The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families received a federal Section 1115 grant from the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) to strengthen equity in the child support program. As a subcontractor to CGI, CPR is supporting this effort by conducting research that helps states better understand how child support policies and practices affect families—particularly those from communities that have historically faced unequal access to services and opportunities.
As part of this work, CPR is reviewing national research and publications to identify what is known about inequities in child support and what strategies show promise for addressing them. This includes examining how child support programs serve parents across a wide range of experiences and identities, including people of color, LGBTQI+ parents, individuals with disabilities, rural residents, and families affected by persistent poverty.
CPR is also partnering with three states—California, Michigan, and Minnesota—to pilot ways administrative data can be used to answer equity-related questions. In California and Michigan, CPR is analyzing how the pass-through of child support payments affects parents who currently or formerly received cash public assistance. In Minnesota, the team is studying how child support policies, such as the failure to modify orders during periods of incarceration, shape the financial stability of parents returning to their communities after release.
By combining a comprehensive review of existing research with new data-driven analysis, this project aims to help states assess disparities, improve access to services, and identify actionable strategies that make child support programs more fair, responsive, and inclusive for all families.