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CORONAVIRUS AND CHILD SUPPORT FAQ

Monroe County Child Support Program

The Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office staffs a Child Support Program for the purpose of establishing and enforcing child support obligations. The Social Security Act (Title IV-D) requires states to develop programs to establish paternity and collect child support orders. The State of Indiana contracts with local county prosecutor’s offices to provide these services. The Child Support Program also establishes orders for health insurance where appropriate, and regularly deals with other issues related to child support – such as modification of support, emancipation, locating absent parents, reviewing and adjusting support orders, support in foster care cases, collection of medical reimbursement for parents, and criminal felony nonsupport cases.

What Can The Child Support Program Do For Me?

If paternity (legal fatherhood) has not been established, the Child Support Program can take court action to establish paternity – which may involve DNA testing if paternity is contested. Once paternity is established, or if paternity was already established but no child support order is in place, the Child Support Program can take legal action to establish a child support order. After a child support order has been established, the Child Support Program can take various steps to enforce the order. Child support continues until the child reaches 19 years of age. The Child Support Program will then periodically review your case to determine if the child support amount should be changed. The case may also be reviewed at your request if you believe the amount of child support should change.

What the Child Support Program Cannot Do

The Child Support Program represents the State of Indiana and must act “in the best interests of the child.” The Child Support Program does not represent either parent and cannot give you legal advice or act as your private attorney. The program cannot be involved in non-child support issues such as property settlement in a divorce, child custody, or parenting time (visitation) issues.

Mandatory Cases for Those Receiving Public Benefits

If you are receiving TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families), the law requires that a case be automatically opened for you. It is mandatory that the Child Support Program enforce these types of cases and you must cooperate with the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in order to keep your public benefits from being suspended. This may include completing and returning forms on time and showing up for court dates when ordered to do so. There is no fee for our services. The Child Support Program can advise you if your case is a mandatory enforcement case or not.

Non-Mandatory Cases – How You Request Help

If you do not have a mandatory case, you may request assistance from the Child Support Program at the Office of the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney. To request our help, please pick up an application packet at our office, or download the application forms from the website. To apply you must fill out and submit the application packet, provide a copy of any existing court orders related to child support. There is no fee for our services.

Enforcing Child Support Orders

A delinquent child support order may be enforced in a number of different ways – including administrative remedies, judicial remedies, or by filing criminal charges. Often an employer is ordered to withhold child support payments directly from a person’s paycheck. The Child Support Program may also enforce orders through intercepting tax refunds or lottery winnings. Other tools include the denial of passport applications, and suspension of driving, hunting and fishing licenses. A judge may enforce an order by holding someone in Contempt of Court for failure to pay ordered support. If found in contempt, the person may be ordered to serve time in the Monroe County Jail, perform road crew, or subject to any other sanction within the court’s powers.

Criminal Non-Support

The Child Support Program may choose to file criminal charges if a person knowingly or intentionally fails to support a dependent child. The criminal offense “Non-Support of a Dependent” is a Class 6 felony, and may be enhanced to a Class 5 felony if there was a prior conviction for non-support. While the sentence depends on the specific facts of the case, defendants may be placed on probation on the condition that they pay current support plus an additional amount toward the arrearage. Defendants who fail to abide by the terms of probation may serve time in jail or prison.

Contact The Child Support Office

Each child support case is assigned to a caseworker, based upon the last name of the parent that owes child support – the “Noncustodial Parent.” If paternity has not yet been established, there is also a “Paternity Caseworker.” When contacting your caseworker, please provide your name and date of birth. It is also helpful if you can provide your ISETS (Indiana Support Enforcement Tracking System) case number, or court cause number if known. To speak to your caseworker, please call (812) 349-2675 and follow the phone tree prompts.

To send an email to the Child Support Director, click here.

For cases involving the collection of child support from other states under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), email uifsa@co.monroe.in.us.

Please be aware: Sometimes email is flagged as spam and not delivered/never seen by the intended recipient. If you send an email to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office Child Support Program, please verify receipt by calling (812) 349-2675.

Child Support Orders & Payment Information

To obtain child support payment history records and copies of court orders, contact:

Monroe County Clerk’s Office
Charlotte T. Zietlow Justice Building
301 N College Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47404.
Telephone: (812) 349-2600.

To obtain information regarding your child support payments, contact the KIDS LINE at (317) 233-5437 or (800) 840-8757. You may also contact the Child Support Bureau via their website at www.mychildsupport.in.gov.