HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTIONS - 01012000 - 2000-452 Q
2oo
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR
County Administrator
DATE: August 8, 2000
SUBJECT: FAMILY SUPPORT TRANSITION
Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. ACKNOWLEDGE that in 1999, the California Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, a package
of bills that made significant changes to the organization, administration, and funding of the state's child
support enforcement program. Among the more significant changes are the creation of a new state
Department of Child Support Services (DOSS); the transfer of local administration from the county district
attorneys to separate county child support agencies; and the transfer of responsibility for procurement
of the automation system from the state Health and Human Services Data Center (HHSDC) to the
Franchise Tax Board (FTB).
2. ACKNOWLEDGE that the legislation requires that prior to the State approving a transition date for Contra
Costa County, a Director of Child Support Services must be selected, and a transition plan developed and
submitted to the State for approval.
3. ACKNOWLEDGE that the State is targeting the first quarter of 2001 as the transition date for Contra Costa
County, assuming completion of the State requirements described above.
4. ACKNOWLEDGE the ongoing cooperation of the Contra Costa County District Attorney in planning for
the transition thus far.
5. ADOPT (resolution establishing the class of Director of Child Support Services - Exempt and ADD one
full time position as a County employee exempt from the County merit system. (See Position Adjust-
ment Request #18713, October 17, 2000)
6. AUTHORIZE the Human Resources Director to initiate a statewide competitive recruitment for this
position, with a target appointment date of October 15, 2000.
CONTINUED ON A BCH X YES
Signature:
recommendation of C my Administrator
Recommendation of Board Committee
k,-.- Approve Other
Signature s
Action of Boar on: ,,z� yrs d0 Approved as Recommended Other
Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
Unanimous(Absent es) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
Ayes:_ Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN.
Absent:,_Abstain:,.,,
Attested: f„�' ,�. 12 4ye
cc: CAO—justice
Human Resources Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of
District Attorney—Gary Yancey of Supervisors and County Administrator
Family Support—Gayle Graham
Contact: George Roemer 335-1055 By/- � DEPUTY
Resolution 2000/452 l
-12
FISCAL IMPACT:
Estimate no impact on the General Fund. The cost of this agreement is included in Family Support's
transition budget request to the State.
BACKGROUND:
The primary purpose of California's child support enforcement program is to collect, from absent parents,
support payments for custodial parents and their children. Child support offices in the state's 58 counties
provide services such as locating absent parents; establishing paternity; obtaining, enforcing, and modifying
child support orders; and collecting and distributing payments. Federal law requires states to provide these
services to all custodial parents receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, which is the
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids — CALWORKS program in California) and, on
request, to non-TANF parents.
Prior to recent legislative reforms in California, the program was administered at the local level by the county
district attorneys (DAs), with state oversight by the Department of Social Services (DSS). The counties were
authorized to refer certain delinquent cases to the Franchise Tax Board for collection.
In 1999 the California legislature passed a reform package of bills, including Chapter 478 (AB196, Kuehl),
Chapter 479 (AB 150, Aroner), and Chapter 480 (SB 542, Burton and Schiff), which together are intended
to achieve more uniformity in service delivery and better performance in the Child Support Enforcement
Program by overhauling the organization, administration, and funding for the program. Generally, these
reforms significantly increase state authority and oversight over the program, and change state administrative
responsibility for developing the statewide child support automation system.
As of January 1, 2000, state level administration and oversight of California's child support enforcement
program was transferred from the Department of Social Services (DSS) to the Department of Child Support
Services (DOSS), a newly created department within the state Health and Human Services Agency. The new
state Department of Child Support Services (DOSS) is responsible for compliance with all federal and state
laws pertaining to the administration of child support enforcement, and completion of a single statewide
automation system. The new DCSS has issued standards for the qualifications of the county's director of
child support programs and will be developing specific guidelines for implementing the transition process.
The legislation requires that prior to the State approving a transition date, a Director of Child Support Services
must be selected, and a transition plan developed and submitted to the State for approval. In April 2000,
the Board approved the hiring of a transition consultant to begin working with the District Attorney, the
County Administrator, and the State on the development of a transition plan consistent with State guidelines.
The State is targeting the first quarter of 2001 as the transition date for Contra Costa County assuming
completion of the State requirements to hire a director for the new department and submit a transition plan
for approval.