Child support
MNPrairie works to make sure that children get the support they need.
MNPrairie can help to locate parents; establish parentage; and set and enforce court orders for child support, medical support and child care support.
Child support is the contribution that non-custodial parents make to ensure that their children have adequate care, living expenses and medical support. All of Minnesota’s 87 counties provide child support services, regardless of families’ socioeconomic status.
MNPrairie provides four primary child support services to residents and people who have been issued a court order in Dodge, Steele or Waseca counties.
We do not provide legal advice or counsel, establish custody or parenting time, enforce spousal maintenance, or oversee the collection of unpaid bills. We also do not provide assistance with a legal separation or divorce.
Minnesota District Courts
Minnesota Child Support Online
Child Support ezDocs
Most of the families - nearly 90 percent - do not receive public assistance. About 44 percent of current child support recipients are former public assistance clients. In many cases, the child support payment (averaging $332 a month per family) helps families maintain self sufficiency.
Apply for child support services
MNPrairie can help to locate parents; establish parentage; and set and enforce court orders for child support, medical support and child care support.
Child support is the contribution that non-custodial parents make to ensure that their children have adequate care, living expenses and medical support. All of Minnesota’s 87 counties provide child support services, regardless of families’ socioeconomic status.
MNPrairie provides four primary child support services to residents and people who have been issued a court order in Dodge, Steele or Waseca counties.
- Establishing paternity, including coordinating genetic testing
- Establishing court orders to pay child support.
- Collecting child support and enforcing court orders
- Helping families to modify court orders
We do not provide legal advice or counsel, establish custody or parenting time, enforce spousal maintenance, or oversee the collection of unpaid bills. We also do not provide assistance with a legal separation or divorce.
Minnesota District Courts
Minnesota Child Support Online
Child Support ezDocs
MNPrairie in 2020
- 3,505 child support cases
- 11,074 clients, including over 4,000 children
- $11.9 million in child support collected. Statewide, Minnesota counties collected about $585 million in child support in 2020.
- About 94 percent of MNPrairie's cases are under a court order.
Families in the child support system
Within the MNPrairie system, 2,752 children were born to unmarried parents. Paternity has been established for more than 105 percent of them.Most of the families - nearly 90 percent - do not receive public assistance. About 44 percent of current child support recipients are former public assistance clients. In many cases, the child support payment (averaging $332 a month per family) helps families maintain self sufficiency.
Apply for child support services