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 Mississippi, when a parent applies for or receives certain types of public assistance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) is required to refer the case to the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (CPS) for child support enforcement. This referral is made to the Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Division, which then takes action to establish paternity and enforce child support obligations. The state may also require cooperation with child support enforcement as a condition of receiving other benefits like child care subsidies and SNAP benefits. This means that recipients of these benefits may be obligated to assist in identifying the absent parent, establishing paternity, and obtaining a child support order. Failure to cooperate without good cause can result in the loss of benefits. Each program may have specific rules regarding cooperation, and exemptions may apply for individuals facing circumstances such as domestic violence.