Child Support News

August is Child Support awareness month. Learn about valuable resources such as Child Support's summer nutrition program and virtual services with the Trial Court.

Updated: September 11, 2024

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August is Child Support Awareness Month

August is Child Support Awareness Month, a national campaign aimed to provide awareness about child support services. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s Child Support Services Division (DOR/CSS) is using this month’s awareness campaign to promote the free services we provide thousands of families and children who participate in our program. Our services aim to make a positive impact on the financial well-being of children.

Child Support services are available to either parent or a child’s caregiver. DOR/CSS primarily helps to establish legal parentage and to establish, modify, and enforce child support and health insurance orders for children. We are also committed to assisting parents who may want to pay support but, for a variety of reasons, are having a hard time meeting their support obligation. DOR/CSS will work with parents to review their case and determine what options may be available, such as a modification of the support order.

On April 1st, the Child Support Enforcement Division officially changed its name to the Child Support Services Division (CSS).  The name change was to reflect the division’s commitment to a whole-family approach that offers inclusive, family-centered services to parents, caregivers and children in the Commonwealth.

“Child Support Awareness Month gives me the opportunity to celebrate all families in the Commonwealth and let them know that DOR/CSS is available to assist you by phone, online, on our Virtual Counter via Zoom or in-person in our offices. DOR/CSS has also been providing families the chance to meet virtually to try and work out an agreement on their case, or to appear virtually in court to establish and modify their child support orders. I want parents or caregivers to know that if they need help in establishing or modifying an order, in meeting their child support obligations or did not have the opportunity to establish paternity and have the father’s name added to the birth certificate, DOR is here to help, at no cost.”  Deputy Commissioner Michele Cristello

Please explore our website to learn about the services we provide and how DOR/CSS can assist you.

Massachusetts Parentage Act

Governor Maura Healey signed an Act to ensure legal parentage equality, which updates the state’s parentage laws for the first time in 40 years to make them more inclusive. Select the link below to learn more.

New Name: We are now Child Support Services Division

CSS: Child Support Services

We have changed our name from Child Support Enforcement to Child Support Services to reflect the services we provide to support the whole family. We work closely with parents who pay child support and parents and caretakers who receive child support, and our new name highlights our commitment to providing services to families in the Commonwealth. 

CSS & Trial Court Virtual Services

A link to CSS's website is now available from the Trial Court’s Access to Justice Library Initiative, which offers access to virtual court services via the comfort and convenience of local libraries. Constituents can select the "Get child support help from DORCSE” link, which takes them right to our Mass.gov/CSS webpage. This will allow our mutual customers to access CSS's virtual services in a private space.

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Start looking for jobs by matching your skills in your MassHire profile or resume. Register and then check out the Job Search page for more filters to refine your job search.

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How to Translate into the Language You Want

You can choose a language for:

  • Mass.gov (our website)
  • Google Translate and
  • Microsoft Edge.

You can also change the captions on YouTube.

To learn more, visit How to Translate a Website, Webpage, or Document into the Language You Want.

In Google Chrome, you can choose a language for your mobile device.

Do you need more help? These guides and videos will take you through the steps:

Google Translator Disclaimer

Google requires mass.gov to provide this disclaimer.  

DOR Disclaimer

In the interest of providing broader language access, DOR is offering guides on how to use third-party software to translate content on the mass.gov website, MassTaxConnect, CSS Case Manager and other DOR content. However, these translations are only an approximation of DOR content. DOR does not guarantee the accuracy, or reliability of computerized translations. In addition, some applications, files, or items cannot be translated, including graphs, photos or images. If any questions or disputes arise concerning the accuracy of the information in translated versions of DOR content, the English language version controls.

Virtual Counter Hours Expanded

The Virtual Counter is a way for our customers to meet face-to face with a child support specialist online over Zoom. Staff working on the Virtual Counter can help you with a variety of more complex issues related to your child support case such as license suspension, bank levy, tax intercept or modification of your order. It is convenient and our child support specialists – the same ones that you would meet with if you went to one of our offices in person – are ready to serve you!

All the same services, without any of the inconvenience.

Virtual Counter Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Go to Zoom for Government.

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