In the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to assess the implementation, impacts, costs, and benefits of child support cooperation requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. FNS has contracted with Mathematica and MEF Associates to conduct this study. The study will include 9 States. The team is conducting a mixed-method study that includes visiting sites and collecting administrative data. The site visits will include interviews with state staff from the SNAP and child support agencies. The team will also collect and analyze administrative data from SNAP, child support, and, in some states, Medicaid and TANF. Finally, the team will collect and analyze cost data associated with implementing the requirement in selected states.
