UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Throughout Pennsylvania, child support professionals in county domestic relations offices work with families, often during difficult times, to ensure that children receive the support they need and deserve.

For 25 years, the Penn State Justice and Safety Institute (JASI), part of Penn State Outreach, has been helping prepare those dedicated child support professionals as the administrators of the Pennsylvania Child Support Enforcement Training Institute (PACSETI).

Since 2001, PACSETI has partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Bureau of Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) and the Domestic Relations Association of Pennsylvania (DRAP) to provide the state’s child support professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to strengthen and uphold Pennsylvania’s Child Support Enforcement Program.

In the years since the partnership began, 7,894 Pennsylvania child support enforcement professionals have enrolled in 244,388 training courses offered by PACSETI.

“Our training helps ensure families receive the child support services they need and children receive the financial support they are owed, which strengthens the overall well-being of children and their families,” said PACSETI Program Director John Sankey.

With August being Child Support Enforcement Awareness Month, Sankey said it is a good opportunity to appreciate the crucial work that child support professionals do for families and children across Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

“It creates community awareness of the child support program while recognizing the dedication and commitment of the child support professionals who support children and families,” Sankey said. “These professionals work through private and delicate conversations to make solid plans for unsteady futures.”

PACSETI training is offered free of charge to the state’s child support workers on topics such as case initiation, paternity establishment, financial processing, support order enforcement, handling intergovernmental and intrastate support cases, and case closure.

In 2025, PACSETI served 2,596 child support professionals, with a total enrollment of 20,053 in 369 training programs.

Sankey said these trainings are one of the reasons why Pennsylvania excels on the federal performance measures related to Title IV Section D of the Social Security Act, which was created in 1975 to establish uniform procedures and rules for child support enforcement nationally and is overseen by the U.S. Office of Child Support Services.

“By offering training that ensures a standardized, consistent approach for the equitable application of the child support guidelines and enforcement remedies across the state, PACSETI training is considered essential to Pennsylvania's consistent ranking as one of the best child support programs nationally,” Sankey said.

In 2025, child support professionals served more than 250,000 families in Pennsylvania, disbursing nearly $1.1 billion to those families. They collected more than 82% of the current support due, which is the highest percentage in the country and surpasses the national average of 65%.

Alex Cain, director of policy and program development for BCSE, said Pennsylvania is unique because of the more than two-decade partnership between JASI, BCSE and DRAP.

“I don’t know many other states that have had such a long-lasting, stable partnership with a statewide training provider. That stability is very important because it helps us plan long term for different training needs,” Cain said.

As an example, he cited an issue arising from high turnover at top levels of child support offices across the state because of an increase in retirees. To help, PACSETI and its partners have developed outreach and training programs related to upper management positions.

“This has helped to make sure our programs are running efficiently,” Cain said. “That is just one example of the power of having a long-term relationship.”

To stay on top of current trends and training needs, PACSETI implemented 19 new training programs to its offerings in 2026 as it continues to evolve to meet the needs of those being served.

“Building off our collaborative partnership, we will be looking at adapting to addressing evolving challenges within the child support program and embracing technological advancements to ensure relevant, timely and cost-effective training solutions that enhance PACSETI's impact on the state,” Sankey said.

Robin Kelly, director of the Chester County Domestic Relations Office, was part of the original curriculum design group when PACSETI was first developed. She said it has been impressive to watch as the program has continued to grow and support her in her career.

“PACSETI has supported my career through a wide range of management development offerings, as well as the smaller, but essential, details of rules and processes we use every day,” Kelly said. “The ability to attend in-person training, network meaningfully with others, or quickly reference topic-based materials to support daily operations makes PACSETI a dynamic and highly supportive tool.”

She said those tools are vital to helping children in the state get the support they need.

“Using PACSETI as a learning tool equips child support enforcement staff with the knowledge and confidence to perform their jobs well and serve families effectively. This directly supports consistent child support payments, which are proven to lead to better outcomes for children,” Kelly said. “With well-trained staff, more children in Pennsylvania experience safe, stable and healthy environments.”

With a background in parole and probation, Brian Fisher said PACSETI played a pivotal role when he stepped into the role of director of Monroe County Domestic Relations in 2022.

“Their blended learning trainings and online management courses provided exactly the structure and support I needed,” Fisher said. “What stood out most was the dedication of PACSETI’s instructors and their openness to questions, willingness to guide me through unfamiliar territory, and genuine commitment to helping strengthen both my leadership and the department.

“PACSETI has been more than a training provider. They have been a true partner in our success.”

Now, after four years at the helm of his office, Fisher said he has seen firsthand how PACSETI’s training has helped his staff in Monroe County contribute to Pennsylvania’s statewide success in child support enforcement.

“I believe that a more informed, confident and knowledgeable workforce is better equipped to lead effectively and achieve meaningful outcomes,” Fisher said. “PACSETI’s ability to strengthen these qualities has had a direct and measurable impact on our work. By enhancing staff competence and confidence, PACSETI contributes to more cases being handled appropriately, ultimately helping more families and children secure the financial stability they deserve.”

Learn more on the PACSETI website.