The St. Louis agency that connects residents to jobs has received new funding to continue a program that helps parents struggling with child support payments find steady work.
ARCHS, a St. Louis-based nonprofit that focuses on helping families move out of poverty, has awarded the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment $95,000 to support a workforce program tied to the city’s child support court system.
The 12-month program began July 1 and runs through June 30. It serves parents referred through the 22nd Judicial Circuit Child Support Court, offering job training and employment support aimed at helping participants find steady work and keep up with child support payments.
Program leaders say the goal is straightforward: help parents get jobs so they can support their families. By connecting parents involved in the court system to training and job placement, the program aims to reduce reliance on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and improve child support compliance.
SLATE Executive Director Connie Johnson said the agency sees the child support court system as a key place to step in before unpaid support becomes a long-term obstacle.
“We do not want a debt, such as child support, to be a deterrent to obtaining meaningful employment and establishing career paths,” Johnson said.
Many parents referred to the program face serious challenges to finding work, according to Lisa Wilson, director of the Judicial Circuit Court Program. She said participants often have criminal records, suspended driver’s licenses, limited education, weak job histories or little access to vocational training — all of which can make it harder to find work and comply with court orders.
Referrals come exclusively through the courts, Wilson said. Eligible participants are chronically behind on child support and are unemployed, underemployed or need additional training to improve their chances of getting hired.
Beyond helping participants land jobs, SLATE offers services designed to address those barriers. Johnson said participants can enroll in vocational training through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, work toward a high school equivalency diploma through a partnership with St. Louis Public Schools or take part in a paid work experience program earning $15 an hour for up to 12 weeks through the city’s Department of Forestry.
The agency also helps with transportation, work clothing and uniforms, résumé writing and interview preparation. Participants can receive financial literacy education through the city’s Office of Financial Empowerment and attend workshops that explain how the child support system works. Johnson said referrals are also available for mental health care, medical and dental services and housing assistance.
From the court’s standpoint, Wilson said success is measured by whether participants are working and making regular monthly child support payments by the end of the yearlong program. She said the initiative does not replace the court’s authority, but adds support that helps parents understand how financial stability can strengthen family relationships.
ARCHS President and CEO Leslie A. Johnson Jr. said the organization funded the program because it fits its focus on families facing economic hardship, especially parents who are unemployed and behind on child support and often deal with multiple challenges at once.
ARCHS officials said they will track job placement, job retention and child support payments to measure the program’s impact. During fiscal year 2025, 81 participants in SLATE’s Judicial Circuit Court Program paid more than $111,700 in child support, according to ARCHS.
Johnson said SLATE is confident it can meet its employment goals despite a challenging labor market. She pointed to the agency’s business services team, employer partnerships and work with second-chance employers willing to hire people with limited work histories.
If the program proves successful, Johnson said expanding or continuing it beyond 2026 would require additional funding and staff. Many participants, she said, need hands-on support to balance work, court responsibilities and personal stress.
“We strive to encourage, motivate and uplift them,” Johnson said.
ARCHS regularly evaluates the programs it funds and works with service providers, courts and other partners to decide whether programs should continue or be adjusted, officials said.
SLATE will run the program in partnership with the Missouri Department of Social Services’ Family Support Division, St. Louis City Family Court, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office Child Support Unit and vocational rehabilitation partners.
SLATE is St. Louis’ agency that provides employment, training and career services to job seekers and businesses at no cost.