About Child Support for Women
Child support is administered state-by-state under the federal Title IV-D program, with every state required to operate a Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency. For custodial mothers, these agencies establish paternity, locate non-custodial parents, calculate orders under state guidelines, and enforce payments through wage garnishment, tax refund intercept, license suspension, and contempt actions. Services are free of charge. Mothers can also pursue retroactive support and modifications when income changes. The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) oversees the program. This directory includes each state's CSE agency, online support calculators, local enforcement offices, and modification resources.
Child Support in Hawaii
Hawaii's Family Court is a division of the Circuit Court and operates in each of its four judicial circuits (Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, Kauai). The Child Support Enforcement Agency operates under the Attorney General. Honolulu is the largest population center. Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence serve women.
6 Resources
CSEA, the statewide enforcement office that sits under the Hawaii Attorney General, is where a mother goes to open a case, establish paternity through voluntary acknowledgment or DNA testing, request a new support order, or modify an existing one. The Kapolei headquarters at 601 Kamokila Boulevard handles Oahu intake; call 808-692-8265 weekdays 7:45am to 4:30pm. Bring the child's birth certificate, the noncustodial parent's last known address and employer, and any prior court orders. Services are free if you receive TANF or Med-QUEST.
808-692-8265 · 601 Kamokila Blvd Suite 251, Kapolei, HI 96707 · Mon-Fri 7:45am-4:30pm · Visit Website
NCSEA is the professional association for child support workers at agencies like Hawaii's CSEA. Their public research reports help a mother understand why a case is moving slowly — caseload ratios, locate timelines, interstate UIFSA delays — and what advocacy is underway nationally to speed enforcement. Not a direct service line, but useful context.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
The federal ACF directory is the fastest way to look up the right office when the noncustodial parent has moved from Hawaii to the mainland and the case needs to cross state lines under UIFSA. The directory provides the receiving state's intake number directly, saving a Hawaii mother from being bounced between CSEA and the other state's agency.
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Single Mother Guide's articles walk a Hawaii mother through what to do when the other parent stops paying, hides self-employment income, or moves to another state — common scenarios CSEA cannot always resolve quickly. The site explains contempt motions, license suspension as an enforcement tool, and how arrears accrue at Hawaii's statutory interest rate. Free.
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Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, this resource explains the non-legal side of separation that judges and CSEA caseworkers rarely discuss with a mother — how custody transitions affect a child's sleep, school performance, and emotional health, and how to talk about money in front of children. Pediatrician-reviewed and free.
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NFSN's affiliate map points Hawaii mothers to community-based family resource centers — many on Oahu and Hawaii Island — that offer protective-factor programming alongside the financial pieces a child support case addresses. The site is best used for the soft supports that strengthen a household once arrears are flowing.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website