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.
Iowa district courts hear family cases in all 99 counties, with the Child Support Recovery Unit under the Department of Human Services managing enforcement. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Sioux City are the largest metros. Iowa Legal Aid and the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence support women, with self-represented litigant coordinators in every county.
CSRU is Iowa's IV-D program; the main office on SW 8th Street in Des Moines opens cases for any custodial parent regardless of income and applies federal guideline worksheets to set orders. Mothers can request a triennial review for modification when the obligor's income changes by 50% or $50, and CSRU will intercept federal tax refunds for arrears. Call 888-229-9223 weekdays.
888-229-9223 · 400 SW 8th St, Des Moines, IA 50309 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
The Iowa CSRU online portal lets a custodial mother track payment history, view her case worker's name, request a modification, and download an annual statement for tax purposes. The portal is the fastest way to see whether an income withholding order has been served on a new employer. Technical questions go to 888-229-9223.
888-229-9223 · Online Service · Online 24/7
The Des Moines CSRU office at 400 SW 8th Street handles paternity establishment, order setup, and enforcement for the Polk County region; staff can issue administrative wage withholding within days of a new employer being identified. Mothers needing in-person help should call 515-281-5580 to confirm walk-in versus appointment-only days.
515-281-5580 · 400 SW 8th St, Des Moines, IA 50309 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
Cedar Rapids' CSRU office at 411 3rd Street SE serves Linn County mothers with paternity establishment, order setup, enforcement, and license suspension referrals for chronic nonpayment. The local team coordinates with Black Hawk and Johnson county courts on interstate cases. Phone intake at 319-892-5100 is the fastest start.
319-892-5100 · 411 3rd St SE Suite 3, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
Davenport's CSRU office at 600 W 4th Street covers Scott County and coordinates with Illinois Healthcare and Family Services across the Mississippi for the many Quad Cities families with cross-state orders. Mothers needing genetic testing or income withholding for an obligor working in Rock Island should call 563-326-8629.
563-326-8629 · 600 W 4th St, Davenport, IA 52801 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
Waterloo's CSRU office at 501 Sycamore Street serves Black Hawk County families and partners with the local John Deere and Tyson Foods HR offices to streamline income-withholding orders. Mothers whose case has been transferred from another Iowa county can call 319-292-2280 to confirm the file has been opened in Black Hawk.
319-292-2280 · 501 Sycamore St Suite 401, Waterloo, IA 50703 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
Sioux City's CSRU office at 822 Douglas Street serves Woodbury County and handles the tri-state caseload that crosses into Nebraska and South Dakota. Staff can initiate UIFSA registration when the obligor moves out of Iowa and coordinate enforcement through reciprocal agreements. Call 712-255-2989 to open or review a case.
712-255-2989 · 822 Douglas St, Sioux City, IA 51101 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
The Iowa City CSRU office at 913 S Dubuque Street serves Johnson County and coordinates with the University of Iowa employer office on the many cases involving student or hospital-employee obligors. Mothers wanting to enroll an order in immediate income withholding can do so at intake; the phone line is 319-356-6091.
319-356-6091 · 913 S Dubuque St Suite 202, Iowa City, IA 52240 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
NCSEA is the professional association for state IV-D directors, caseworkers, and attorneys; its public resources include explainers on how the new federal flexibility rules allow Iowa to set right-sized orders that obligors can actually pay. Mothers researching why their order was set lower than expected can find the policy backdrop here.
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The federal Office of Child Support Services publishes a one-page directory linking every state and tribal IV-D agency. Iowa mothers whose obligor has moved across state lines can use it to identify the right interstate caseworker before contacting CSRU to open a UIFSA registration.
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Single Mother Guide is a long-running blog written by a CPA and single mother that translates the federal child support framework into practical filing guidance: which form to use for modification, how arrears interest is calculated, and how to read a state worksheet. Useful supplement to anything CSRU sends in writing.
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Healthy Children is the American Academy of Pediatrics' parent-facing site; its child support pages frame the topic around what the money is actually meant to cover — well-child visits, immunizations, dental, behavioral health — and offer a pediatrician's perspective on coordinating insurance between separated parents.
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NFSN is a coalition of state Family Support Networks that operate community-based hubs combining parenting education, peer support, and benefits navigation. The site directs Iowa mothers to the nearest member program when they want wraparound family support that goes beyond a child support order.
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