The Child Support Program Celebrates 50 Years!

Caseload Growth and Program Foundations

The federal child support program began in 1975 under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. Initially, it was created to help states recover costs for welfare benefits paid to custodial parents by establishing paternity and enforcing support obligations. The national program experienced rapid growth during the 1980s and 1990s, peaking in the early 2000s with over 22 million cases. This surge was driven by a growing awareness of child support enforcement, federal policy mandates, and increased demand from both welfare and non-welfare families.

Although caseloads have declined in recent years—falling to fewer than 12 million by the early 2020s—this drop reflects changing family dynamics, a decrease in public assistance use, and the rise of informal or cooperative parenting arrangements.

1975–1990s: Rapid Growth

1975: The IV-D program began with a relatively small caseload, mainly focused on recovering welfare costs by establishing paternity and enforcing support for children receiving public assistance (AFDC).

1980s–1990s: The program grew rapidly as more families—both those on and off public assistance—began using child support services.

• Out of Wedlock Births in 1980 were 18% of all births.
• Caseload expansion was driven by federal mandates, growing public awareness, and increased enforcement tools (like wage withholding and tax refund intercepts).
• By the mid-1990s, the caseload exceeded 20 million cases.

2000s: Caseload Peaks and Begins Declining

• The total number of IV-D cases peaked in the early 2000s at around 22 million.
• After that, the caseload began to decline gradually, despite population growth.
• Possible reasons: fewer births to unmarried parents, more families making private arrangements, and reduced reliance on public assistance.

2010s–Present: Continued Decline and Program Shift

• Caseloads have continued to decline, with fewer than 12 million cases by the early 2020s.
• Out of Wedlock Births in 2023 were 40%.
• There has been a shift in the program’s focus—from primarily collecting reimbursement for welfare payments to serving a broader group of families with child support needs, including low-income and never-assisted families.
• More emphasis has been placed on family-centered services, employment programs for noncustodial parents, and collaboration rather than only strict enforcement. 

Intergovernmental and International Caseloads

As families became more mobile, intergovernmental child support cases—those involving parents living in different states—became increasingly common. These cases were difficult and slow to process as they involved cooperation of agencies in different states and often required paper and direct communication. ERICSA roots began in 1947 to address the problems of parents moving away from the state to avoid child support responsibilities, and intergovernmental case processing remains a special focus.

Initially managed under the 1950 Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act (URESA) and then the 1968 Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act (RURESA), the intergovernmental cases were often inefficient and complex. Child support cases for the same family in multiple jurisdictions were difficult to address. The adoption of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) in the 1990s standardized procedures (updated in 2008), created rules around one controlling order for a family unit across multiple jurisdictions, improved cooperation between states, and increased enforcement efficiency.

Technology improvements, such as the Federal Case Registry (FCR) and the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), launched in 1998, dramatically improved the ability to locate noncustodial parents across state lines. Beginning in 2006, the federal OCSS Query Interstate Cases for Kids (QUICK) facilitates real-time data sharing between states on intergovernmental cases to improve the quality of and timing of successfully handling these cases towards positive outcomes.

Internationally, handling child support cases between countries was historically limited and difficult. Globalization and cross-border mobility resulted in the 1996 PROWRA authorization of the US to enter into federal bilateral child support case processing agreements with other countries. These agreements were supplemented by existing individual state/country agreements. In addition, there historically were a number of international child support treaties that, for a variety of reasons, the US had never signed.

ERICSA played a significant role in the development of the modern Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (also known as the Hague Child Support Convention), with ERICSA members serving as official delegates to the Hague Conference whose work culminated in a 2007 Treaty. The US was a major part of the 5-year negotiation process and was the first country to sign the Convention at the end of the formal diplomatic session in 2007. It was formally ratified by the US in 2016 and is currently in force in 53 countries. The convention streamlines international enforcement with participating nations and significantly improves outcomes for families split by borders.

The Tribal Child Support Program

Recognizing the unique needs and Sovereignty of Native American communities, Congress authorized the creation of tribal child support programs in the 1996 PWRORA Legislation. These programs empower federally recognized tribes to operate their own IV-D child support offices, delivering services that reflect cultural traditions and values. Tribal programs offer services aligned with cultural practices and values, such as mediation-based enforcement or traditional dispute resolution. This has led to increased participation and trust in the system from Native parents who may have been wary of state systems.

Over 60 tribal programs now serve thousands of families, reinforcing tribal sovereignty and ensuring that child support services reach populations historically underserved by state systems. Tribal programs have fostered better collaboration between states and tribes, especially in cases that cross jurisdictional lines. The Intergovernmental Reference Guide (IRG) now includes tribal program contacts and policies, helping states and tribes coordinate enforcement across boundaries. Tribal programs have also contributed to policy innovation, including family-centered and community-based approaches to enforcement.

Program Improvements and Participant Outcomes

Since being created in 1975, the states, tribes, and federal OCSS have worked together to provide better outcomes for families. The program has transitioned from a welfare cost-recovery model to a family-first approach, ensuring that more children receive the financial support they need. This has reduced child poverty, improved economic security for custodial parents, and reinforced parental responsibility nationwide. Some highlights include:

1. Growth in Child Support Collections:
   • In 1977, the program collected approximately $1 billion in child support payments.
   • By 2023, collections had grown to approximately $28.5 billion, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in securing financial support for children.

2. Shift Toward Direct Family Support:
   • Initially, much of the collected child support was retained by federal and state governments to reimburse welfare costs.
   • Over time, policy reforms—such as the 1996 PRWORA and subsequent legislation—have prioritized sending more funds directly to families.
   • By 2023, 96% of collected child support was distributed directly to families, compared to significantly lower rates in earlier decades.

3. Paternity Establishment Improvements:
   • In 1976, only about 30% of children born out of wedlock had paternity established.
   • By 2023, the paternity establishment percentage (PEP) had surpassed 100% in the IV-D program, meaning more paternities were established than new non-marital births in a given year.

4. Increase in Support Orders and Compliance:
   • In 2000, 66% of cases had support orders established; by 2023, this increased to 86%.
   • The proportion of current support collected improved from 58% in 2000 to 65% in 2023.

5. Technological and Enforcement Innovations:
   • Introduction of automated wage garnishment, new hire reporting, and federal tax refund offsets has improved collection efficiency.
   • Expanded use of interstate enforcement tools has helped families receive support even when parents live in different states.

Outlook for the Future

The US Child Support program will continue its evolution enhancing the traditional enforcement model by embracing family-centered policies, employment support, technological advancements, and enhanced customer relationships to fulfill its mission of securing financial stability for children in today’s changing world.