DATE: August 7, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Memorandum of Understanding with California Department of Child Support Services for Third Party On-line Access to the California Support Enforcement System
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the California Department of Child Support Services for access to the California Support Enforcement System effective upon execution by the California Department of Child Support Services, not to exceed three consecutive years ($0).
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department access to child support information from the California Support Enforcement System (CSE), for administrating California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), CalFresh, Medi-Cal and Foster Care programs, with no increase to Net County Cost. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
There is no viable alternative action. Should the recommended action not be approved, the Department will lose access to the CSE, which may delay the adoption of children in Foster Care and affect the Department’s process of determining eligibility and appropriate grant amounts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. There is no cost associated with this agreement.
DISCUSSION:
On August 11, 2015, your Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the County of Fresno, Department of Social Services and the California Department of Child Support Services (CDCSS) for third party online read-only access service to the CSE.
Welfare and Institution Code § 11477(b) requires that all CalWORKs applicants and recipients assign child support rights to the State and cooperate with Department of Child Support Services’ establishment and enforcement requirements. The Department uses the CSE to administer the CalWORKs, CalFresh, Medi-Cal and Foster Care Programs. The CSE is used to locate absent parents for children within the Foster Care program who are going through the adoption process. The Department also uses the system to verify child support income for CalWORKs, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal eligibility determination. Not having access to the CSE may prolong the adoption of children in Foster Care and hinder the Department from determining eligibility and appropriate grant amounts.
The MOU requires inspections for determining compliance with CDCSS regulations, required safeguards, and acknowledges that misuse of this information may result in civil and criminal penalties. All employees who have access to the CSE must complete documentation acknowledging all information they access is confidential and stating they will recuse themselves from any case where they may have a relationship with a participant.
The MOU is effective on the date executed by CDCSS and shall remain in effect for three consecutive years thereafter. Either party may terminate this MOU without cause upon 30 days prior written notice of such termination. CDCSS will provide an executed copy of the MOU after signatures are obtained from the County.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #67, August 11, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - MOU
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander