To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Child Support Services (DCSS)
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jennifer Traumann (707) 565-4023
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Recommended Action:
Title
Adopt a Gold Resolution Proclaiming August 2021 Child Support Awareness Month
End
Executive Summary:
The annual observance of Child Support Awareness Month began in 1983 when Congress designated the month of August as National Child Support Awareness Month. The State of California has also adopted the national recognition. In his letter recognizing Child Support Awareness Month, Governor Gavin Newsom stated, “This Child Support Awareness Month, I encourage Californians to get the facts about California Child Support Services and all the ways their programs can assist parents and legal guardians in providing a stable and supportive environment to their children. The state is committed to offering services that are more flexible and responsive to the needs of California’s diverse families than ever before. California Child Support Services is here to help you better understand your right and responsibilities, assist you with the complexities of the system and foster your best connection to your kids.”
Child Support Awareness Month underscores the critical importance of supporting families and connecting them with the vital resources, especially amid the unprecedented pandemic challenges faced over the past year. In partnership with the 47 county and regional child support offices, California Child Support Services invites all parents to Get the Facts about the services available to connect them with the resources they need.
The outreach effort includes public service announcements, posters, and events in numerous locations throughout the state during the month of August.
Discussion:
Since 1995, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors joined the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) in proclaiming the month of August as “Child Support Awareness Month” to recognize the contributions of child support professionals and increase public awareness of the services governmental agencies provide to help support families in meeting the needs of their children.
Statewide, California collected $2.8 billion in child support last year. Locally, Sonoma County collected $34 million in child support last year. The Sonoma County Department of Child Support Services (Sonoma DCSS) manages over 10,000 local cases.
Sonoma County Child Support professionals continued to demonstrate their commitment to working with parents to collect child support payments for families throughout this pandemic by offering flexibility in receiving services. New payment options, document E-filing, Zoom appointments and court appearances, and DocuSign are now available for our customers.
By way of delivering service beyond expectations, DCSS staff raised enough funds to buy backpacks and school supplies for the families in our program with the biggest need. This year the department expects to be delivering 200 back-to-school backpacks to these families!
In another project, the department is collaborating with nine bay area counties to deliver an Employer Workshop simulcast in August. This workshop focuses on the employer mandates for income-withholding orders and provides detailed instruction with live Q&A. This program is increasing in popularity with bay area employers; last year 900 employers attended.
During the month of August, the department will Get the Facts out to families through local partners. Outreach by email, text, and presentations (in-person and Zoom) designed to educate families in need of establishment of parentage, child support and medical support are planned for the summer.
These efforts will help deliver continuously improving service in the future. The department celebrates our mission and continues to deliver excellent service to families in providing the child support they need to raise their children. The Department of Child Support Services respectfully requests the Board of Supervisors to adopt a Gold Resolution proclaiming August as Child Support Awareness Month.
Prior Board Actions:
The Board has proclaimed August as Child Support Awareness Month annually since 1995.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
N/A
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
PowerPoint
Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A