Paternity and Child Support Services
The CSP program is a joint effort of federal, state, and local agencies. In New Jersey, the child support program is supervised by the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, Office of Child Support, and Paternity programs and is administered by individual counties. In Monmouth County, the Division of Social Services, the Family Court, and the Probation Department jointly conduct the Child Support program. The State Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) supervises the Family Court and the Probation Department.
Monmouth County Division of Social Services (MCDSS) locates non-custodial parents, establishes paternity, obtains support orders, and reviews orders for support modification for children receiving WFNJ public assistance and for children placed in foster care through the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P). MCDSS also provides limited CSP program services to families not receiving public assistance, such as location of non-custodial parents and coordinating genetic testing.
The Family Court schedules, conducts, records, and keeps track of court hearings in a child support case, including issues of custody and visitation.
The Probation Department monitors money due and paid for child support through implementation of wage garnishments, withholding of passports, tax offsets, and other enforcement methods.
Four Major Components of Child Support Services
Locating Noncustodial ParentsThe first of these components is the responsibility to locate the non-custodial parent. The program has an impressive array of resources to locate a parent or a parent’s source of income or assets.
Establishing PaternityIn New Jersey, paternity can be legally established through a voluntary process administered by the “Paternity Opportunity Program” (POP). The Certificates of Parentage may be filled out in hospitals at the time of birth or with a legal worker in Child Support at MCDSS (if on public assistance). Judicial proceedings can also be implemented to establish paternity.
Establishing Child Support OrdersAn application to establish a child support order can be done online at the link below or directly with Family Court in Freehold, NJ. If a resident is applying for or receiving WFNJ public assistance, they must cooperate with Child Support Workers at MCDSS unless they can show good cause for non-cooperation.
All states are required to use uniform, statewide child support guidelines to determine child support obligations. Guidelines for New Jersey may be found at the State of New Jersey Judiciary website. Most child support orders result from a judicial proceeding before a judge.
Child support cases involving support and paternity are considered to be “Family cases." Family cases are civil cases in which the dispute involves children, spouses, or domestic partners. The issue may involve divorce, custody, visitation, termination of parental rights, adoption, juvenile delinquency, child abuse, and domestic violence. The Family Division is responsible for the management of Family cases through the court system.
Collecting and Distributing Support
In 1988, to ensure payment of the child support obligation, Congress mandated that wage withholding orders be entered immediately upon the entry of a child support order. Child support orders are enforced through the Probation department. Probation does not represent either party but is responsible for enforcing a judge’s order. Once an order is entered, the case is set up on the computer system and tracked for payment. Probation can be contacted with the NJ Kids phone number below.
Additional Resources Include:
THE NJ STATE CHILD SUPPORT WEBSITE—for general information and to get information for a specific child support order: https://www.njchildsupport.org
THE CHILD SUPPORT CUSTOMER HOTLINE (NJ KIDS) to ask questions regarding pending court hearings and an existing child support case: - 1-877-655-4371
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY JUDICIARY WEBSITE—for general information about the court process and the form to apply for child support services: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us
MONMOUTH COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, 71 Monument St., Freehold, NJ 07728.
MONMOUTH COUNTY DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES, 3000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ 07728
Questions?Due to confidentiality and HIPAA federal and state regulations, you need to include a telephone contact number and/or address when you email us. No responses by the County potentially revealing Protected Health Information can be made via e-mail.