Feds Test Job Programs to Ease Child Support Burdens Nationwide
Published Date: 5/7/2026
Notice
Summary
The government is launching a 5-year project called NextGen to help noncustodial parents get better jobs and pay child support more consistently. Ten child support agencies across the U.S. will try out new programs, and researchers will study how well these efforts work. If you’re involved with these agencies or interested in child support, now’s the time to share your thoughts before July 6, 2026!
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Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
5‑Year NextGen Jobs Program for Noncustodial Parents
The NextGen demonstration is a 5-year project (planning/piloting for 1.5 years, then 3.5 years of full implementation) that will fund employment and other support services for noncustodial parents at 10 child support sites (including Los Angeles County CA; Sacramento and Stanislaus Counties CA; Cherokee Nation; Lac Courte Oreilles; Louisiana; Minnesota; Nooksack waiver; Ponca waiver; Virginia; Washington). The stated goal is to increase consistency of child support payments by improving employment and earnings.
Participant Data Collection and Use for Evaluation
Participants who consent will have data entered into a Management Information System (MIS) about enrollment, baseline characteristics, and services received; the evaluation will also use child support administrative records and the National Directory of New Hires to measure employment, earnings, child support orders, payments, debt, and enforcement for the 12 months before and after enrollment.
Estimated Respondent Time Burden for Data Collection
The notice estimates data-collection burden over a 4-year period with an annualized total of 2,075 burden hours. Specific planned burdens include MIS entries for 5,400 respondents at 1.5 hours each (total 8,100 hours; annualized 2,025 hours), 100 staff/community partner interviews at 1 hour each, and 100 participant interviews at 1 hour each (annualized burdens noted in the table).
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Key Dates
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