Streamline or Specialize: Increasing Child Support Order Modification Review Completion in Ohio

Two counties in Ohio, Cuyahoga and Franklin, used behavioral strategies to raise the number of parents completing the modification review process. Using the existing method, parents were requesting a review of their support order but weren’t completing the process. These two counties designed interventions that would increase the number of completed requests. Both interventions had two parts. Test 1 in Cuyahoga County made all orders eligible for a modification review by default. Then, for Test 2, the parents who requested a modification received simplified paperwork along with reminders to complete the paperwork. Test 1 in Franklin County redesigned the modification forms and sent parents a streamlined packet. Test 2 assigned modifications to a specialized team for assistance and follow-up. The results of Test 1 in Cuyahoga County and Test 2 in Franklin County showed significant improvement. Test 2 in Cuyahoga and Test 1 in Franklin County indicate that merely simplifying paperwork and sending reminders alone will not achieve improvement.