HomeMy WebLinkAboutDomestic Relations - Domestic RelationsMEMORANDUM
To: The Honorable Shawn D. Meyers, President Judge
Franklin County Commissioners
From: Whitney Taylor, Director of Domestic Relations Section
CC: The Honorable Jeremiah D. Zook, Administrative Judge
Rebekah Reigner, District Court Administrator
Date: May 29, 2026
Subject: Use of Incentive Funds for Staff Development
Purpose
This memorandum requests approval for use of incentive funds up to $6,500.00 to support
the participation of five (5) employees from the Franklin County Domestic Relations
Section in the staff development programming offered at the Domestic Relations
Association of Pennsylvania Annual Conference, scheduled for October 5 – 8, 2026.
Background
The Domestic Relations Association of Pennsylvania, known simply as DRAP, provides
training and support for thousands of child support professionals across the state. It’s
mission is to advance family law and support enforcement by promoting improved
practices, providing comprehensive training for Domestic Relations staff, supporting
statewide child support services such as locating parents and establishing paternity and
support orders, fostering public awareness of available services, collaborating with the
Bureau of Child Support Enforcement (BCSE), and carrying out activities related to
effective support enforcement.
Justification
Staff attendance at the 2026 Annual DRAP Conference is crucial for the following reasons:
• Education and Training
The DRAP conference provides a variety of plenaries and breakout sessions geared
toward supporting staff development and training. One of the notable sessions at
the 2026 Annual Conference focuses on the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act,
offering insight into trends at the national level, standardization across states, and
best practices for communication and problem-solving when working with other
states. Another session of interest is a Reentry Simulation designed to provide child
support professionals with a firsthand view of the challenges and barriers faced by
clients after their release from incarceration. In addition to the sessions mentioned
above, the agenda also includes topics like leadership, communication, and
customer service.
• Networking and Collaboration
Each county’s Domestic Relations Section operates under the Pennsylvania Rules
of Civil Procedure. However, practical applications of these rules and regulations
differ from county to county. The conference allows staff from each unit within the
department to listen to variances in operations, share experiences, and take back
new ideas to improve operations. In addition, with a plethora of networking and
team building activities, staff can make connections in other counties and with
state and federal stakeholders. These connections prove to be an invaluable
resource to staff who often come across uncommon situations within the course of
their case management duties.
Resources
As of this date, the Domestic Relations Section holds a total of $2,906,033.01 in incentive
funds. All DRS Directors were informed during the 2025 Spring Directors’ Meeting that
incentive funds must be spent down by 2030. Failure to do so may result in the State
reclaiming any unspent funds.
In accordance with the Cooperative Agreement, these incentive funds, along with any
accrued interest, must be earmarked and utilized exclusively for the purpose of
maintaining or enhancing the Title IV-D program within the county. Furthermore, DRS
Memorandum 2001-38 states that DRS may spend incentive funds on federally
reimbursable child support enforcement activities including short-term training and
education related to the Title IV-D Program.
Using incentive funds to sponsor the conference attendance of five (5) Domestic Relations
staff directly contributes to the Title IV-D Program by boosting employee engagement,
improving skills and knowledge, and strengthening succession planning.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Court and Franklin County Commissioners jointly approve the
use of DRS incentive funds up to $6,500.00 to cover the cost of attendance and travel
accommodations for five (5) Domestic Relations staff members to attend the 2026 Annual
DRAP Conference in Pittsburgh, PA from October 5 – 8, 2026.
☐ Request Approved ☐ Request Denied
_______________________________________________
The Honorable Shawn D. Meyers, President Judge
☐ Request Approved ☐ Request Denied
_______________________________________________
Dean Horst, Commissioner (Chair)
_______________________________________________
John Flannery, Commissioner
_______________________________________________
Robert Ziobrowski, Commissioner