The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is marking a milestone year for the Illinois Child Support Services program, celebrating 50 years of helping children in the state get the financial and family support they need to thrive. The Illinois program enters its next decade with a mission that has evolved since its inception to focus more holistically and comprehensively on the families it serves, with additional supports for parents and a new payment pass-through policy. The Illinois Child Support Services Program’s mission is to improve the lives of children and create a more stable and successful future for them in the state of Illinois. Over time, it has evolved and grown to include services aimed at helping entire families, including parents who pay support.  In July 2024, a new practice began to pass through all child support collected on behalf of Illinois’ low income families who are current or former Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF). With this change, Illinois became the first state in the nation to unconditionally ensure all families receive 100 percent of the child support that is paid, aiming to put more money into the households of families who need it the most.  As the Division of Child Support Services marks this 50th anniversary milestone, it is also looking to the future of the child support program and how it can continue to find ways to better serve families.