N.C. Gen. Stat. § 110-138: Duty of county to obtain support.

Whenever a county department of social services receives an application for public assistance on behalf of a dependent child, and it shall appear to the satisfaction of the county department that the child has been abandoned by one or both responsible parents, or that the responsible parent(s) has failed to provide support for the child, the county department shall without delay notify the designated representative who shall take appropriate action under this Article to provide that the parent(s) responsible supports the child. (1975, c. 827, s. 1; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1186, s. 14.)