DES Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) Program Project Specialist, Jorge Escobar, was recently honored as the 2022 Rock Star Achievement recipient by the Western Intergovernmental Child Support Engagement Council (WICSEC). The Rock Star Achievement Award recognizes an individual, at the specialist level, that has made significant contributions to improving the lives of children and promoting a more effective child support program.
At the WICSEC Conference held in Sante Fe, New Mexico last month, Jorge was presented the award by WICSEC member and former colleague, April Klatt, who previously served DCSS for twenty years. “I had the pleasure of working with Jorge when we started the Early Intervention team,” said April. “I was able to see him in action. It was awesome to see how he engaged with families.”
When Jorge was selected for the specializing Early Intervention program, it had just been announced. He would reach out to new clients to educate them about their case, help them get on track and serve as a reliable point of contact. As part of the program, Jorge went to court weekly to support attorneys and clients who had barriers to making child support payments. “For a client to come to court who had a warrant out for their arrest, was very brave of them,” said Jorge. “I’ve been very fortunate during my career to have been chosen to spearhead new teams.”
Later in his career, Jorge was chosen to become a caseworker for the Procedural Justice Alternative to Contempt (PJAC) research demonstration, where he offered enhanced services to those with eligible child support cases. DCSS Operations Administrator, Jonell Sullivan, who oversees the PJAC program, said, “Jorge has a way of communicating with parents that is comforting and assuring to them.” In her nomination for the award, she wrote, “Jorge shows as much care to the parent receiving support as he does to the parent paying support. He builds trust by being knowledgeable on case processes and following through with the action.”
Life circumstances and economic fluctuation can cause barriers for support-paying parents to consistently pay. Jorge focuses on building relationships so parents feel comfortable contacting him if they can’t make payments. Jorge continues to provide one-on-one support to clients, some of whom he has now known for five years. “We chat, we catch up on life updates and then we talk about the case.”
In reflecting on his eight-year journey in DCSS, from training and greeting customers to his more recent and fruitful casework, Jorge said, “For me, the work may seem like an everyday thing, but folks recognize the example we’re setting. My coworkers and I tend to be a bit immune to our successes. Recognitions like these remind us that our work [is impactful].”