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Overview
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The Child Support Program provides services to assist parents in their mutual obligation to financially support and provide health insurance for their children. The Department of Child Support Services commonly known as DCSS, is the local child support enforcement agency.
DCSS serves the public by ensuring that children receive the financial support to which they are legally entitled. The Department also serves taxpayers by helping families remain self-sufficient and recouping public assistance dollars from non-custodial parents.
DCSS is committed to providing timely, competent and professional services that are cost-effective and respond to community needs.
Child support payments are sent directly to the family as they are received, unless public assistance is being provided. In public assistance cases, the support payment is sent to the Department of Social Services.
Child Support Services
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Anyone who has a child support and/or medical support order, or wants to establish one, can apply for child support enforcement services by completing an application (available at the Department of Child Support Services office). Parties who receive public assistance, including Medi-Cal, will automatically be referred to the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) by the Welfare Department. DCSS will take the following steps.
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STEP 1: Open a Child Support Case
Either parent, or the caretaker/ guardian of a child may open a child support case by completing an application. DCSS will also open a case for any individual receiving TANF and/or Medi-Cal who has been referred by the county Department of Social Services. The more information the custodial party gives about the case, the better service DCSS can provide. |
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STEP 2: Locate the Parent
DCSS will make every effort to locate the non-custodial parent, and your help is needed. To get an order for support, establish paternity, or enforce a child support order, DCSS must know the name, date of birth, SSN, and where the non-custodial parent lives or works. |
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STEP 3: Establish Paternity
If paternity (fatherhood) has not been established, DCSS will take the necessary steps to establish paternity. Paternity must be established before child and medical support can be ordered by the court. A voluntary declaration of paternity will also establish paternity. Please let us know if one exists. |
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STEP 4: Establish a Support Order
If a court order for child support does not already exist, and the non-custodial parent is located, one will be sought by DCSS and established by the court based on both parents ability to pay support, the amount of time the child spends with each parent, and the financial needs of the child. DCSS will also request that the court require the non-custodial parent to provide health insurance for the child. |
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STEP 5: Enforcement of Support Orders
The DCSS will take steps to enforce court orders for child and medical support. Enforcement action will be taken by the DCSS if the non-custodial parent does not pay or pays less than the amount ordered, or if the non-custodial parent does not provide health insurance for the child as ordered by the court, if it is available at no or reasonable cost. DCSS will determine what type of enforcement action is to be taken based on state and federal laws and regulations. |
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What we can do / What we cannot do
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What we can do... |
What we cannot do... |
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Establish, modify and enforce a court order to pay child support
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Collect and distribute child and spousal support payments payable through the State Disbursement Unit.
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Locate parents
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Establish paternity
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Establish and enforce medical support (including dental and vision care) and family support orders |
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Handle custody or visitation matters
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Handle divorces
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Obtain or enforce restraining orders
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Establish spousal support orders
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Enforce spousal support orders, unless there is also a child support order |