State works to improve payments to county child care programs

By ALEXANDER SMITH
Capital News Service
LANSING — Delays in paying for programs that help troubled youth are prompting an overhaul of how the state reimburses county courts for the services. The Child Care Fund reimburses half of county court expenses for programs that support abused, neglected and delinquent youth. A recent state audit disclosed slow payments but also said some of them may be ineligible for reimbursement — even though counties’ budgets had previous approval. “If the state can’t uphold a budget it approved, kids and courts suffer,” said Eric Stevens, administrator of the Muskegon County Circuit Court. “Forget about creativity.