Scss-2026 - child support services - states

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services $333.885 million on October 1, 2025, under the Child Support Services program (CFDA 93.563), a block grant supporting child support establishment, enforcement, and collections across Illinois through September 30, 2026.

The funding supports the state's IV-D agency operations to locate absent parents, establish paternity, and enforce child support, spousal support, and medical support obligations. The award comprises matching funds (Federal Financial Participation) and incentive funds earned based on state performance. Illinois administers the program through its approved Title IV-D State Plan, which remains in effect until amended or revised. The state receives funds quarterly based on estimated support enforcement service needs for eligible individuals.

The grant covers place of performance in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, as the state's single Medicaid agency and primary administrator of federal healthcare and family support programs, serves as the recipient and manages the program under regulatory requirements including 45 CFR Part 75 and recordkeeping standards specified in 45 CFR 75.361–365. State and federal audits, including data reliability inspections by the DHHS Inspector General, enforce compliance with performance standards mandated by the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998.