Title
Child Support Services recommending the Board authorize the Chair to sign retroactive Agreement No. 273-M1211 (1025363) with the Administrative Office of the Courts for the term of July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2014 authorizing the Revenue Recovery Division to make financial evaluations for the Superior Court of El Dorado County.
FUNDING: State funding.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
Approval of this recommendation will have no impact on Net County Cost. Being a new program, the actual amount of revenue that will be received is unknown and dependent on the number of referrals each year. The time and effort expended by staff for this new program, as well as the resulting revenue, will be offset from the staff time and efforts currently devoted to the Superior Court Comprehensive Court Collection program.
Background
Assembly Bill 131, (Chapter 413, Statutes of 2009) amended Welfare & Institutions Code §903.1 and §903.45, and added §903.47, which required the Judicial Council to establish a program to collect reimbursements from persons liable for the costs of counsel appointed to represent parents or minors pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code §903.1.
The Superior Court of El Dorado County is proposing to contract with the Revenue Recovery Division of the Department Child Support Services to provide financial evaluations, at the request of the AOC, on the ability of fathers, mothers, spouses and other persons liable for support of a minor, to pay for court-appointed counsel in certain juvenile dependency cases in our county.
The AOC is agreeing to pay a maximum of $70,000.00 for these services over the two year term of this agreement.
Reason for Recommendation
Approval of this revenue-generating Agreement will provide the Superor Court with a process to comply with Assembly Bill 131. In addition, it will provide a new funding source to the Revenue Recovery Division which is a general fund program.
The Superior Court agreed to allow Revenue Recovery staff to prioritize the services provided to the Courts through this agreement over the existing services provided to the Comprehensive Court Collection program. As a result, this new revenue source will be offset by a reduction to the existing funding received from the Superior Court for their Comprehensive Court Collection Program.
Action(s) to be taken following Board approval
1) Chair to sign two (2) original Agreements 273-M1211;
2) Board Clerk to return all signed documents to Child Support Services;
3) Child Support Services to return signed documents to the State for final signature; and
4) Upon receipt of the fully executed Agreement from the State, Child Support Services will return one (1) fully executed Agreement to the Board Clerk's Office.
Contact
Laura Roth, Child Support Services Director
Concurrences
County Counsel and Risk Management