U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – The V.I. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Paternity and Child Support Division (PCSD) is recognizing National Child Support Awareness Month during August. Director Kathryn B. Jensen-DeLugo says throughout the month, the office will be sharing informative videos and insights on social media into what child support is and the vital services the office provides.
Child Support Awareness Month annually raises awareness about this critical income support program that helps millions of children and families. The PCSD program focuses on several services:
- parent location
- paternity establishment
- establishment of child support orders
- review and modification of child support orders
- collection of child support payments
- distribution of child support payments
- establishment and enforcement of medical child support.
In FY 2023, child support programs nationwide collected $29.6 billion and served 1 in 5 children in the United States. This kind of support helps families thrive and sets children up to succeed. Any father or mother who is the custodial parent or other adult who has
custody of a minor and needs help with any of the services we offer such as establishing and enforcing child support, establishing medical support and/or health insurance coverage, and establishing paternity can utilize our services. In the Virgin Islands, a non-custodial father may also apply for services if he is not contesting paternity.
The agency provides financial support to children through the establishment of paternity and the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations. PCSD focuses on building financial bridges between non-custodial parents and their children and supporting and enhancing the emotional and financial relationships necessary for successful dual parenting.
“We encourage all residents who have questions or need assistance to contact our offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Our dedicated team is here to support you and ensure you take full advantage of the services we offer”, said Director Jensen-DeLugo. “Stay informed and updated by following The DOJ’s Facebook page for valuable information: USVI Dept. of Justice, Office of the Attorney General”.
For more information, please call our St. Thomas office at (340) 775-3070 or our St. Croix office at (340) 778-5958. Alternatively, you can email the PCSD team at childsupport@vi.gov . Our facilities are located at 8000 Nisky Shopping Center St. Thomas and #3018 Orange Grove, Suite 4, St. Croix.
Let’s work together to support the well-being of our children and strengthen our community.