Child Support Call Center for Information

The State of Florida has adopted a statewide call center to handle the calls from custodial and non-custodial parents. The automated voice that answers your call tells you, first, all the things that the toll free line cannot do. It cannot give you information about payments or payment status. For that, you must call another number or you are encouraged to go to the Deparrment of Revenue web site.

Then, if you aren't calling to find out where you payment is, you are advised you can select "2" for case status. However, a case status will not be requested from a local office if there is a pending action or if an action has been taken in the last 30 days (90 days for out-of-state cases).

To better serve the public the toll free line is open until 7:00 p.m. on weekdays. When I returned home from work today, I placed a call to the toll free number (listed below). The first call resulted in a loud, beeping busy signal. I am now on my second attempt. I have been on hold since 6:25 p.m. Here's my theory:

All the call center employees go on break at 6:30 p.m. The phone is routed to a voice that comes on in exactly one minute intervals: All of our representatives are busy at this time. Please hold the line and someone will be with you momentarily. I (am unsure how long momentarily is.) I'm burning cell phone minutes on hold.

It's 6:55 and someone answers! I'm delighted I was wrong!

I eagerly await a case status. I've been assured from my last visit at the local office in mid-December that everything in my file is in order and that my file is going for review on to the legal team. This is the final step before the office asks the non-custodial parent for documentation about income, etc., and then it goes to court to get a court order. At this rate I can get child support by summer and before another year's school fees are due.

The results of the conversation with the call center:
800.622.5437 in the next post.