Title
Child Support Services (CSS) recommending the Board:
1) Authorize the Director of Child Support Services to execute a revenue generating agreement, between the County of El Dorado CSS and the County of Nevada CSS, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, where the County of Nevada will compensate the County of El Dorado in the monthly amount of $6,250 for legal attorney services, for a period starting July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027; and
2) Authorize the Director of Child Support Services to extend the agreement annually, for a period not to extend beyond June 30, 2029, as long as staffing permits and as long as the agreement will not increase CSS’s Net County Cost.
FUNDING: State and Federal Child Support Funding.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Family Code Section 17304(a) mandates that the Director of the Department negotiate and enter into cooperative agreements with county and state agencies to fulfill the requirements of the state plan for administering the Title IV-D child support program. Family Code 17304(a) also states, “The director, in consultation with the impacted counties, may consolidate the local child support agencies, or any function of the agencies, in more than one county into a single local child support agency, if the director determines that the consolidation will increase the efficiency of the state Title IV-D program and each county has at least one local child support office accessible to the public.”
On February 10, 2026, the Board authorized the Director of Child Support Services to execute the revenue generating agreement that is currently in place, where the Nevada County CSS compensates the El Dorado County CSS $6,250 per month for legal attorney services including appearing in court to establish and/or modify child support orders (Legistar file 26-0036).
As child support caseloads continue to decline statewide, smaller counties are increasingly pursuing shared service agreements to support the efficient administration of the Title IV-D program. This agreement has enabled Nevada County CSS to effectively manage child support cases within their jurisdiction, while allowing El Dorado County to supplement its allocation with minimal impact to cost-effectiveness measures. The workload created by this agreement has effectively been absorbed by current staff and has not compromised service levels to El Dorado County's customers.
Similar shared services agreements are currently in place throughout California’s child support program. Pursuant to prior Board approval, El Dorado CSS presently provides attorney and legal shared services to the counties of Nevada, Tehama, and Inyo. Under these agreements, El Dorado CSS attorneys appear in court to establish and/or modify child support orders on behalf of those counties. Such shared services agreements promote statewide cost-effectiveness and ensure continuity of services for local families.
CSS is requesting that the Board authorize and approve the Director of Child Support Services to negotiate and execute an agreement between the County of El Dorado CSS and the County of Nevada CSS, where the County of Nevada will compensate the County of El Dorado CSS in the monthly amount of $6,250 during the term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
CSS further requests approval for the Director of Child Support Services to extend the agreement annually, for a period not to extend beyond June 30, 2029, as staffing permits, as long as the agreement will not increase CSS’s Net County Cost. Should funding reductions occur or staffing vacancies, the agreement can be terminated within 30 days via written request of either party. It is anticipated that the work performed under this Agreement will not exceed more than 12 hours per week.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could decline to authorize the Director of CSS to negotiate and execute the agreement with Nevada County CSS, thereby preventing revenue generation and collaboration with other agencies.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar file Item 24-1074 - 7/30/2024: The Board authorized and approved the Plan of Cooperation between the County of El Dorado CSS and the County of Tehama CSS, where the County of Tehama would compensate the County of El Dorado CSS monthly, which allowed El Dorado County CSS to provide legal attorney services to the County of Tehama CSS.
Legistar file 25-0699 - 5/20/2026: The Board authorized and approved the Agreement between the County of El Dorado CSS and the County of Inyo CSS, where the County of Inyo would compensate the County of El Dorado CSS monthly, which allowed El Dorado County CSS to provide legal attorney services to the County of Inyo CSS.
Legistar file 26-0036 - 2/10/2026: The Board authorized and approved the Agreement between the El Dorado County CSS and the Nevada County CSS, where the Nevada County CSS would compensate the El Dorado County CSS monthly to provide legal attorney services to Nevada County CSS.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
The Agreement will be developed with County of Nevada CSS and then reviewed by County Counsel and Risk Management.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no Net County Cost associated with this item. Approval of the Agreement will result in revenue coming into CSS, as has received been received in the current year and budgeted for in FY 2026-27.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Ron Ladage, Director of Child Support Services