HOUSTON – After our initial report earlier this week about delayed child support payments in Texas, even more parents are coming forward, telling KPRC 2 they’re in the same situation. They say money is being taken out of paychecks, but it’s not reaching their kids.
At the center of the problem, for parents, is the Texas Attorney General’s new case management system, known as “ChAMP” (Children Are My Priority.)
The system was launched in June to improve how the state processes child support payments. But since the rollout, dozens of families say it’s done the exact opposite, creating confusion, delays, and financial hardship.
“He sees it on his paycheck, the wage garnishment is there,” one Houston mom told us. “But when I log into the website to check my account, nothing’s posted. I haven’t gotten a payment in weeks. So where did the money go?”
KPRC 2 first reported this issue in July after getting a ‘2 Helps You’ inquiry. Then we shared the Noe Velasquez’s story. He told us he continued making payments through his job, but the money wasn’t reaching his child’s mother. Since then, we’ve heard similar stories including from grandparents, mothers, and fathers across Texas.
Our follow-up story has reached over 100,000 across social media, with hundreds of comments from frustrated parents. One person wrote they are missing over $5,000 in child support payments. Another said they haven’t received anything since June.
One viewer said they were even shown a receipt by the paying parent, but they still haven’t received a single cent. Others said payments are being marked as “delinquent” in the system even though money has clearly been deducted from the other parent’s paycheck.
“He’s not delinquent if he’s making the payments,” said a mom who didn’t want to be identified. “That’s not right.”
Another parent said when they tried reaching out through the Office of the Attorney General’s website chat, they were told to escalate the issue but no clear answers were given. Attempts to opt out of the state’s system and handle payments privately were also blocked.
“It told me I wasn’t eligible to close my case,” the parent said. “But who decides that? I just want control over my own situation.”
Multiple people told us getting in touch with the Attorney General’s Office is nearly impossible. Many report long wait times, unhelpful responses, and an overreliance on an online chat system that doesn’t resolve their concerns.
“It’s gotten worse and worse,” said the mom. “You can’t get anyone on the phone. You have to go through the website. And even then, it doesn’t fix anything.”
A major concern parents expressed is the assumption that the paying parent isn’t fulfilling their obligation when they say, the money is being taken out but not properly processed.
“It’s important for people to understand that the issue may not be missed payments, it’s that payments aren’t being distributed,” the mom said. “And that’s a big difference.”
According to the OAG, since launching ‘ChAMP,’ more than 1.5 million child support payments totaling over $288 million have been disbursed statewide. But for many families, those numbers don’t tell the whole story especially when they’re still waiting.
As of Friday, August 8th, 2025, KPRC 2 has not received a response to multiple requests for comment, including detailed questions we sent earlier this week.
Parents experiencing delays or issues with their child support payments are encouraged to:
- Call the Child Support Division toll-free at (800) 252-8014
- Use the Self-Service Portal at texasattorneygeneral.gov/child-support to check case/payment status