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Information for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and other City agencies

The child support program continuously seeks to identify improvements to our program to achieve better outcomes for the children, parents, and guardians we serve. For a basic summary of our services, see Child Support Overview and the Infographic or access the OCSS Resources Flyer.

Community Partners and the partnerships OCSS has with other City agencies are vital to us for sharing information about child support with parents and informing strategies to best assist the families and children that we all serve. If your organization would like to receive training for your staff on any child support topics, please contact Alan Farrell at 929-252-5219 or alan.farrell@dfa.state.ny.us. You can also refer to the list of upcoming Training Institute Webinars.

For close to 10 years, we have had a committee of community partners who meet with us to share ideas, suggestions, and concerns. There have been several new initiatives and changes that have come out of the committee, as outlined in our Child Support Snapshot . Contact Alan Farrell at 929-252-5219 or alan.farrell@dfa.state.ny.us if you are interested in participating.


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Relevant Documents

Additional Videos

Upcoming Presentations

January – June 2026 Webinar Schedule

We look forward to you joining our free virtual child support webinars.

HRA’s Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) Training Institute presents The Child Support Information Hour – a series that sheds light on the sometimes-complicated issues around child support. The webinars are designed for both our clients – custodial and noncustodial parents – as well as staff at city agencies, community-based organizations, and other professionals that work with our clients. Each presentation is followed by a question-and-answer period.

NOW: Every presentation is simultaneously translated into Spanish.

How community-based organizations can benefit from learning about the child support program:  Child support clients are often also participants in other programs such as: Child Welfare, Corrections, Veterans Affairs, Workforce One, DYCD, Head Start, SNAP, Cash Assistance, Nurse Family Practitioners, Jobs Plus, and many community-based programs. The services the child support program provides can support or detract from the goals of your organization. These information sessions can help you better understand the intersection between our program and yours. We would love for you to also encourage your clients to attend sessions that might interest them. All are welcome!

NOTE: If you have trouble registering for any session, please email us immediately at OCSS.TrainingInsitute@dfa.state.ny.us.  


The Basics of Child Support for New Parents

Tuesday, December 16th at 10:00 AM – click here to register:
https://bit.ly/4fYlsQ4

This session is open to all parents – noncustodial and custodial parents with a child support order, as well as parents that are thinking of applying for child support. Participants will learn about the basics of child support: eligibility, the application process, how to receive child support safely, and what to expect during the life of a child support case.

Best Suited For: Parents and staff of organizations that work with individuals who have a child support case or who are thinking of applying for child support.


Fundamentals of Child Support 

Tuesday, January 13th at 10:00 AM – click here to register:  https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/PY2i4dqGSsGAWM6O6S5Trg

This webinar provides a detailed overview of the entire child support process including information on the value of child support, the lifecycle of a child support case, and a description of programs designed to benefit parents who have a child support case.   

Best Suited For: Parents with a child support case, staff of organizations that serve families, and individuals that are new to child support or those who would like to refresh their knowledge.


Getting Started with Child Support: What New Noncustodial Parents Need to Know

Tuesday, January 27th at 10:00 AM – click here to register: 
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/QzbgLH6hQkii1rD2bT0bgg

This webinar provides noncustodial parents who have recently received a child support order with information on child support – how it works, the responsibilities an NCP must meet, and the benefits – including the long-term positive effects of child support on children. The session will also address how to modify an order, available debt reduction options, and what enforcement actions could mean for the NCP.

Best Suited For: New parents and staff of organizations that serve families and individuals who are unfamiliar with child support.

Child Support Administrative Enforcement Actions: What NCPs Need to Know


Tuesday, February 3rd at 10:00 AM – click here to register:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/GhXZPdQsTKyFgts8lNsf2g

This session takes a deep dive into administrative enforcement actions that are taken when child support payments aren’t made in a timely fashion and arrears begin to accumulate.  Participants will learn about when enforcement actions occur, exemptions, and how to challenge an administrative enforcement action.

Best Suited For: Attorneys, parents, and staff of organizations that have a working knowledge of child support and want a deeper understanding of the administrative enforcement mechanism so they can better advise their clients. 


Child Support: Debt Reduction Options for NCPs  

Tuesday, February 10th at 10:00 AM – click here to register:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/GmQ4D2iiQLG13_iMjPJqIQ

Unpaid child support debt is a serious problem for noncustodial parents as well as custodial parents and their children. It leads to enforcement actions that can interfere with job retention, create barriers for father engagement and cause stress for all parties. In fact, most debt is owed by NCPs with little ability to pay. Experts have suggested that debt reduction can reduce tensions between family members. Participants will learn about the important OCSS programs that can administratively reduce child support debt owed to the government as well as strategies to avoid debt in the first place and an option for negotiating debt owed to custodial parents. 

Best Suited For: Attorneys, parents, and staff of organizations that have a working knowledge of child support and want a deeper understanding of the steps NCPs can take to reduce debt that is owed either to the government or the custodial parent.


NCP Debt Reduction: Pay It Off! – How it Works

Tuesday, February 24th at 10:00 AM –
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/sLhV1AMaQWGF_LsuFFTbRg

The Pay It Off program for 2026 runs from Monday March 2nd to Friday March 13th. During that period, NCPs who pay $500 or more toward debt that is permanently owed to the Department of Social Services, will have their debt matched, so a $500 payment would result in a $1,000 debt reduction. Learn more about this program and the special opportunity it presents for NCPs that owe money to DSS. There will be a Q&A session at the end of the presentation.

Best Suited For:  Noncustodial parents and staff of organizations that work with noncustodial parents who have child support debt owed to DSS. This is an opportunity to learn how this limited-time program works and find out who is eligible to take part.


NCP Debt Reduction:  Pay It Off! – All the Steps

Tuesday, March 3rd at 10:00 AM – 
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/nz093yvMSdGuTYmQtEWulA

The Pay It Off program is underway and runs to Friday March 13th. NCPs who pay $500 or more toward debt that is permanently owed to the Department of Social Services, will have their payment matched. This session is for NCPs and CBO staff who plan to participate in the program and covers all the necessary steps to submit the payment and complete the required paperwork. We will also discuss additional ways you can reduce your DSS debt even further if you participate.  There will be a Q&A session at the end of the presentation.

Best Suited For: Noncustodial parents and staff of organizations that work with noncustodial parents who have child support debt owed to DSS. This is an opportunity to learn all the steps necessary for NCPs to participate in this important program, as well as other benefits for NCPs who choose to participate in the OCSS Arrears Credit program.


How to Prepare for Court: What to Bring, What to Expect

Tuesday, March 17th at 10:00 AM – click here to register:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/3jrDaip4TMqeb5gXXvCo8g

Attendees will learn about the role of Family Court in establishing and modifying child support orders, and how to prepare for court. Parents can appear without a lawyer. It is best to be prepared and bring the appropriate documents. This session will describe what happens during a child support hearing, what documents are needed, and what the outcome means for both the custodial and noncustodial parent. 

Best Suited For: Parents who expect to go to Family Court for an initial child support order, or who want to modify an existing order, as well as staff of organizations that work with individuals who have a child support case or may be considering applying for child support.


Child Support: Agreements and Mediation Options

Tuesday, March 31st at 10:00 AM –https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/aVZZMTR2SImMhEyhlPRvpw

This session is open to all noncustodial and custodial parents seeking a child support order – to explore the ways that agreements - either for a new order or modification of an existing order - can be used to simplify and expedite the child support process by limiting visits to family court. This session will also cover how mediation can be used to address child support debt that is owed to the custodial parent.   

Best Suited For: Parents involved with child support and staff of organizations that work with individuals who have a child support case or may be considering applying for child support.


The Basics of Child Support for New Parents

Tuesday, April 14th at 10:00 AM – click here to register:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/-37nOoQRSq2aFxj-J0aLlQ

This session is open to all parents – noncustodial and custodial parents with a child support order, as well as parents that are thinking of applying for child support.  Participants will learn about the basics of child support: eligibility, the application process, how to receive child support safely, and what to expect during the life of a child support case.

Best Suited For: Parents and staff of organizations that work with individuals who have a child support case or who are thinking of applying for child support.

 

What’s New in Child Support

Tuesday, April 28th at 10:00 AM – 
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/Fbvz1-31TmWEOLlOoJkjZQ

Attendees will learn about our latest initiatives, our new program offerings, and our approach to make child support easier to understand. Attendees will receive information about the NYC Child Support Mobile App where custodial parents can apply for child support, noncustodial parents can make online payments, and both parents can manage aspects of their child support case.

Best Suited For: Staff of organizations who work regularly with families or individuals and want to learn about new services available from OCSS.


Why Am I Not Receiving My Child Support Payment?

Tuesday, May 5th at 10:00 AM –
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/xg6_RWXYSx6uXNVgOz-VQg

This webinar provides information about reasons that a custodial parent may not be receiving child support payments and the steps that a CP can take to address the situation. It is most likely that a CP is not getting payments because the noncustodial parent (NCP) has stopped making payments, but there can be other reasons as well. This webinar will present the common issues that lead to non-payment and present strategies for addressing each situation.

Best Suited For: Custodial parents, staff at community-based organizations and government agencies, legal services providers.


Converting a Divorce Decree into a Child Support Order: What Are the Steps?

Tuesday, May 12th at 10:00 AM –
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/_tpGYuF_Sbi7pzp_5V-6Tw

This webinar provides information about how a parent who is not receiving support payments that were part of a divorce decree can apply for child support. A child support order provides a way to track and enforce payments which the NCP must make to the NYS Support Collection Unit that are then sent to the custodial parent. While sometimes divorce decrees provide support for children for many years, in other instances those payments taper off over time. Applying for formal child support can be a very helpful alternative.

Best Suited For: Custodial parents, staff at community-based organizations and government agencies, legal services providers.


Special Executive Session: Q&A with OCSS Leadership   

Tuesday, May 19th at 10:00 AM – click here to register:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/RwvlmIwZSfu3GLVDkBi32A

This event is open to everyone in the community, including noncustodial and custodial parents with or without a child support order.   The leaders of OCSS want to listen and hear from you. They will make short presentations about how NYC Child Support works and then answer questions from attendees on all subjects related to child support.

Best Suited For: Parents and staff of organizations that work with individuals who have a child support case or who are thinking of applying for child support. This is an opportunity to meet the leadership of OCSS and let them know your thoughts and ideas about the program. Please help us spread the word to parents involved with or interested in the child support program. 


An Introduction to Interstate Child Support Cases

Tuesday, June 9th at 10:00 AM – https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/4ykJJWv1RiW9KR3iwJPaqw

Most child support cases involve a custodial and noncustodial parent who live in the same jurisdiction. However, there are cases where the parents live in two different jurisdictions/states or countries and the child support programs in those jurisdictions need to cooperate and work together to provide child support services. Child support is federally mandated, state supervised, and in New York State, locally administered. While there are many different factors to consider, this webinar will cover the basics of how different child support agencies work together to deliver the support that children need, regardless of where they and the parents live.

Best Suited For: Staff of government and community-based organizations that work with individuals who have a child support case, and attorneys that handle child support cases.


How Do I…? Information on Managing a Child Support Case

Tuesday, June 30th at 10:00 AM – click here to register:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/qMGPBSLRSRS-9cBi6XsLoA

Attendees will learn how to complete several important activities related to child support, including how to prepare for court, make a payment, modify a child support order, complete a parenting time agreement, and get help with child support issues.

Best Suited For: Custodial and Noncustodial parents and staff of organizations that work with individuals who have a child support case or may be considering applying for child support.


2023 Policy Conference Materials

The Office of Child Support Services held its biennial policy conference, “Confronting Structural Racism in the Child Support Program: Listening, Understanding, and Taking Action.”  The goal was to have an in-depth discussion about how structural racism affects the families we serve and delve into ways that we could reduce the negative effects that child support and closely related programs have on Black and Brown people paying and receiving child support.  We brought together distinguished speakers and panelists, led by keynote speakers Jennifer Jones Austin (CEO/Executive Director, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies) and David Pate, Jr., Ph.D. (School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison), from areas of child support, child welfare, economics, and law as well as parents who have experienced the child support system firsthand. 

Link to conference overview by OCSS Executive Deputy Commissioner Frances Pardus-abbadessa and interviews with multiple presenters and panelists: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeg1TxRXTePhFKSUgbIojDu-Ypk-77TBx

Slides:

Child Support in the Community Newsletter