Child Support Enforcement Program
The Child Support Enforcement Program is authorized and defined by statute Title IV–D of the Social Security Act. The legal duty to support a minor child belongs to both parents, even if the custodial parent is capable of caring for the child single-handedly. Child support is intended to provide for the child’s basic needs and to allow the child to share in the standard of living of both parents. The non-custodial parent may be either the mother or the father. All states run a child support enforcement program, usually through the Department of Human Services, Department of Revenue, or the State Attorney General’s office. Prosecuting attorneys, district attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and officials of family or domestic relations courts may also provide assistance.