Opinion ID: 2144105
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Social Security Act

Text: The federal welfare program known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), contained in Title IV-A of the Social Security Act, established a scheme under which the federal government would reimburse states for a percentage of the funds that states distributed to needy families with children. 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq. (1994). States were not required to participate in the AFDC program, but if a state chose to participate in the program, it had to comply with the requirements of the Social Security Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder. 42 U.S.C. § 602 (1994); King v. Bradley, 829 F.Supp. 989, 991 (N.D.Ill.1993). Title IV-A set out, in considerable detail, the elements which must be included in a state AFDC plan. 42 U.S.C. § 602 (1994). If a state AFDC plan met with federal approval, the state was entitled to reimbursement from the federal government of a substantial percentage of the state funds it expended in AFDC payments. 42 U.S.C. § 603(a) (1994). In 1974, Congress amended the Social Security Act by adding Title IV-D. 42 U.S.C. § 651 et seq. (Supp.1975). Title IV-D established a Child Support Enforcement Program, [f]or the purpose of enforcing the support obligations owed by absent parents to their children. 42 U.S.C. § 651 (1994). At the same time, Title IV-A was amended to require states, as a condition of receiving federal AFDC funds, to adopt child support enforcement programs that complied with Title IV-D. 42 U.S.C. § 602(a)(27) (1994). Accordingly, in order for a state to obtain federal funding for its AFDC program, the state was required to operate a child support enforcement program in compliance with Title IV-D. 42 U.S.C. §§ 602(a)(27), 603(h) (1994); see also People ex rel. Sheppard v. Money, 124 Ill.2d 265, 270, 124 Ill.Dec. 561, 529 N.E.2d 542 (1988); King v. Bradley, 829 F.Supp. 989, 991 (N.D.Ill.1993); Carelli v. Howser, 923 F.2d 1208, 1210 (6th Cir.1991). A state program under Title IV-D must provide a variety of services including establishment of paternity, establishment and enforcement of support obligations, and parent locator services. 42 U.S.C. § 652(a)(1) (1994); 45 C.F.R. §§ 303.3, 303.4, 303.5, 303.6 (1994). By operating a program of child support enforcement services in compliance with Title IV-D, a state not only would receive federal AFDC funding, but it would also be reimbursed by the federal government for a large percentage, ranging from 66% to 90%, of the state funds it expends in connection with the Title IV-D program. 42 U.S.C. § 655 (1994). In addition, Title IV-D provides for states to be paid incentive payments to encourage and reward states which operate efficient enforcement programs. 42 U.S.C. § 658(b) (1994). The incentive payments will generally equal 6% of the state's support collections in AFDC cases and 6% of the state's support collections in non-AFDC cases in a particular year. 42 U.S.C. § 658(b) (1994). Title IV-D provides detailed requirements with which a state plan must comply in order for the state to be entitled to federal funding. 42 U.S.C. § 654 (1994). One of the requirements of Title IV-D is that the state must make the same child support enforcement services available to both families receiving AFDC and families who are not receiving AFDC. 42 U.S.C. § 654(6) (1994). The version of section 654(6) applicable to this case provides, in pertinent part: A State plan for child and spousal support must    (6) provide that (A) the child support collection or paternity determination services established under the plan shall be made available to any individual not otherwise eligible for such services upon application filed by such individual with the State,    (B) an application fee for furnishing such services shall be imposed, which shall be paid by the individual applying for such services, or recovered from the absent parent, or paid by the State out of its own funds,    the amount of which (i) will not exceed $25 (or such higher or lower amount (which shall be uniform for all States) as the Secretary may determine to be appropriate for any fiscal year   ). 42 U.S.C. § 654(6) (1994). The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), the federal agency charged with administering the AFDC program, has promulgated regulations to carry out the Title IV-D program. 45 C.F.R. § 301 et seq. (1994). In accordance with Title IV-D, the OCSE regulations provide that states must make child support enforcement services available to non-AFDC recipients. Regulation 302.33 provides, in relevant part: Services to individuals not receiving AFDC or title IV-E foster care assistance. (a) Availability of Services. (1) The State plan must provide that the services established under the plan shall be made available to any individual who: (i) Files an application for the services with the IV-D agency. 45 C.F.R. § 302.33(a)(1)(i) (1994). We note, for clarification purposes, that in late 1996, Congress enacted the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub.L. 104-193, 110 Stat. 2105 (Personal Responsibility Act). The Personal Responsibility Act replaced the federal AFDC program contained in Title IV-A with a program of block grants to states for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Pub.L. 104-193, 110 Stat. 2112-13. TANF, like AFDC, provides the states participating in the program with federal funding for the states' programs of public assistance to families with dependent children. Pub.L. 104-193, 110 Stat. 2134. In order to be eligible for a block grant under the TANF program, a state must still operate a child support enforcement program in compliance with Title IV-D. Pub.L. 104-193, 110 Stat. 2114, 2198-2200. The Personal Responsibility Act also amended some portions of Title IV-D. However, Title IV-D still requires that a state program must provide child support enforcement services to any    child, if an individual applies for such services with respect to the child. Pub.L. 104-193, 110 Stat. 2199.