Our Evolution

Through continuous innovation and growth in client services, collection practices and technology, Supportkids has evolved into a nationally recognized and successful option for thousands of families. Supportkids is well-poised to keep alive its rich history as a pioneer in private child support collection and to remain a leader in the solution to the national problem of unpaid child support.

Casey Hoffman resigns from his position as the special assistant Attorney General in charge of the Texas child support enforcement program and founds Supportkids (originally CSE Child Support Enforcement) with only four employees. All potential clients are personally interviewed at the first Supportkids headquarters in the basement of an Austin Sears department store. Collecting child support is a manual process until Supportkids receives its first computer system later in the year.

As Supportkids’ total child support collections climb to $1 million, its first satellite offices open in San Antonio and Dallas. The first of many clients, Vanessa Diaz, joins as an employee. Statewide advertising begins with billboards in Texas.

Supportkids’ satellite offices consolidate into one national headquarters in Austin, TX. The national problem of unpaid child support is featured in USA Today, and Supportkids is highlighted as an effective option for parents.

Supportkids’ total child support collections rise to $5 million. Casey Hoffman, CEO, is interviewed by Katie Couric on the Today Show about the growing national problem of child support and the need for a private option. Supportkids’ automated “Client Line” is implemented, allowing clients to call in 24 hours a day to get updates on their child support cases.

Supportkids’ total child support collections grow to $10 million. To offer even better service to clients, the first dedicated client service staff is created. Supportkids continues growth with 28 employees and moves out of its basement office and into a 7,000 square foot facility across town.

Supportkids celebrates first $1 million collection month in November. Supportkids reaches even more families with the launch of its first website. Client case management automates even further, with implementation of new legal document technology, cutting the time to produce a legal document from 30+ minutes to mere seconds. Supportkids acquires leading private child support enforcement company serving the Rocky Mountain states.

Supportkids receives first round of financing from premier investment groups, enabling the company to reach out to families nationwide. To support growth, Supportkids moves headquarters to 40,000 square foot facility in southeast Austin. Supportkids becomes first entity able to calculate interest for child support arrearages in all 50 states.

Matt Landry, Jr. joins Supportkids as President. First national advertising airs on cable television. Supportkids implements next-generation software for case management, automating the collection process even further with more tools to collect money faster for clients.

Supportkids celebrates $50 million in collections and first $2 million month in December. Parents gain the ability to apply online 24 hours a day at www.supportkids.com. Casey Hoffman, CEO, serves as president of the National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA), the nonprofit, membership organization representing the child support community. Supportkids launches LegalSupport Group, a network of 70 leading family law attorneys across the nation who offer extensive child support legal support and relief to clients. Supportkids’ 100th employee is hired.

Supportkids’ total child support collections grow to $75 million. Responding to growth, Supportkids implements Siebel CRM system to enhance the management of client information. Supportkids adds Quicksupport at a reduced fee for parents who are owed $5,000 or less. Supportkids launches Supportwatch, a follow-on service to Fullsupport, in which Supportkids monitors ongoing child support payments at a substantially reduced fee to prevent future delinquencies. PricewaterhouseCoopers recognizes Supportkids with award for the 50 Fastest Growing Private Companies. Casey Hoffman, CEO, is a finalist in the prestigious Ernst & Young Austin Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Supportkids’ total child support collections climb to $100 million. Supportkids becomes a founding member of the Child Support Enforcement Council (CSEC), an association of the leading private child support enforcement companies. Austin Business Journal recognizes Supportkids with Industry Leadership award for companies under 200 employees.

Supportkids’ total child support collections grow to over $140 million and its staff to over 200 employees. Supportkids commemorates first $3 million dollar collection month in April. A major step for Supportkids and the private child support industry occurs when the U.S. General Accounting Office issues a report, which states that private child support enforcement agencies are providing valuable assistance to custodial parents who are altogether owed almost $100 billion in child support. Casey Hoffman, CEO, receives one of the Texas eComm Ten Awards, which recognizes 10 executives “behind eCommerce.” The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement recognizes the important role private child support agencies play in the collection of child support and encourages state child support agencies to cooperate with private child support agencies. Supportkids begins offering a client service call center during business hours to complement the automated Client Line, which remains available 24 hours a day. Supportkids begins offering a live client service call center during business hours to complement our 24 hour automated Client Line.

Supportkids achieves its first $3.5 million collection month in August and total collections grow to over $180 million. The Company transitions its marketing and advertising to reach more potential clients at a decreased cost by switching advertising agencies to A. Eicoff, a division of Ogilvy and Mather. Supportkids responds to over 110,000 inquiries from clients via phone calls, email, and the automated Client Line. Improvements in customer response, like the addition of online client updates, allow the client the ability to check case status on their own, 24 hours a day. Ten states which were previously non-cooperative with private agencies join the overwhelming majority of states by adopting cooperative policies. Supportkids begins the Adopt a Family program and raises almost $4,000 for six client families who receive $600 each. The funds are donated by Supportkids employees, vendors and then matched by Supportkids, Inc. Supportkids implements custom software to optimize wage withholding operations.

Supportkids celebrates over $42 million in collections for 2004. The Adopt a Family program raises over $6,000 for nine families who receive $600 each. NCCSO (National Coalition for Child Support Options) members testify before the California legislature against a bill which would prevent private child support enforcement agencies from providing services in California. A review by the California Performance Review, as well as a Federal review, identifies the need for private agencies. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes the bill, stating "Private child support collection agencies are valuable participants, along with government efforts to collect child support, and offer consumers a choice". Supportkids participates in the Rodriguez Elementary School Mentoring and Tutoring Program. Participating employees donate time each week to mentor and befriend a child or participate in a tutoring workshop.

Supportkids employees and vendors donate a total of $2500 to two client families from the New Orleans area who were impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The Adopt a Family program raises money for seven families who each received $500 for the holidays. Eight Enforcement Specialists reach multimillion dollar milestones in total collections for client families. Each individual collected between $2 million to $5 million for Supportkids clients since 1998.

Supportkids celebrates its fifteenth anniversary. Supportkids surpasses $300 million in total collections. Supportkids exceeds $4 million in collections in a single month – and then does it for 7 months of the year for its best year ever. Supportkids, together with local counsel and its client Mary Anne Moyse, won a landmark victory for custodial parents of California. The California Supreme Court ruled in Moyse’s favor and stated that non-custodial parents cannot escape their obligation to pay child support simply because time has elapsed. A new website is launched to great response with several enhanced features for clients including an arrears calculator. The Adopt a Family program raises money for seven families who each received $700 for the holidays. Supportkids assists in the passage of consumer protection legislation in California and Colorado.

Supportkids named to Inc. Magazine’s 5,000 fastest growing companies. Supportkids surpasses $350 million in total collections. Supportkids began offering direct deposit to our clients. Nine Enforcement Specialists reach multimillion dollar milestones in total collections for client families. Each individual collected between $2 million to $9 million for Supportkids clients since 1998. The annual Supportkids Adopt A Family Program provided $500 to seven families during the holiday season. Supportkids employees raised and donated over $17,000 in 2007 to help various charities including: The Hill Country Ride for AIDS The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society The Multiple Sclerosis Society Travis County CASA Austin Safeplace Literacy Austin Supportkids employees donated 69 pints of blood this year during our four blood drives with the Blood and Tissue Center giving the gift of life to many people in need.