What services does the Department of Child Support Services provide?

The services provided by the Department of Child Support Services are:

• Locate a non-custodial parent
• Establish paternity
• Establish and modify court orders for child and medical support
• Collect child support
• Other services as specified by state law

The Department of Child Support Services cannot provide the following:

• Legal Assistance
• Restraining orders
• Divorce matters 
• Custody and/or visitation matters 
• Establishment of spousal support orders
• Collecting spousal support except when also collecting child support

If you need a restraining order, please call the District Attorney's Victims' Assistance Program at (805) 654-3622 or visit their website at:

da.countyofventura.org/special_prosecutions/victim_services/crime_victim_assistance.htm

If you need assistance with custody and visitation, please contact the Family Law Facilitator at www.ventura.courts.ca.gov or call (805) 662-6661. If you would like to hire an attorney, you can also contact the Ventura County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service at (805) 650-7599.

Please see the "Community Resources" page for additional services.

How Are Child Support Services Obtained?

Services are available to you if you are a parent or legal guardian who would like assistance with a child support order.

If you are not receiving public assistance, you can obtain services by completing an application.

Either parent may request our services, regardless of custody. It is not necessary to be legally separated or divorced from your spouse to be eligible for services. If you have an existing child support order, please provide copies of the court order with your application.

For more information about how to apply for services see the Opening A New Case page.

If the custodial party is receiving public assistance for the child(ren), the caseworker at the Human Services Agency (HSA) will automatically refer the case to our office. The custodial parent must cooperate with the Department of Child Support Services to continue receiving aid from HSA. Cooperation will be required unless the Human Services Agency finds there is good cause to not cooperate. Good cause means that by opening a child support case against the other parent, there is a potential for harm against the custodial party and/or children by the other parent. To claim good cause, the custodial party must contact his/her caseworker at the Human Services Agency.