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01/2018

For the People

Dear Community Leaders,

Welcome to another edition of “For the People.”

As we begin 2018, we are continuing our commitment to open and transparent communication with our community members.  We have many wonderful programs and initiatives that are helping to make a difference.  Our work to combat the opioid epidemic continues, and we have increased our efforts to engage our youth on a variety of issues. 

On the opioid front, our initiatives continue to produce results thanks to the commitment of our staff and their collaboration with our community partners.  The Lake County Opioid Initiative's many programs are saving lives daily and are positively impacting families across Lake County. 

Our Youth Advisory Board was launched in the fall of 2017.  We had an overwhelming response from students from across Lake County.  These young people will serve as our partners in developing programs and providing insight on existing efforts to address issues involving youth.  As part of their mission, these students will bring awareness to their schools and community on issues such as teen dating violence, healthy relationships, bullying, gangs, drugs/alcohol abuse prevention, and other trends affecting their peers.  By engaging with them, we hope to increase the likelihood that our existing efforts and future endeavors will be impactful. Prevention, education, and peer-to-peer support are the focus of our Youth Advisory Board.  

I invite you to read further to learn about our efforts within our community.

It is my pleasure to serve you and your family.

Yours, 

Michael G. Nerheim
Lake County State's Attorney

Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office Successfully Implements New "Income Shares" Method for Calculating Child Support

Written by: Suzanne Salzwedel
Assistant State's Attorney Child Support Enforcement

The old method for computing child support was replaced by an "Income Shares" approach by HB3982/Pubic Act 99-764, effective July 1, 2017.  With the change, Illinois joins over 40 other states utilizing the Income Shares Method to calculate child support. The State of Illinois oversees about 500,000 child support cases annually with approximately 17,000 of those cases here in Lake County.  This fundamental change required the Child Support Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, along with the entire Lake County Family Law Bar to make substantial changes to the way child support orders are calculated and entered with the court. 

The old model for calculating child support was based on the net income of the Obligor (i.e., the parent required to pay child support) multiplied by a percentage, which was determined by how many children were being supported.  For example, for one child, net income was multiplied by 20%; two children 28%; three children 32%; and so on.  This outdated method failed to consider the complex features often present in today’s modern families. 

The Income Shares calculation now takes into consideration multiple factors, the most fundamental of which is that both parents' incomes are included to determine the basic child support obligation.  This is deemed to be more equitable because both parents are held accountable and both have a duty to support their children.  With Income Shares, the parent who has the majority of parenting time receives child support from the parent who does not. 

Additional factors in the Income Shares calculation include adjustments for shared parenting time (for more than 146 overnights), for multiple families (either with or without a court order), for health insurance, and for mandatory minimum child support orders. 

Because the Income Shares model includes so many new factors, and relies on the "Illinois Schedule of Basic Obligations," it is now necessary for practitioners to obtain more information from parents prior to court.  Once the information is obtained, practitioners fill out a child support calculation worksheet to determine the amount of child support owed.  Obtaining, verifying, and completing the required information for Income Shares has necessitated a whole new way of running our program.  To accommodate this, staff at the Lake County State’s Attorney's Office participated in lengthy training sessions prior to implementation, and to revamped the Office's entire process for obtaining child support orders.  We now come to court with laptops which enable us to prepare the required support calculation worksheets.  The worksheets are then printed over a wireless connection, and attached to the Uniform Order for Child Support, which the court enters. 

While the process is more lengthy and complicated, participants in the child support program appear more compliant with the obligation to pay child support  because both parents’ incomes are included in the calculation.  In addition, each family's unique situation is taken into consideration when computing a child support order.  We hope that the changes result in the children of Lake County receiving the support they need to grow and thrive.  

Training Opportunity

The first ever all-day training on "Detecting and Responding to Elder Abuse" will be held on February 22, 2018, at the Genesee Theater in Waukegan. Presenters will include the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Waukegan's Police and Fire Departments, Lake County Chiefs of Police Association, and the Lake County Fire Chief.  The training will be geared to first responders: police officers, firefighters, and EMTs.  Attendees will learn about their roles and responsibilities, cognitive issues facing elderly victims, and community-based resources.  

The keynote speaker, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Paul Greenwood, will present "From Crime Scene to Courtroom.”  The National Center on Elder Abuse released statistics showing that each year, between 1 and 2 million Americans aged 65 and older have been injured, exploited, or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for care or protection.  The State’s Attorney’s Office and other agencies are proud to present this training to help combat this serious issue for the elderly citizens of Lake County.  A follow-up training for police officers will take place within a couple of months. That training will focus on investigation and evidence collection, including topics involving physical abuse, neglect, identity theft, and financial exploitation.

Lake County Opioid Initiative Update: 2017

Here is an update on the Lake County Opioid Initiative Programs:

• 'A Way Out': 250 clients accessed treatment in 2017
• Text-A-Tip had a total of 7,827 texts received in 2017
• Naloxone saves surpassed the 200th person mark in 2017

Lake County State's Attorney's Office Internship Opportunities

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office is currently accepting resumes for its 2018 summer internship program.  The program is available to first and second year law students, and to college students who have completed their first year.  The deadline to apply is February 28.  For more information, please go to http://www.lakecountyil.gov/2068/Internship-Opportunities

Perspective: State's Attorney's Office Youth Advisory Board

Written by: Amanda Walzer
Youth Advisory Board Participant 

My name is Amanda Walzer, and I am currently part of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Youth Advisory Board.  In addition to this Board, I am also involved in Nicasa’s Teen Court, which is how I initially became aware of the Youth Advisory Board.  The concept of working closely with Mr. Nerheim and his colleagues on the Board was intriguing to me, and the Youth Advisory Board has been nothing short of my expectations.  I am as a senior in high school who is interested in going into law, and these opportunities have become the highlight of my extracurriculars. I am grateful for both of these opportunities that Lake County has provided me.  

The Lake County Youth Advisory Board is a new program that allows teens to mentor their peers and spearhead new programs for implementation within their community.  We have also become representatives in our schools, whose goal is to set examples and serve as leaders.  So far, the club has started committees for anti-bullying, the “Bee Safe” program, healthy relationships, and much more.  Some of the suggestions that have been made include peer-led presentations about being bullied, and the creation of an app with information about abuse along with phone numbers to call for more information.  It is our hope that this program will have an impact on the problems that young people face today.  Programs like these in our community have afforded me the chance to be a voice for those who do not have one, and to gain leadership skills that have allowed me to better myself.

Join us for the Lake County Rising Event!

Join the Lake County State's Attorney's Office is this event. There is no cost to attend!

Northern Illinois Food Bank Volunteer Day

The Lake County State's Attorney's Office Staff volunteered at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in December. Lake County State's Attorney's Office packed 14,900 pounds of food providing 12,416 meals for hungry neighbors in northern Illinois. 

Lake County State's Attorney's Office: Knowledge is Power

The 19th Judicial Circuit and the Lake County State's Attorney's Office teamed-up to offer career insights to high school students taking various law classes at Mundelein High School. Students learned from the Honorable Judge Chris Stride regarding Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court. Honorable Judge George Strickland spoke about Bond Court and its functions. State's Attorney Michael Nerheim, and his Assistant State's Attorneys Eric Kalata, and Don Tyer spoke about their journey to success, as well as their current experiences in the court room. The speakers were honored to see how engaged the students were as they learned about various careers, and how the jobs are executed on a day-to-day basis.

'Knowledge is Power' was established at the State's Attorney's Office to educate students on the phases of the criminal justice system. Included in the workshop, is the observation of a courtroom so that participants have a “real life” experience with the court system. The students tour the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Lake County Coroner’s Office, the Lake County Jail. In addition, they hear State’s Attorney Nerheim speak about the various functions of the State’s Attorney’s Office.

The program is seeks to provide young people the opportunity to establish a relationship with law enforcement, and discover what is being done to protect the rights of victims and, due process for defendants, and learn about how justice is provided in Lake County.