How to make child support payments
Stop by the office
The Gainesville location of the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Child Support Services is located at: 465 E.E. Butler Parkway, Suite 2, Gainesville, GA 30501, Phone: 770-535-5735
Mail
Send certified checks or money orders to: OCSS Family Support Registry, P.O. Box 1600, Carrollton, GA 30112-1600. Be sure to include name and Social Security number on all payments.
Online payment
Register at https://ga.smartchildsupport.com to make online payments via draft from a bank account
Debit/credit card
Submit payment using debit or credit cards through the Georgia Division of Children Support Services’ Web site at www.ocse.dhr.georgia.gov
With Christmas just around the corner, the Division of Child Support Services is urging parents to give what they can to provide a happy holiday for their children.
Across the state, Child Support Services offices are hosting Settlement Day, which runs Monday through Friday. The opportunity gives noncustodial parents a chance to make a payment on past-due child support.
Linda Kemp, manager of Child Support Services in Gainesville, said Settlement Day is a positive way to get parents into the office to make payments and help them work through any issues.
"We want to reach out to the community," Kemp said. "This particular day is about holiday cheer for children."
Kemp said there are often a number of ways to help parents who fail to make payments.
"We do have a lot of noncustodial parents that do pay and continue to pay, but we get some that fall on hard times, or whatever, and they just need a little help," Kemp said. "When they come in we’re able to talk with them and assess their case and see how we can help them."
"We have programs such as the fatherhood program that helps people find jobs. They look at them and see what kind of education they have and match them with the Department of Labor to help them find jobs."
Kemp said letters about the event were sent to parents who have not made a child support payment in the past 45 days.
Despite the poor economy, Kemp said child support payments have continued to come into the Gainesville office.
"We have been able to maintain our collections," Kemp said. "We have a lot of people who still want to do the right thing."
Kemp said the focus of the event is helping children, not blaming parents.
"I’m hoping everybody will take this as a positive thing," Kemp said. "Hopefully they’ll feel good about supporting their children."
Local offices do not accept cash, and there is a $1.50 transaction fee for processing each payment. Payments also can be made by mail, online or by credit card.
"What better time to give then now?" department spokeswoman Taka Wiley said.