Child Support Information
Child Support Enforcement is a family-first program intended to ensure families self-sufficiency by making child support a more reliable source of income. The program goals are to ensure children have the financial and medical support of both their parents; to foster responsible behavior towards children; to emphasize children need to have both parents involved in their lives; and, to reduce welfare costs.
The purpose and mission of the Child Support Enforcement Program is to enhance the well-being of
children by assuring that assistance in obtaining support, including financial and medical, is
available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity, establishing support
obligations, and monitoring and enforcing those obligations.
The Child Support Enforcement Program was established in 1975 as Title IV, Part D of the Social Security Act. The program is a federal, state and local intergovernmental collaboration functioning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) assists states develop, manage and operate child support programs effectively and according to federal laws by providing financial and technical assistance.