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 Minnesota, when a parent applies for or receives public assistance, such as the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), the state may automatically initiate a child support case through the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). This process is designed to identify the noncustodial parent (often the father) and establish paternity, if necessary, as well as to set up and enforce child support orders. The state's child support enforcement agency works to ensure that both parents are contributing to the child's upbringing. Additionally, Minnesota may require individuals who receive certain types of public assistance, including child care subsidies and SNAP benefits, to cooperate with child support enforcement efforts as a condition of receiving those benefits. This cooperation may involve providing information to locate the noncustodial parent, assisting in establishing paternity, and facilitating the enforcement of child support orders. Failure to cooperate without good cause can result in a reduction or termination of benefits.