Best Child Support in Kentucky — 6 resources

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 Kentucky

Kentucky family courts hear custody, visitation, and child support cases in most counties; the rest use district or circuit court. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services Division of Child Support administers enforcement. Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, and Covington are the major metros. Legal Aid Society, Kentucky Legal Aid, AppalReD, and ZeroV (Kentucky DV coalition) serve women.

6 Resources

1. Kentucky Child Support Program — Free

Kentucky's IV-D agency within CHFS, headquartered at 908 W Broadway in Louisville, establishes paternity, sets guideline support orders, and enforces collection through wage withholding, tax-refund intercepts, and license suspension. Mothers can open a case for free regardless of public-benefits status. Call the statewide 800-248-1163 line weekdays; have the father's last known employer ready.

800-248-1163 · 908 W Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

2. National Child Support Enforcement Association — Free

NCSEA is the professional association IV-D caseworkers and judges train through. Mothers can read their published policy briefs to understand why Kentucky's child-support program handles arrears, license suspension, and interest the way it does — and what reforms are being piloted.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

3. Find Your State Child Support Agency — Free

Federal OCSS directory linking to the IV-D agency in every state and tribe. Essential when a Kentucky mother's case crosses state lines — for example when the father has moved to Indiana, Tennessee, or Ohio and a UIFSA interstate action becomes necessary.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

4. Single Mother Guide — Child Support — Free

Independent guide written for single mothers explaining how to apply for, modify, and enforce child support. The Kentucky section flags the 15%-deviation threshold required to obtain a modification and walks through what evidence circuit court will expect at a guideline review.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

5. Healthy Children — Child Support Basics — Free

The American Academy of Pediatrics explains how a court-ordered support obligation interacts with a child's medical coverage — including the medical-support provision Kentucky's CHFS routinely attaches to support orders. Useful reading before a hearing where insurance assignment will be addressed.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. National Family Support Network — Free

NFSN coordinates state Family Support Programs and publishes research on father engagement and arrears-reduction pilots — useful for Kentucky mothers exploring whether to negotiate down uncollectible arrears once the father has stable income again.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many child support resources are in Kentucky?
Women's Corner tracks 6 child support resources for women in Kentucky.
Are child support resources in Kentucky free?
6 of the 6 listed child support resources in Kentucky are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Kentucky have child support resources?
Listings span cities including Louisville.
What are some examples of child support resources in Kentucky?
Featured entries include Kentucky Child Support Program, National Child Support Enforcement Association, Find Your State Child Support Agency, Single Mother Guide — Child Support, Healthy Children — Child Support Basics.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
1 of 6 Kentucky child support listings include phone numbers.
How do I open a child support case?
Apply free through your state's Child Support Services agency — online, by mail, or in person at the local office. The agency establishes paternity if needed, locates the other parent, calculates the order, and enforces collection through wage garnishment, tax intercepts, and license suspension. You don't need the father's cooperation to open a case.
What if the father isn't paying?
Report non-payment to your state Child Support Services agency — they have enforcement tools you can't access alone, including wage garnishment, federal/state tax refund intercepts, passport denial, driver's license suspension, and contempt prosecution. Keep your contact info current with the agency so payments route to you correctly.
Can I get child support if we were never married?
Yes. You first establish paternity — voluntarily through an Acknowledgment of Paternity form, or through a court-ordered DNA test if the father disputes it. Once paternity is legal, the court issues a support order based on his income. The state agency handles the whole process at no cost.
What if my support order is too low?
File a Motion to Modify with the court if there's been a substantial change — his income went up, your costs went up, custody time changed, or it's been 3+ years since the last review. Your state Child Support agency will do a free review every 3 years on request. Modifications aren't retroactive, so file as soon as circumstances change.