Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg announced a plan today to save approximately $200,000 a year for the Child Support Program that is administered by his office in cooperation with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Every month the State Treasurer’s Office mails approximately 69,000 paper billing statements to individuals who have been ordered to pay child support. Approximately 34,000 are sent to individuals whose child support payments are not made directly by them, but are sent to the Treasurer’s Office by their employers, by the Unemployment Compensation Fund or by other sources.

In other words, each month over 34,000 paper billing statements are sent at a cost of about $17,000 to individuals who have no use for them.

Stenberg said, “As State Treasurer, I plan to notify these 34,000 or so non-custodial parents that they will no longer receive paper billing statements, but that instead, they will be sent an e-mail notice of their account status if we have their e-mail addresses. If we do not have their e-mail addresses, they will be told that they can obtain their account information at our confidential website or by calling the toll free automated voice response unit’s telephone number.

“Individuals who notify us that they wish to continue to receive paper notices will continue to receive paper notices.

“This plan will save approximately $200,000 per year in state and federal tax dollars.

“One of my top commitments as State Treasurer is to make common sense administrative decisions that will save the taxpayers’ money while still providing top quality customer service. Eliminating $200,000 of unnecessary postage and printing in the Child Support Program is part of putting that commitment into action,” Stenberg said.

“I would like to thank Health and Human Services CEO Kerry Winterer and his staff for their cooperation and support in implementing this cost saving plan,” Stenberg said.