Child Support services are automatically provided to persons currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families(TANF). Your TANF worker will refer you to the Child Support Unit and an appointment will be scheduled for you to come in and complete child support paperwork. TANF recipients must cooperate with child support in order to continue to receive benefits.
Other individuals as listed below may apply for child support services by making an appointment with any County Department of Human Resources office in Alabama. Click here to obtain the address and telephone number of your county DHR office. Call your local number and request an appointment to apply for child support services. Please print out the 3 forms shown below, complete all information, and bring the forms to your appointment. Your caseworker will let you know if any additional information is needed. Depending on your income, a $5 or $25 fee is charged when you apply for child support services. This fee can be paid in cash or by money order and must be paid at the time of application. If you are receiving Medicaid, you do not have to pay the fee.
The Alabama Department of Human Resources has agreements with child support attorneys around the state to provide legal representation. It is the attorney’s duty to pursue the legal steps necessary to enforce or establish child support obligations from non-custodial parents. The attorney represents the State of Alabama only. Regardless of whether you receive TANF or not, no attorney-client relationship will exist between you and the child support attorney.
The child support attorney can address matters of child support only. If an action is filed relating to custody, visitation or any matter other than support, it will be necessary for you to seek private counsel to represent your interests in these issues.
Who Can Apply?
The person having responsibility for and exercising control of the child(ren), such as a:
- Custodial Parent
- A Legal Custodian
- A person having care and control, but not legal custody of the child(ren)
- Alleged fathers wanting to establish paternity
- A representative of an agency holding custody of a child by order of the court
- Custodial parents with emancipated children who are owed arrears that accrued under a court order while the children were minors
- Non-Custodial parents
