The Cobb County Parental Accountability Court Program (PAC), began in 2017. The program is a result of cooperative partnerships between the Cobb County Judicial Circuit, the Administrative Office of Courts and the Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Child Support Services.
PAC seeks to address underlying issues that make it difficult for non-custodial parents to pay child support while providing judges with an alternative to incarceration in civil contempt cases.
The program uses a team approach to meet participants’ needs as they become more accountable for supporting their children. Members of the Parental Accountability Court Team include the Judge, Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG), Parental Accountability Court Coordinator (PAC-C) from the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Child Support Services (DCSS), DCSS local Office Manager, and representative(s) from the Cobb County Community Services Board (CSB).
What is the Parental Accountability Court Program?
The Parental Accountability Court Program (PAC) is a community outreach program aimed at strengthening Georgia's families. PAC seeks to remove the underlying barriers/issues that cause non-custodial parents to become chronic non-payers of child support. Through judicial oversight, PAC assists to transition non-custodial parents with barriers to self-sufficiency through parent accountability, employment and education. PAC empowers individuals and their families to live self- sufficient lives and promotes stronger families for a stronger Georgia.
Services Offered to Participants
How do I apply for Consideration into the Parental Accountability Court Program?
Contact the Court Coordinator or visit the Department of Child Support Services Cobb County office located at 590 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 112, Marietta GA 30060 to speak with an Agent for referral into the Parental Accountability Court Program.
Eligibility for the Program
In order to be eligible, an applicant must:
- Have NO history of violent felonies
- Have six or more months of unpaid child support
- Have been chronically unemployed and/or missing multiple support payments
- Have pending or current contempt action or driver’s license suspension
Program Phases
Meet the PAC Team
(Left to Right) Lorena Beltran - Career & Training Coordinator, Sherrod Jones - Career & Training Coordinator, Linda Holt-Register - Assistant District Attorney Cobb Judicial Circuit, Judge Ann B. Harris - Cobb Superior Court, Carol Lawing - Special Assistant General Counsel Cobb Judicial Circuit, Deputy Jason Church - Cobb Sheriff's Office, Dana Pell - Parental Accountability Court Coordinator
Media Coverage
Contact Us
Court Coordinator Contact - Email: dana.pell@dhs.ga.gov
Parental Accountability Court
For information about Georgia Community Outreach Services, call 1-844-MYGADHS (1-844-694-2347) and select option 1 for DCSS, then select 2 for Agent and then select 3 for Outreach. Noncustodial parents also have the option of requesting additional information via email at pac.dcss@dhs.ga.gov.
Department of Child Support Services Portal
Department of Child Support Services Portal provides noncustodial and custodial parents an opportunity to register online with DCSS to view their child support orders, check on payments and receive messages from their case Agent relating to the status of their case(s) online. Register at: services.georgia.gov/dhr