Child Support Roles & Responsibilities

Local & State Agencies

The Wisconsin child support program is a combined effort of state, local, and private entities that work together to provide child support services.

Child Support Agencies

74 county and tribal child support agencies provide direct case management services for more than 360,000 child support cases. Child support agencies work with local courts, sheriff’s departments and other local agencies to deliver child support services. Each child support agency employs or contracts with a child support attorney(s) to provide legal services. Child support attorneys represent the state, not the parents.

Note: Child support agencies do not handle child-custody issues. Contact your local family court commissioner or a private attorney for help settling custody and placement disputes.

Courts - Circuit Courts

The circuit courts in Wisconsin conduct hearings and issue court orders. Courts have the sole authority for ordering child support, medical support, and changing support orders. The courts also impose civil and criminal enforcement remedies.

The Wisconsin Support Collections Trust Fund

The Trust Fund is a centralized operation responsible for processing all child support collections and performing activities related to posting, adjusting and issuing payments. It also provides these other services to child support customers:

• Maintains the KIDS Information Line interactive voice response system
• Responds to letters and telephone calls from parents concerning processed collections and payments
• Provides employers with materials for processing income withholding (paper and electronic)
• Provides Pay-By-Phone and Direct Deposit services
• Handles employment changes, and maintains employer and payee address information

Bureau of Child Support

The Bureau of Child Support is the state agency that oversees and manages the Wisconsin child support program. To administer the program the Bureau of Child Support:

• Contracts with local county and tribal agencies to provide child support services
• Maintains the Wisconsin child support computer system
• Writes training curriculum and provides child support training for child support agencies
• Maintains policies and procedures and publishes brochures and other informational materials
• Maintains the Wisconsin Child Support Program website (childsupport.wisconsin.gov)
• Provides statistical information about the child support program to the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement
• Oversees the contract with private vendors to operate Wisconsin Support Collections Trust Fund
• Oversees the contract with private vendors to operate the Wisconsin Support Collections Debit Card program

Note: The Bureau of Child Support does not manage individual child support cases. To address your case specific concerns, please contact your local child support agency where your court order was entered.