TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Douglas Durward, Director of Child Support Services
REPORT BY: Karina Castañeda, Staff Services Manager
SUBJECT: Approval and authorization to sign Amendment to current Plan of Cooperation
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve and authorize the Director of Child Support Services to sign the revised Plan of Cooperation Agreement No. 8677 with the California Department of Child Support Services amending language that addresses the role of the program participants and simplifies existing processes for the Child Support Program. (No Fiscal Impact; Mandatory)
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BACKGROUND
All local child support agencies (LCSAs) are required to enter a Plan of Cooperation (POC) with the California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) to define responsibilities assigned for both the state and local Child Support departments include complying with all federal Title IV-D provisions of the Social Security Act.
This POC allocates responsibilities for administering Title IV-D services between the State Department of Child Support Services and the LCSA, Napa County Department of Child Support Services.
The POC clarifies minor language changes and streamlines several existing processes such as simplifying expected interaction between DCSS and the LCSA’s Ombudsperson. The POC also requires information sharing with DCSS regarding any existing LCSA customer service surveys on a regular basis.
Additionally, the POC expands existing processes for required department audits, such as the self-assessment, data reliability, fiscal, and security audits, including the notification of DCSS when the LCSA will have a single audit. The POC also extends the record retention period for safeguarding of federal tax information via Information Security Logs from five to seven years and highlights the location of Exhibit 7, (which provides already required security language for any new contract), to DCSS’s secure website.
The final revision provides clarification regarding the POC renewal period. This POC will automatically renew on October 1, 2025, and continue to renew annually unless new laws, regulations, or requirements necessitate an update.
Requested Action:
1. Approve and authorize the Director of Child Support Services to sign the revised Plan of Cooperation with the California Department of Child Support Services amending language that addresses the role of the program participants and simplifies existing processes for the Child Support Program.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Mandatory |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.