Michigan splits child support work between a state agency, county courts and local human services offices. That layering confuses many parents, because the office that takes your question is often not the office that enforces your order. Our Michigan listings cover 90 offices, from the Detroit Child Support & Social Service Office on West Jefferson Avenue to the Baraga Child Support & Social Service Office in the Upper Peninsula. This page explains who does what, how metro and rural offices differ, and what to prepare before you go.

How Michigan Divides Child Support Between the State, the Courts and Local Offices

At the top sits the Michigan Office of Child Support, part of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). It runs the state's child support program under Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act and sets policy for the county staff who deal with families every day.

Below the state level, two county bodies do most of the work. The county prosecuting attorney's office typically handles legal steps such as establishing paternity and asking a judge for a first support order. The Friend of the Court, an arm of the circuit court created by the Friend of the Court Act, then monitors and enforces orders in domestic relations cases. Parents often deal with both without realizing they are separate.

Order amounts follow the Michigan Child Support Formula, which the State Court Administrative Office publishes and updates on a regular cycle. The formula weighs both parents' incomes, the number of overnights each parent has, health care costs and child care expenses. Judges can depart from it, but they must state their reasons on the record.

Payments move through the Michigan State Disbursement Unit, usually called MiSDU. Employers send withheld wages there, and MiSDU forwards the money to the receiving parent. Paying the other parent directly can leave you without an official record, which causes trouble if the court later reviews your payment history.

The listings on this page carry the name Child Support & Social Service Office. Treat each one as a local starting point. You can ask questions, drop off paperwork and learn which county body holds your case. Always confirm by phone whether your specific need belongs with that office or with the Friend of the Court at the county courthouse.

Child Support Offices in Metro Detroit: Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties

Southeast Michigan holds the densest cluster of offices in the state. Wayne County has the most listings of any county, and most of them are in Detroit. The Detroit Child Support & Social Service Office at 6534 West Jefferson Avenue (313-554-8300) is the best-known entry. The Taylor Child Support & Social Service Office at 25350 Ecorse Road (313-295-8311) gives many downriver residents a closer option than driving into the city.

North of Detroit, Oakland County is served by the Pontiac Child Support & Social Service Office at 51111 Woodward Avenue, phone 248-975-4800. In Macomb County, the Clinton Township Child Support & Social Service Office is at 21885 Dunham Road, phone 586-469-7700. Our database files that location under the city name Clinton, but most residents know the area as Clinton Township.

Big offices mean busy phone lines and full waiting areas. Call early in the day, keep your case number in front of you, and ask whether your task can be done by phone, by mail or through the state's online MiChildSupport account before you travel. A short call can save a half-day trip.

Metro families also move often. A case frequently stays with the court that issued the order, even after a parent crosses a county line. A Macomb County resident may therefore still need to contact the Wayne County Friend of the Court. When you call a local office, ask which county holds the order before you assume anything.

Flint, Battle Creek and the Mid-Michigan Corridor

Outside the Detroit area, the offices get smaller but the rules stay the same. In Genesee County, the Flint Child Support & Social Service Office lists PO Box 1615 as its address and 810-760-7300 as its phone number. A post office box is a mailing address, not a front door. Call before you plan a visit, and use the box only for documents you are sending.

Several other listings also show a PO Box. The Battle Creek Child Support & Social Service Office in Calhoun County uses PO Box 490 and 269-966-1284. The Cadillac Child Support & Social Service Office in Wexford County uses PO Box 309 and 231-779-4500. For these, a phone call is the fastest way to learn the physical location and walk-in hours.

Other mid-state offices list street addresses. The Charlotte office in Eaton County is at 1050 Independence Boulevard (517-543-0860). The Coldwater office in Branch County is at 388 Keith Wilhelm Drive (517-279-4200). The Caro office in Tuscola County is at 1365 Cleaver Road (989-673-9100). The Big Rapids office in Mecosta County is at 800 Water Tower Road (231-796-4300). In the southwest, the Cassopolis office in Cass County is at 325 Highway 62 (269-445-0200), and the Allegan office is at 3255 122nd Avenue (269-673-7700).

In the Thumb, the Bad Axe Child Support & Social Service Office serves Huron County from 1911 Sand Beach Road, phone 989-269-9201. Many of these counties have small populations, so staff may cover several programs. Expect a more personal conversation than in Detroit, but also fewer open hours for specialized questions.

Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula: Fewer Offices, Longer Drives

Distance shapes the experience north of Clare and across the Straits of Mackinac. The Alpena Child Support & Social Service Office is at 711 West Chisholm Street (989-354-7200). The Atlanta office in Montmorency County is at 11636 Highway 32 (989-785-4218). The Baldwin office in Lake County is at 5653 Highway M-37 (231-745-8159). Farther along the lakeshore, the Cheboygan office is at 827 South Huron Street (231-627-8500), and the East Tawas office is at 2145 U.s. 23 (989-362-0300), written exactly as it appears in our records.

In the Upper Peninsula, the Escanaba Child Support & Social Service Office is at 305 Ludington Street (906-786-5394). The Bessemer office in Gogebic County is at 301 East Lead Street (906-663-6200). The Baraga office uses PO Box 10 (906-353-4700), and the Caspian office in Iron County uses PO Box 250 (906-265-9958).

One detail catches people out. Gogebic and Iron counties observe Central Time, while Escanaba and most of the state use Eastern Time. If you are calling across the peninsula, check the clock before you assume an office is open.

Winter weather, long highway stretches and limited public transit make phone, mail and online options more valuable here. Ask the staff what can be handled without a trip. If you must appear in person, call the day before to confirm that someone is available to see you.

What to Bring and Ask Before You Visit a Michigan Office

A prepared visit is shorter and more useful. Gather these items before you leave home:

Then ask three plain questions. Which county Friend of the Court holds my order? Can this be done by phone, mail or online? What is the next deadline in my case? Write down the name of the person you spoke with and the date. That small habit helps if you need to follow up later.

The child support program in Michigan is administered by the state's child support enforcement agency, which operates through a network of county-level offices that handle case intake, order establishment, payment processing, and enforcement across the state under the authority of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

Child Support Offices locations are available in 77 cities across Michigan. They are spread across 71 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Detroit, Flint, Pontiac, which serve as regional hubs for child support case processing and interstate enforcement coordination for cases involving parents in multiple states.

Non-custodial parents in Michigan who are current on their support obligation and experiencing a significant change in income — such as job loss or medical disability — may be eligible to request a formal modification review through the state child support agency without having to hire an attorney.

Child Support Offices by Counties

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Custodial parents in Michigan who receive public assistance are automatically enrolled in child support services as a condition of TANF or Medicaid eligibility. Parents not receiving public assistance can still apply for child support services voluntarily and typically receive the same level of enforcement assistance at little or no cost.

Browse Child Support Offices by county across Michigan to find the nearest location.

Michigan Child Support Rules to Know Before You File or Visit

Michigan law sets a few ground rules that apply in every county, whether you use the Detroit office or a small rural one. Child support generally runs until the child turns 18. It can continue until age 19 years and 6 months if the child is still attending high school full time and is expected to graduate. Orders can also include health care coverage, and one or both parents may be required to provide insurance for the child.

Most orders are paid through income withholding, so your employer sends the payment to MiSDU. When someone falls behind, the Friend of the Court has several tools. These include tax refund offsets, liens, reporting to credit agencies, driver's license action and contempt proceedings before a judge. Acting early, by calling and asking for a review, is far better than waiting for enforcement to start.

Either parent can ask the Friend of the Court to review an order about once every 36 months. A sooner review is possible when circumstances change significantly, such as a job loss, a major income change or a change in parenting time. The rules for Michigan's offices stay consistent, but local practice does not. A busy Wayne County office and a small northern office may differ in how quickly they return calls, so patience and documentation help.

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Support Offices in Michigan

Most payments go through the Michigan State Disbursement Unit, known as MiSDU. When a parent has a job, the Friend of the Court sends an income withholding order to the employer, and the employer forwards each payment to MiSDU. MiSDU then pays the receiving parent through the method that parent selected. Parents who are self-employed or between jobs can pay MiSDU directly and should include the case number. Avoid handing cash to the other parent. A missing record can make it hard to prove what you paid if arrears are ever calculated, and the court may not credit it.

The offices in our listings, such as the Pontiac Child Support & Social Service Office at 51111 Woodward Avenue, are local human services locations connected to the state's MDHHS network. The Friend of the Court belongs to the circuit court and monitors and enforces orders in domestic relations cases. The prosecuting attorney often handles establishing paternity and obtaining a first order. Because these roles overlap, ask on your first call which agency holds your file. They can usually point you to the right county courthouse office, phone line or online account.

In general, support continues until the child turns 18. If the child is still in high school full time and is expected to graduate, it can continue until age 19 years and 6 months. Special rules and court orders can change this, for example when a child has a disability or when a divorce agreement says something different. Support does not end automatically in every case, and unpaid back support remains owed after the child ages out. Check your own order, and call the Friend of the Court if the end date is unclear.

Contact the Friend of the Court that holds your order and request a review. Either parent can usually ask for one about every 36 months, and a sooner review may be possible after a major change such as job loss or a change in parenting time. Provide current income proof and any new insurance or child care costs. Timing matters, because a change generally applies only from the date a petition or review request is made, not from the date your circumstances changed. If you lose income, ask right away instead of waiting for arrears to build.

The law and the formula are the same statewide, but the experience differs. In Alpena County, the office at 711 West Chisholm Street (989-354-7200) serves a smaller caseload, so staff may know local employers and procedures well. In Baraga County, the office lists PO Box 10 and 906-353-4700, so phone and mail matter more than walk-ins. Detroit offices handle higher volume and longer queues. In every county, call first, confirm hours and ask what can be done without traveling.

Michigan follows the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, which lets states cooperate on establishing and enforcing support across state lines. You do not need to travel to the other parent's state. Start with your local office or Friend of the Court, whether that is the Detroit, Flint or Escanaba area, and explain where the other parent lives and works. Michigan staff can send the case to the other state's child support agency. Provide as much detail as you can, including addresses, employer names and any past order, because missing information is the most common cause of delay.