LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeWelfare and Institutions CodeDiv. 9Pt. 6Ch. 3.3Art. 5§ 18245 Child Support Assurance Eligibility

§ 18245 Child Support Assurance Eligibility

Welfare and Institutions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 18245 Child Support Assurance Eligibility

Key Takeaways

  • •To get child support payments from the state, the parent taking care of the child must give the state the right to collect child support.
  • •The parent must also prove who the other parent is, get a child support order, and choose this program instead of other cash help.
  • •The parent must share info and go to meetings unless it’s unsafe (like if there’s abuse).
  • •The child must live in the county, have a parent in the U.S., be under 18 (or 19 if still in high school), and the parent must have a job.

Example

A single mom wants help getting child support from her ex who lives in another state.

She can sign up for this program if she lets the state collect the money, proves her ex is the dad, and follows the rules like going to meetings. But if her ex was abusive, she doesn’t have to go to meetings if it’s unsafe.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 18245 Child Support Assurance Eligibility

(a) A family shall be eligible to receive a child support assurance payment on behalf of a child only if the child’s custodial parent has done all of the following: (1) Assigned the child’s right to collect child support to the state. (2) Established paternity, obtained a child support order, and is using the services available under the state plan approved under Part D (commencing with Section 651) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code. (3) Opted to participate in the child assurance program in lieu of cash assistance under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) or its successor program. (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), as a condition of receiving a child support assurance payment under this article, a custodial parent shall also be required to do both of the following: (A) Continue to provide all other relevant information that the applicant has that may be requested by the county. (B) Appear at required interviews, conference hearings, or legal proceedings, if notified in advance and an illness or emergency does not prevent attendance. (2) A custodial parent shall not be required to comply with paragraph (1) when compliance would make it more difficult for a domestic violence victim to escape physical abuse or when cooperation would increase the risk of further violence or unfairly penalize the victim. (c) In order to be eligible under this article, a child shall meet all of the following conditions: (1) The child resides in the county. (2) The child has a noncustodial parent living in the United States, or if not living in the United States, is subject to service of process by a state or territory of the United States. (3) The child is under 18 years of age or, if enrolled in high school, under 19 years of age. (4) The custodial parent is employed. (Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 902, Sec. 59. Effective January 1, 1999.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

paternitycomplianceassuranceschoolemergencyportdomestic violencehearing

Related Statutes

  • § 18242 Child Support Demonstration Projects
  • § 18247 Child Support Assurance Funding
  • § 7300 Patient Transfer Policy
  • § 903.41 Parentage And Support Coordination
  • § 18244 Family Assistance Program Eligibility

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Welfare and Institutions Code. Section 18245.
View Official Source