The County of San Luis Obispo has the top performing child support services agency in the state according to a recent report by the California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) to the state legislature.
The state department reported its annual rankings to the state legislature, and the San Luis Obispo County Department of Child Support Services was ranked the first county in the state based on the five federal performance measures during the fiscal year of 2015. The department has been the top-ranked child support department in the state for nine of the last 10 years.
“We encourage financial, medical and emotional involvement from both parents, and take a proactive approach to involve both parties at the onset of their case,” Child Support Services Director Julie S. Paik said. “We keep them informed and educated about their case and reinforce the importance of taking an active role in supporting their children. This award reflects the superior staff of child support services, which are committed and dedicated to strengthening families in San Luis Obispo County, and I am fortunate to work with such successful staff.”
The County of San Luis Obispo ranked first out of 50 local child support enforcement agencies in the state for overall performance in five federal performance measures, which include paternity establishment percentage, percentage of cases with a child support order, current collections performance, arrearage collections performance, and cost effectiveness.
DCSS is available to those within the community who have custody or guardianship of a minor child and who need assistance with establishing paternity, a child support order or enforcing an existing support order. DCSS currently serves 3,900 children and families and continues to implement new strategies to increase collections and distribute monies to families, while remaining cost effective and delivering world-class service. DCSS and state child support professionals work together so that children in the system can rely on their parents for the financial and medical support they need to be healthy and successful. To open a case or to ask a question about DCSS’s services, visit www.slocounty.ca.gov/css.htm.
The San Luis Obispo County Department of Child Support Services works to enhance the well-being of local children and the self-sufficiency of families by ensuring that they receive the support to which they are entitled to by law. Staff work with families to encourage both parents to be involved in their child’s life, but the department may, in some cases, prosecute individuals who willfully refuse to support their children. The department also establishes paternity through genetic testing and locates non-custodial parents and custodial parties to establish, enforce and distribute child and medical support. For more information, visit www.slocounty.ca.gov/css.htm.