Help us protect Louisiana's children. Report Child Abuse & Neglect: 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Child Support Enforcement

DCFS Child Support Enforcement Services Still Available

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Child Support Enforcement encourages non-custodial parents and employers to make payments electronically during the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Click here for more info and answers to Frequently Asked Questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Child Support is an obligation of a parent to provide emotional, financial, and medical support for a child or children. DCFS offers parent locator and paternity establishment services, as well as assistance to establish and enforce child support orders and collection and distribution of child support payments.

 

Child Support and Information Inquiry

** The way you access your Child Support Enforcement (CSE) case online and through 1-888-LAHELP-U has been changed. Child Support information will now be accessed through CAFÉ.  Instead of a Member ID, you will need to create a new User ID and User Number for CAFÉ and 1-888-LAHELP-U. Click here for step-by-step instructions **


Child support and information online through CAFÉ
Customer Service Center - 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578)

 

**We are experiencing long delays and disconnects on the DCFS Customer Service Center Helpline. View  tips that may help expedite your customer service request here.**

 

MAKE A CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENT

Apply for Child Support Enforcement Services

Child Support Enforcement Services

Services Provided

Additional Information

Who Can Get Help?

  • Any parent or person responsible for a child who needs our services.
  • Anyone who receives FITAP, KCSP, or is referred to DCFS by Medicaid automatically receives child support enforcement services.
  • Anyone who does not receive FITAP, KCSP, or Medicaid may apply for CSE services and pay an application fee of $25.

Helpful Information Regarding Paternity Establishment and Establishing Orders

Delinquent Payors

  

Child Support Guidelines

Schedules

Child Support awards are established by combined monthly adjusted income. 

For cases with combined monthly adjusted gross income above $40,000, the child support obligation should be determined on a case-by-case basis.

 


What if I disagree?

The custodial or non-custodial parent may request a review when there is evidence that an error has occurred or an action should have been taken on the case. The administrative review will determine if appropriate action was taken in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations.

Parents may request an administrative review verbally or in writing to the office that is handling the case. The complainant will be notified by telephone or in writing of the decision made on the case.

 

Child Support Guidelines Survey

Click one of the links below to complete the survey:

 

New Hire Reporting And submitting/Receiving Payments

Submitting Support Payments

The majority of support payments are made by income assignment order.  To begin income assignment on a full service case, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) to provide the name and contact information for your employer.  Child Support will then send all required notices directly to your employer.

Support Payments can also be made by cash, credit card, money order, cashier’s check, or bank account.

Money Order or Cashier's Check

All money order and cashier's check payments must be mailed to the following address:

Centralized Collection Unit
Post Office Box 260222
Baton Rouge, LA 70826

The money order/cashier's check must be made payable to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and must include the payor's name, address, and social security number and/or LASES number/case identifier.  Failure to include this identifying information will delay the payment being properly credited to your account.

Genetic Testing Fees

To ensure payments intended for genetic testing fees are properly credited, "Genetic Test" must be included on the payment instrument and mailed to:

DCFS
P.O. Box 4815
Baton Rouge, LA 70821 

Cash Payments

Cash support payments can be made through MoneyGram.

Find the nearest location at www.moneygram.com/billpaylocations.

Please be advised there is a $3.99 convenience fee for the use of this service.

Payors using this service will be required to provide either their LASES number/case identifier, member number, or social security number, along with the Receive Code: 14695.

Child Support Enforcement personnel will be able to view payments on the same day they are made through MoneyGram.

Credit Card and Bank Accounts

Support payments can be made with a bank account or credit card.  Please visit www.expertpay.com,   or by call 1-800-403-0879 for further details.

Expert Pay accepts the following methods:

  • To pay by phone using a bank account, 1-866-645-6347
  • To pay by Web using a bank account: www.expertpay.com

There is a convenience fee associated with the use of this payment method.  Fee information is available at: http:// www.expertpay.com/obligorapp/#/fee.

  • To pay by phone using a credit card, call 1-888-645-6348
  • To pay by Web using a credit card, visit www.e-childspay.com

Please note that convenience fees are associated with the use of this payment method.  Fee information is available at https://e-childspay.com/fees/.


Receiving Payments

DCFS requires electronic disbursement of support payments.  Payments can be directly deposited into a checking account, savings account, or to a DCFS Direct Payment Card account.

To report a lost, stolen or damaged Direct Payment Card contact US Bank Customer Service at 1-855-274-0374.

If you have signed up for Direct Deposit and verified support payment has been sent by child support, and these payments have not been received in your account, contact your financial institution.

For Employers

Medical Support

Responses to the National Medical Support Notice should be forwarded to:

DCFS Correspondence
PO Box 5359
Bossier City, LA 71171

Faxed responses should be sent to (844) 836-2623.

Please contact 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) with any questions.

   Access and Visitation/Child Support Leins

Access and Visitation

The access and visitation program is designed to help non-custodial parents become more involved in their children's lives.


Frequently Asked Questions

Child Support Liens

The Child Support Lien Network (CSLN) combines data from delinquent child support obligor records into one accessible, easy-to-use database for the purpose of intercepting workers’ compensation and  insurance settlements owed to delinquent child support obligors.

 

Licensing Agency Upload:
Child Support Enforcement Customer Service Center

Customer Service Center:
1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) (Toll Free)
1-844-224-6188 (Teletypewriter Hearing Impaired)

The interactive voice response (IVR) system provides payment receipt and disbursement information (on last five payments), arrearages, current financial obligation balances as well as general child support information. IVR information is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Experienced customer service representatives trained to handle case-specific inquiries not addressed by the IVR can be accessed through the Toll Free numbers.

Housing Verifications:

Fax to 844-836-2623

   What is Child Support?

Child Support is an obligation of a parent to provide emotional, financial, and medical support for a child or children.

Federal law requires all states to have a child support enforcement program. In Louisiana, the program is administered by the Department of Children & Family Services, Child Support Enforcement Section. Child Support Enforcement places the responsibility for support of children on their parent’s in an attempt to reduce the children's dependence on public assistance.

Child support cases are generally assigned to three categories: intake, collections or parent locate. An intake case is one in which an order for support and/or paternity has not yet been established. A collection case is one in which an enforceable order for support exists. A case in parent locate is one in which the location, place of employment, or assets of the noncustodial parent are unknown.

The Child Support Enforcement staff is located in Louisiana Child Support Offices. These offices serve all 64 parishes in the state. The agency also has cooperative agreements with 40 District Attorneys in the state. The scope of services provided by District Attorneys varies, depending on the services that a particular District Attorney is contracted to provide.

U.S. Department of Health Videos
Not everyone is aware of the child support program and the services we provide. That's why the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement created an informational video to share with parents and partners. It looks at the most common child support services that parents will typically use and provides general advice to ensure the process goes smoothly.
• English
• Spanish


Related Links 

American Public Human Services Association
Administration for Children and Families