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 South Dakota, when a parent applies for and receives certain types of public assistance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the state's Department of Social Services (DSS) may refer the case to the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), which is a division of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). This referral is made to establish paternity and enforce child support obligations from the non-custodial parent. 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 provide information to the child support agency, assist in locating the non-custodial parent, and participate in paternity establishment or other legal processes to secure child support. 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's office provides guidance and assistance in these matters.