Let me tell you why I’m excited to vote for Kirsten Pscholka-Gartner for Domestic Relations Judge for Richland County.
Kirsten has served the Domestic Relations Court for 11 years, acting as Chief Magistrate for the last three years. She thoroughly understands the court’s daily operations and the improvements that would increase efficiency and better support individuals and families. With Kirsten’s leadership, the court has seen an increase in child support collection from $356,000 (2017) to $442,000 (2018) to $564,000 (2019), which directly benefits the children of Richland County.
Kirsten helped establish a Child Support Amnesty Day that allowed parents who’d fallen behind in their payments to have their bench warrants revoked so they could come to court and make restitution without fear of being jailed. The court also had a job fair on site that day offering both training and employment opportunities, since so many people have struggled to find jobs during the pandemic.
While all of that is wonderful, what most excites me about Kirsten’s vision for the Domestic Relations Court is her advocacy for mental health and her belief that the court should play a direct role in addressing that crisis.
Kirsten wants to create a child-centered environment for interviews so children won’t feel so intimidated. She believes all court staff and anyone who works with the court system should receive trauma training so they can better recognize the signs of trauma in children and adults and respond to people in crisis with support.
She also believes the court should mandate and direct individuals to drug and alcohol treatment, anger management, and counseling services to address the underlying causes of domestic violence.
Kirsten Pscholka-Gartner has the experience, vision, and compassion to lead the Domestic Relations Court, and it’s why I’ll be voting for her on Nov. 8!
Susan Clewell
Mansfield, Ohio
