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Did you know that Colorado does not have family law statutes to recognize any differences between a divorcing family with a child with support needs and typical children in child support calculations and parenting time calculations? 

This means Family Law attorneys and judges often do not recognize the uneven financial and parenting burden of a custodial parent for their child/adult child with chronic care support needs, including all the bureaucratic paperwork associated with the accessing and maintaining necessary care. 

In child support calculations, “Difficulty of Care” income, the only income for many custodial parents, is treated the same as income from employment for a parent with a typical child who can work outside the home.

Because there are no statutes protecting children with disabilities and their custodial parents, judges may choose to believe and put forward that SSA income is sufficient income for a quality life; thus eliminating the need for child support.

If you are a Parent or Caregiver with a past or present child support order as a payor or payee who would like to help improve the system, consider joining a meeting of the Children with Disabilities Commission of the Child Support Commission, CDHS. 

The Children with Disabilities Commission meets virtual on the first Thursday of every month from 12:00-1:00 PM by Google Meet Video call link or dial: (US) +1 404-566-5692 PIN: 883 402 201#. Candy Granger is the Committee Chair. 

Contact Kathryn LePome, Advisor to the Commission, for more information: Kathryn.LePome@state.co.us; 303-319-5550.