In 1999, the state Legislature passed and the Governor signed AB 196 and SB 542. These two bills redesigned the child support program in California. Two primary components of the legislation were the creation of a new state Department of Child Support Services (CA DCSS) and the establishment of Departments of Child Support Services in each county. To create the new county departments, the legislation requires family support services to be removed from the Offices of the District Attorneys. The legislation called for a three-year phase-out of the District Attorneys with a final deadline of December 31, 2002. Although your Board requested a December 2002 transition date, the Director of the state Department of Child Support Services is requiring all counties to transition by July 1, 2002. After the legislation was signed, the County Manager convened a transition committee under the direction of Assistant County Manager, Paul Scannell. Members of the committee included representatives from County Counsel's Office, the District Attorney's Office, the Family Support Division and Manager's staff. The committee concluded that since the Division has always operated as a separate unit of the District Attorney's office, the transition would not be complicated. To prepare for the transition, the Division submitted a comprehensive transition plan to the state DCSS on February 28, 2002. The plan outlines all the steps the Division will take to be fully prepared for the transition from the District Attorney's Office on July 1, 2002. As mandated in the legislation, all the staff and all the resources of the Division will be transferred intact to the new county Department of Child Support Services. All Division staff will retain their current positions, job duties, union status and pay. The only exception is the Director of the Department, who serves at will for the District Attorney. With the transition, the Director will now be appointed by and report to the County Manager. The salary ordinance does not add or delete any positions; it changes the titles of existing positions to be consistent with the new Department name. Family Support Technicians, Officers and Supervisors will now be called Child Support Technicians, Officers, and Supervisors. Deputy District Attorneys will now be Child Support Attorneys and the Director of the Division will now be called the Director of the Department of Child Support Services. The Deputy Director and the Program Services Manager I will now be the Deputy Director of Department of Child Support Services and Child Support Service Manager I |
The Family Support Division has been preparing for this transition for the past nine months. Division customers have been notified via letter, and through messages on the website and the Voice Response System. All the messages reassure our customers that, although the name of the office will change, the staff, the services and most importantly the commitment to high quality customer service will remain the same. The Division also held a public meeting on March 13, 2002 to share information about the upcoming transition with the public. Meetings have also been held with all staff. No one has raised concerns about the pending transition, not the public, our customers or the Division staff. |
The creation of the San Mateo County Department of Child Support Services will contribute to the following Shared Vision 2010 commitments and goals: PEOPLE Provide equal access to educational opportunity · All children ages 0-5 have access to childcare/early learning that contributes to their entering kindergarten ready to succeed. Ensure basic health and safety for all · Residents have access to healthcare and preventative care · Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods · Help vulnerable people - the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others - achieve a better quality of life. PROSPERITY Create opportunities for every household to participate in our prosperity. · All households experience real gains in income. PARTNERSHIPS Responsive, effective and collaborative government · County employees understand, support and integrate the County vision and goals into their delivery of services. Leaders work together across boundaries to preserve and enhance our quality of life. · Residents accept individual responsibility for contributing to the quality of life of the County as a whole.
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The Family Support Division received $50,000 in funds from the state for transition activities. These funds will be used to make all the changes needed when an organization changes its name. Among other things, new letterhead and business cards have been ordered, the website has been updated, brochures have been changed and the sign on the door will be redone. We are also planning some transition training events for the staff. With the creation of the new Department, there will be salary adjustments for the Director, Deputy director and Child Support Services Manager I positions. The total cost of these adjustments is $45,500 a year at the top step. Full funding for the adjustments will come from the State Department of Child Support Services allocation to the county, which funds 100% of all county Child Support Services Department. There are no county general funds associated with the operation of the new Department |
