JANESVILLE, Wis. -- A change to the state's child support program is causing financial headaches for some local families.

The adjustment in the child support progam was meant to streamline the process, but some are reporting that they're not getting their money, WISC-TV reported.

In early November, state officials rolled out a debit card program where child support payments would be put directly on a card instead of sending checks through the mail.

However, some families have reported that they didn't get their cards.

Julie Dewitt, of Janesville, said that she depends on her weekly child support to help care for her three children.

"For a person like me, the amount that I get is substantial and it does pay quite a few bills," said Dewitt.

Two weeks ago, she received a letter from the state saying that a debit card with her payments would arrive in a few days. The debit card never showed up, she said.

"You don't get our check or money without it," said Dewitt. "So if you don't have a card, you get no monthly allowance or weekly allowance that helps you to provide food, shelter, school, anything for your children."

Dewitt said that she made rounds of calls to the state child support office and to J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, where the cards were coming from. She found out that she wasn't alone.

"We are aware of a very small number of problems that have come up for people," said Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman.

The Department of Workforce Development officials said of the 55,000 cards sent out, fewer than 300 have had problems, WISC-TV reported.

She said that her department is working to remedy those cases.

"I'll tell you even getting a couple dozen calls is more calls than we want to get," said Gassman. "We're very concerned. We're taking it seriously. I'd like any individuals who are having any difficulty to call us."

Dewitt said that she finally received her card in the mail on Monday, which was two weeks late. She said after what she went through, she doesn’t plan on keeping it.

"I don't foresee them doing a much better job in the future," she said. "I just don't think that it's worth it."

The other option open to families is direct deposit, which is what Dewitt said she will now switch to. The DWD said about half of the state's families receiving child support use the direct deposit system.

Despite these problems, the DWD program did have some success.

Three counties piloted the program and Gassman said, because of the success there, the program was fast-tracked to the entire state before the start date of January.