Services

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services' Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) staff provides a variety of child support enforcement services for custodial parents when the non-custodial parent lives out-of-state.

Both custodial and non-custodial parents can use child support enforcement services. An individual does not have to receive public assistance to obtain these services. Services for non-custodial parents include establishing paternity and modifying child support payment orders. DCSE does not address custody or visitation issues.

Methods of Enforcement

The division has several ways of handling interstate and international cases, depending on which state or country has authority over that case.

Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)

UIFSA is a helpful law for children and families. It makes it easier to establish, enforce and collect child support across state lines. UIFSA reduces the paperwork involved with interstate child support issues, expands administrative options and speeds the process of income withholding.

UIFSA makes collecting support across state lines much easier. It enables other states to directly contact non-custodial parents' employers in Illinois. Also, Illinois can serve employers directly in participating states.

"Long Arm" Provisions

Illinois has authority over all Illinois residents. DCSE collects support faster when it directly serves employers. Also, Illinois may have authority over the non-custodial parent who does not reside in Illinois if at least one of the following criteria is met:

• The non-custodial parent is personally served a court order in this state;
• The non-custodial parent voluntarily accepts Illinois' jurisdiction;
• The non-custodial parent lived with the child in Illinois;
• The non-custodial parent lived in Illinois and supported the mother before the child was born;
• The child lives in Illinois because of the actions/directives of the non-custodial parent; or
• The child was conceived in Illinois.

Direct Income Withholding

If an Illinois custodial parent has a support order and an income withholding order issued here or in another state, Illinois child support staff can directly collect support if the non-custodial parent works in a state/district that has the UIFSA law.

UIFSA also helps out-of-state clients get support from non-custodial parents who work in Illinois. If a non-custodial parent works in Illinois, his/her employer may be contacted directly.

Cases Where Illinois Does Not Have Authority

Illinois must ask another state or country to enforce the request under its own laws on Illinois' behalf if:

• Illinois does not have jurisdiction over the parties;
• Illinois cannot collect support through direct income withholding; or
• The non-custodial parent lives in a non-UIFSA state or a foreign country.

We can Help

DCSE has agreements with many states and countries so that they can help each other. Any money collected out-of-state is sent back to Illinois, to be forwarded to the appropriate person or agency.

Countries With Child Support Agreements

Illinois can ask another country to establish paternity, to establish a support order, or modify or enforce an existing order if that country must has child support laws like ours. The U.S. Attorney General's Office may establish a cooperative agreement with a foreign country, if one doesn't currently exist.

Do you need help...

• Establishing paternity?
• Establishing, enforcing or receiving child support?
• Locating an absent parent?

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Division of Child Support Enforcement works with other states to Put Children First.

To apply for child support services, call:

Child Support Customer Service Call Center
1-800-447-4278; (TTY) 1-800-526-5812