Whereas, Child support workers, employers, state departments, hospitals and community partners cooperate to ensure citizens receive quality child support and services; and,

Whereas, The Michigan child support program exists to encourage and facilitate means by which children receive the emotional and financial support they need from their biological parents; and,

Whereas, In 2008, more than $639,000 of child support per worker was collected, which is an increase of more than $36,000 per worker from the previous year; and,

Whereas, The state of Michigan is a national leader in child support collections by working to distribute more than $1.47 billion in 2008 of child support and has worked with hospitals across the state to increase the paternity establishment percentage to over 95 percent;

Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, governor of the state of Michigan, do hereby proclaim October 2009 Child Support Month in Michigan. I encourage all residents of this state to recognize the efforts of those working to strengthen our families by ensuring financial and emotional support for Michigan's greatest resource, our children.