Services Provided by State, Tribal & Local Agencies
Families receive services directly from their state, tribal or local child support agency. Either parent may apply for services. Grandparents or other custodians may also apply. The agencies locate noncustodial parents, establish paternity, establish and enforce support orders, modify orders when appropriate and collect and pay out child support payments. Each state or tribe operates its child support program a little differently according to its own laws. While child support programs vary from state to state and tribe to tribe, services are available to all who need them, regardless of income, residency, nationality or gender.
To ensure that parentage and fair child support orders are established, agencies also provide:
- Voluntary in-hospital paternity acknowledgement
- Genetic testing at the request of either party
- State guidelines for determining fair child support orders
- Review of orders at least every three years at the request of either parent
The child support agency is usually located in the human services department, attorney general’s office, or revenue department. Many tribes operate child support programs as well. To get help with your case or learn how to apply for child support, contact your state or tribal child support agency.
OCSE Fact Sheet
Want to learn more about OCSE? Check out our Fact Sheet! There, you can read about our mission, purpose, goals and more to get a better sense of how our programs serve children and families.
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