When a parent receives certain types of public assistance, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in the state may automatically open a child support case to identify the father (or other absent parent) of the child and enforce child support obligations. States have the option to require recipients of child care subsidies and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to cooperate with child support agencies seeking to establish paternity and support orders; and to enforce child support obligations as a condition of eligibility (child support cooperation requirements).

In Kansas, when a parent applies for or receives certain types of public assistance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) may refer the case to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to establish paternity and enforce child support obligations. This is to ensure that both parents are contributing to the child's upbringing. The state may also require cooperation with child support enforcement as a condition of receiving benefits from programs like child care subsidies and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This means that recipients of these benefits may be obligated to assist in identifying the noncustodial parent, establishing paternity, and setting up child support orders. Failure to cooperate without good cause can result in the reduction or termination of benefits. Each program may have specific rules and exceptions regarding cooperation requirements, and the OAG works in conjunction with DCF to manage these cases and enforce support obligations.