The state Human Services Department says it collected a record $115.4 million in child support in the fiscal year that ended June 30. That includes a record $8.2 million taken from unemployment checks.

Almost 60 percent of the $115.4 million came through withheld wages, which the department calls the "single best method of ensuring consistent, reliable payments."

While collections from unemployment benefits equaled only 7 percent of the child support collected, that number is up from $3.8 million in the 2009 fiscal year and from $1.2 million in 2008, a spokeswoman said.

The collection comes as 8.4 percent of New Mexicans in May were receiving unemployment benefits. That number has been dropping by about 1,200 people a week since Congress has declined to approve an extension for those benefits.

State officials say amounts taken from those government checks often aren't enough to cover monthly child-care obligations.

"While it may seem insensitive to collect from unemployment benefits knowing that the non-custodial parent is unemployed, it is even more difficult to know that these collections often don't cover the full amount of the monthly support obligation," Stephen Klump, acting division director said in a statement. "That, often times, causes the non-custodial parents to fall behind in their payments and leaves custodial parents short of their monthly support obligation."

The collections for the 2010 fiscal year were 10 percent higher than the department's target, according to a news release.

The department also collected money through direct noncustodial payments, tax-refund intercepts, and the license-suspension and passport-denial programs, it said.

"During a difficult economic year, the Child Support Enforcement Division saw increased caseloads and requests for modifications of court orders, which required the division to work more efficiently and effectively to ensure child support collections continued to flow to New Mexico's families," Human Services Department Deputy Secretary Charissa Saavedra said in a statement.

In addition, the department credits a program known as Fresh Start, which has increased collections.

The program, which started in 2005, involves 1,348 cases and has collected more than $2 million in support.

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog at www.greenchilechatter.com.