Child Support
The Child Support Division of the Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was created through Title IV (D) of the Social Security Act. Thus, the department is commonly referred to as the “IV-D Office.” The actions of this office are established by State and Federal law. The Child Support Division represents the State of Indiana. The Child Support Division cannot give private legal advice or act as the attorney for a particular party. That being said, the custodial parent may find that the prosecutor’s office can be of assistance to him/her by providing child support establishment and enforcement procedures.
While the office cannot force an irresponsible person to be responsible, it will use all available enforcement tools to secure the right of children in Hancock County to be supported by both parents. However, there are some circumstances in which, despite best efforts and use of all available tools, the office will be unable to reach this goal. In those circumstances, the Child Support Division refers documentation to the Criminal Division for consideration of filing a criminal charge of Non-Support of a Dependent Child.
Topics the Child Support Division is Authorized to Address
- Establishment of paternity
- Establishment of child support orders
- Enforcement of child support orders
- Modification of existing orders
- Locating of an absentee parent
Topics the Child Support Division is Not Authorized to Address
- Acceptance or distribution of child support payments
- Discussion or enforcement of custody issues
- Discussion or enforcement of parenting time or parenting style issues
- Disputes about whether a child is disabled or should be emancipated
- Disputes about which parent should be entitled to the child’s tax exemption
- Discussions or actions for termination of parental rights
How to Apply for Child Support
- Gather the information required by the county’s child support office.
- Complete an enrollment form for Title IV-D Child Support Services. There is no fee to apply.
- Take or mail the completed enrollment form to the Hancock County’s child support office: 27 American Legion Pl., Greenfield, IN 46140.
Click here for the link to the enrollment form for Title IV-D Child Support Services. The form can be filled out electronically or printed and completed before going to the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office.
When and How Should I Contact My Caseworker?
On average, the office’s caseworkers work with 400 case files. Because of this volume, they cannot give daily attention to every case. Action on cases is handled on a first-come, first-served basis. While the staff welcomes input, the final decision about how a case is handled is left to the determination of the Child Support Division. It is important that the custodial parent notify their caseworker at any time when there’s a new address, a new telephone number or a new employer. Contacts that do not provide information that will impact our support enforcement case (for example, to request assistance that is outside of areas in which we are authorized to provide assistance) can slow the enforcement process, as these contacts take away time that caseworkers otherwise devote to addressing concerns in the areas which we are authorized to address.
Caseworkers may be contacted in writing either by traditional mail or by e-mail. All correspondence should include the name of all parties in the case, your address, your daytime telephone number and, if known, your case number. If calling a caseworker, be prepared to leave the name of all parties in the case, a daytime phone number and a brief but direct summary of the topic. Because of the nature of the judicial system, the office may not be able to provide immediate responses to questions. Due to federal confidentiality laws, the office will not respond to inquiries from third parties, regardless of the method of transmission of the inquiry.
Where Do I Go from Here?
For questions about a child support payment, call the Kids Line at 800-840-8757. Press 0 at any time during the recorded message to be directed to a live person. For questions regarding custody or parenting time issues, consult legal counsel of your choosing, either as a private counsel, through Legal Aid of Hancock County or by acting as your own attorney. To preserve our limited resources for those topics which our office is permitted to address, the staff will not return communications relating to custody or parenting time issues