follow up with call.

[betts]

In Your Corner? Does that still exist, and would they tackle a state agency? That is a terrible story.

[kmf563]

Well my guess is someone on here works for or knows someone that works for DHS. So thank you to whoever pushed this along.

I now have a name and someone who seems to know what she is doing working on fixing this mess.

I will keep you posted. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

[Dana]

No I am sorry to report that the 3 main media stations usually will not get involved until a case is settled. Then they can feel free to report it then because it has already been settled. It is done this way so they will be in the clear and can say they are only reporting the facts of a news story. It is well known you do not F**K with DHS in Oklahoma their retaliation can be really bad.

[BigTulsa]

No I am sorry to report that the 3 main media stations usually will not get involved until a case is settled. Then they can feel free to report it then because it has already been settled. It is done this way so they will be in the clear and can say they are only reporting the facts of a news story. It is well known you do not F**K with DHS in Oklahoma their retaliation can be really bad.

Here in Tulsa that wasn't the case. My mother, who is disabled, is enrolled in Soonercare. When she enrolled in August 2007 she was never notified that she would have to renew the following August.

Granted, they were supposed to send her paperwork for the renewal, it was never received, so around the first of August she did receive a letter from DHS indicating that her Soonercare would not be renewed.

Long story short, her case worker was reassigned during this period. Good luck trying to get hold of her.

I left a few nasty voice mails indicating I would start with her supervisor and work my way up to OKC if that was necessary. She never called. When I left another nastygram, this time it was via voicemail AND email. I indicated I would be getting all four of the local media involved if I didn't hear back from her within 24 hours.

Guess what? Within about 30 minutes I had a call, and two days later the problem was sovled. As a matter of fact, she followed up to let us know that my mother would be receiving some information in the mail regarding her reactivation of her benefits.

What's the moral of the story? Even if the media doesn't do anything until after the case is disposed of, if you threaten them with media spotlight action usually is taken. I've heard this from a friend of mine whose wife now works for DHS.

[kmf563]

Oh I forgot about this thread!
Update - well, I never got a new card because guess what...I had to pay for one! Can you believe that? They put the wrong name on the card and then tell me I have to pay $30 to have it changed. Screw that. I just go to the bank and take the money out and put it in my bank account rather than use the card, so I am just leaving my maiden name on there.
The only problem with that is the fact that you are only allowed 2 withdrawals a month before they charge you. Yep, they charge you a fee to get your own money out of a card you don't want in the first place.
It's a BS system created by someone who never has to use it.

[OKCMallen]

The only problem with that is the fact that you are only allowed 2 withdrawals a month before they charge you. Yep, they charge you a fee to get your own money out of a card you don't want in the first place.
It's a BS system created by someone who never has to use it.

No, they giv eyou two free withdrawals. They aren't providing an ATM service for you.

[Dana]

Here in Tulsa that wasn't the case. My mother, who is disabled, is enrolled in Soonercare. When she enrolled in August 2007 she was never notified that she would have to renew the following August.

Granted, they were supposed to send her paperwork for the renewal, it was never received, so around the first of August she did receive a letter from DHS indicating that her Soonercare would not be renewed.

Long story short, her case worker was reassigned during this period. Good luck trying to get hold of her.

I left a few nasty voice mails indicating I would start with her supervisor and work my way up to OKC if that was necessary. She never called. When I left another nastygram, this time it was via voicemail AND email. I indicated I would be getting all four of the local media involved if I didn't hear back from her within 24 hours.

Guess what? Within about 30 minutes I had a call, and two days later the problem was sovled. As a matter of fact, she followed up to let us know that my mother would be receiving some information in the mail regarding her reactivation of her benefits.

What's the moral of the story? Even if the media doesn't do anything until after the case is disposed of, if you threaten them with media spotlight action usually is taken. I've heard this from a friend of mine whose wife now works for DHS.

I am so glad that you were able to get your situation fixed maybe I should move to Tulsa. I got 1 media person who was not afraid and even after I proved they doctored my daughters drug test on T.V. they just doctored another one on the next court hearing so unfortunately it didn't do as much good as I thought. It did help get the word out though that story is now all over the internet.

[ultimatesooner]

wow, what a mess. its sad that so much of our tax dollars are wasted on inefficient places like this

[PennyQuilts]

You poor thing. I don't have any advice to offer so will just send sympathy.

[Bob&Frank&Ted&Bob&Alice]

Partly I need help with this, partly I need to vent.

I'll start at the beginning and give as much detail as possible to express my frustration. Something has got to be done to improve this process!!


If this is really the capabilities of our Department of Human Services.... no wonder their funding is all screwed up! No wonder children are not being checked on, the elderly are being neglected, and people would rather starve then have them find absent parents and make them pay child support!! This is absolutely ridiculous.

Well, it's March now. Maybe I will have money by Christmas.

If you voted last time, you're part of the problem.

[kmf563]

If you voted last time, you're part of the problem.

Yeah, because my vote has everything in the world to do with employees being able to do their job and having a process for new clients.

Thanks East Coast.

Well, after a confusing debate my case is back at the North campus and they have explained to me what a passing case is. Also I should have one more deposit made today and the other two had some difficulties and have to be resubmitted. But at least they are working on it and I have an update!

[solitude]

I hope things are moving along a bit smoother now. It's amazing to me how large entities, whether they be corporate or governmental, can make things so incredibly difficult for people who try to play by the rules and get caught up in the bureaucracy, which is almost always caused by expansion inside agencies for purposes of turf protection. Anybody that deals with state government knows this is the case. Ultimately, the one hurt in all this is your young son.

[PennyQuilts]

At the end of the day, the courts are a poor, poor substitute (as are agencies) for families/individuals doing the right thing. Good men (women) are worth their weight in gold. The lousy ones muck it up for everyone.

[kmf563]

I agree. I hate the mucker uppers.

I do have to say that even though it has been a mess and a nightmare for me, everyone that I have spoken with at DHS has been really nice. If it is this confusing for me, I'm sure they all go home at night and drink to wash away their day.

And I should also point out that my ex-husband is a good father. He has always paid...just kind of on his own terms. This was the only thing we ever fought about so the court system was the easiest way to be done with it. Just let the judge decide and be done with it.

[Karried]

K, I'm glad that it is all working out for you!

[kmf563]

I finally received the final payment from this mess on Friday.
Now, I have to send a copy of my marriage license to get my name corrected. Thank God I never burned that. I thought my son might like to have it one day.

Now, I get to start all over because he changed jobs! hahaha. Oh my life is fun.

[Karried]

Well, that is good news.. at least you got some of the money you were owed! Hopefully, from here on out, it will be smoother!

[okcpulse]

Who is adopting these policies for DHS? Someone with a double digit IQ that got their degree from a shake -n- bake college?

[OKCMallen]

You'r epast this point now, but your attorney should have been better in helpin gyou navigate the process initially.

[OKCMallen]

You want to avoid these things, don't have kids or don't get a divorce. Presumably, DHS processes these payments so as to better monitor deadbeat dads and to help ensure you get your money. They are not a consumer bank, nor should you expect such service from them, and frankly, you expecting such service from them makes me question whether you're dealing in realistic terms regarding this problem.

The rest of your post is a bunch logical fallacies that need not be addressed.

[kmf563]

Ummm...I expect ZERO service from them. I don't need them. I don't want them.

Exactly what you said. They were created to help ensure deadbeat dads pay for their kids. I don't have one of those!

I have been divorced for 8 years btw and never needed them. So I guess it's not about getting a divorce is it dear.

[jacodenn]

kmf563...I would really like to get with you (e-amil). You can contact me at jacodenn5201@att.net.

Thanks,

Dennis
Oklahoma City

Dennis and Jacob's Page - Children Need Both Parents

[Thunder]

iwantmysonback, are they still doing that to your former husband's refunds? If so, and if they send it all to you, I hope you gave it all back in cash to him, if you are still in contact with him.