New Hampshire Bureau of Child Support Services - Concord, NH

NH Bureau of Child Support Services (Central Unit)

The New Hampshire Bureau of Child Support Services (BCSS), headquartered at the Hugh Gallen State Office Park in Concord, is a division of the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The office at 129 Pleasant Street serves as the Central Information Unit (CIU) and the Interstate Office for the state's child support operations. While local district offices handle direct casework and face-to-face meetings with parents, this central location manages the administrative backbone of the child support system, processing payments, handling complex interstate cases, and overseeing the statewide enforcement of support orders.

Core Functions and Services

The primary goal of the BCSS is to encourage responsible parenting and family self-sufficiency by ensuring children receive the financial and medical support they are entitled to. The Central Unit at Pleasant Street handles:

• Payment Processing: Overseeing the collection and distribution of child support payments through the centralized state disbursement unit.
• Interstate Cases: Managing cases where one parent lives in New Hampshire and the other resides in a different state, requiring coordination between different legal jurisdictions.
• Case Inquiry: The Central Information Unit provides a dedicated phone line and administrative support to answer questions from parents regarding payment history, case status, and enforcement actions.
• Enforcement Mechanisms: The bureau utilizes various tools to enforce orders, including income withholding, interception of tax refunds, and suspension of licenses (driver's, professional, hunting/fishing) for non-compliance.

Legal and Paternity Services

BCSS provides services to any parent or guardian, regardless of income. This includes the establishment of paternity for children born out of wedlock, which is the legal foundation for collecting support. The bureau also assists in establishing, modifying, and enforcing legal orders for financial and medical support. It is important to note that the bureau represents the state's interest in ensuring children are supported; the attorneys and staff do not represent the individual parents in a client-attorney relationship.

Visiting and Contact Information

The 129 Pleasant Street location is part of the larger DHHS campus (Brown Building). While it serves as the mailing address for the bureau, face-to-face client meetings are often referred to the Concord District Office at Terrill Park Drive or other local district offices. However, for administrative inquiries, document drop-off, or specific appointments related to interstate matters, this location is the central hub. Visitors to the State Office Park should be prepared for security screening upon entering the building.

Online Access

To improve accessibility, BCSS encourages parents to use the NH e-ChildSupport online portal. This secure system allows parents to view payment history, update personal information, and communicate with case workers without the need to visit an office or wait on hold. The website also offers a child support calculator to help parents estimate potential support obligations based on the state's guidelines.