LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are some major changes in the works at the Jefferson County Child Support Office.

The head of the division is going to local barbershops to find delinquent parents. The names of parents behind on child support payments used to make headlines in the newspaper.

But now, the office is trying something new and it's working.

John Smith is what the Jefferson County Child Support Division considers a noncustodial parent.

"Just like most people out here, I had different you know, I had kids out here," Smith said.

And Latascha Craig is a custodial parent.

"Two parents should be able to come together and do what they need to do for their child if they truly love them," Craig said.

"I would have to say that I'm a little different as it pertains to child support because I'm a social worker," Craig said.

Although Craig and Smith have different reasons for being in the system.

"It gives you a sense of direction and sense of someone's here to help you not to destroy you," Smith said.

There's no difference in how they're treated.

"I've worked really, really hard to shift that narrative," Joe Leavell, director of the Jefferson County Child Support Division, said.

Leavell has been with the child support division for more than 30 years.

"I actually started with the office in February of 1991 as an establishment caseworker," Leavell said.

"And what I realized very early on is that this job wasn't just a job for me, it was one that gave me purpose," Leavell said.

In March of this year, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell promoted Leavell to director.

"Joe has has the ability to reach further than that to the custodial parent," O'Connell said.

In fact, that reach sometimes means ending his workday at local barbershops.

"And I'll take my child support laptop computer with me and I will talk to folks about their child support cases," Leavell said. "I've just asked him, 'Hey, do you have a child support case and well come on over let me talk to you. Let's see what's going on with your case. How can I help you?'"

Since being named director in March, Leavell has made several changes.

Although the names of delinquent parents got a lot of attention, it's no longer printed in the newspaper.

"I would rather connect with those persons who have an obligation or duty to pay support," Leavell said.

Leavell said doing that has produced better results.

"And let me just tell you, since September 1 until now, we've collected over $40,000 alone just picking up the phone calling noncustodial parents," Leavell said.

The customer call success rate has gone from 42% to 90%. And make no mistake, despite the new approach, there are also consequences for those who don't comply.

"We first want to give them an opportunity to pay but if they do not, we are coming," Leavell said.

For more information on the child support division, click here.

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