Child Support

If you are going through the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) of the Mississippi Department of Human Services to get or enforce child support, they will safeguard your personal information if there is “reasonable evidence of a risk of harm.”

“Personal information” includes:

• your location;
• phone number;
• the Social Security number of you or your child; and
• the name, address, and telephone number of your employer.¹

However, the DCSE is only required to safeguard this information for one year unless you provide proof of an ongoing risk of harm.

“Reasonable evidence of a risk of harm” means:

1. a protective order or restraining order has been issued to protect you or your child; or
2. there is a valid reason to believe that sharing personal information could:

• cause physical harm to you or your child; or
• cause emotional harm to you or your child that would significantly:
  
  • affect your ability to care for your child; or
  • impact your or your child’s ability to function normally.¹

If someone requests your personal information, the DCSE may ask the court to decide whether it should be released. In this case, the court must review the situation and determine if sharing the information could harm you or your child. You will be notified of the request and given a deadline to object and explain why the information should not be shared. ¹

¹ Miss. Code § 43-19-44