Hancock County Job and Family Services

Child Support

Child Support Enforcement Services

Child Support Enforcement provides services related to the collection and distribution of child support payments on behalf of children when both parents are not married and/or live together.

Ohio law requires that certain services be provided as needed to anyone who has completed an application for services at a county child support enforcement agency (CSEA) or to anyone who is a recipient of public assistance. Below you will find overview information. Contact us at (419) 424-1365 for further information or details.

Location

CSEA can help find the physical whereabouts of the non-residential parent, the employer, or other sources of income and assets so that the CSEA may take the next step to secure or enforce a child support order.

Paternity Establishment

Paternity establishment refers to the legal determination of being named as a child's father. The paternity establishment process is available at anytime before the child attains 23 years of age. Paternity can be determined even if the other parent lives in another state or a foreign country.

Establishment of Support Orders

If a person does not already receive support, the child's parent, guardian, legal custodian, or the person with whom the child lives (considered the residential parent) can contact CSEA for assistance in obtaining an order for the payment of child support and health care for the child(ren).

Change to a Child Support Order (Review and Adjustment of Child Support Orders)

Either parent or guardian can ask for a change in the order. Child support orders can be reviewed every 36 months from the date the order was established or the date of the last review. Some orders can be reviewed sooner than the required time frame if certain circumstances are met.

Enforcement of an Order

Whenever a support order is initiated or modified, a general provision requires any payor of a non-residential parent to withhold a specified amount to be applied to the child support order. Income withholding is part of the support order and established at the time the order is issued. This can change over the lifetime of the order depending on the types of income available for the child support obligation. If the non-residential parent has no income or assets, the CSEA can get an order requiring the parent to seek work.

Tax Offset is an enforcement method for the collection of federal and/or state tax refunds of the non-residential parent to satisfy past due child support (arrears).

If an individual fails to comply with a required action and enforcement by a court becomes necessary, the court can hold the person in contempt. Contempt penalties can increase with each offense and include fines and/or jail time or other remedies that the court finds appropriate.

Collections and Disbursement

The CSEA collects and disburses all amounts due under support orders being administered by that CSEA. Unassigned (for individuals not receiving a cash benefit) collections are disbursed to the obligee within 2 days of business receipt. Assigned child support and assigned spousal support are disbursed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services no less than once per week.