• Provide excellent customer service that results in superior outcomes in attaining federal and state performance standards.
• Provide an environment that is open and accessible and treats all customers with courtesy and respect.
• Publicly advocate for the well being of children by broadly communicating the importance of parental responsibility and the availability of child support services.

• Establish paternity, child support and medical coverage court orders.
• Locate the non-custodial parent and his or her assets to enforce the court order.
• Collect and distribute child and spousal payments.
• Maintain accounts of payments owed and received.
• Modify court orders when appropriate.
• Enforce Del Norte County court orders for child, spousal, and medical support.

• Informational Teen Presentation for the schools and youth groups to educate young people on the responsibilities and realities of parenthood. 
• Presentations to Employers on concerns and questions on our services to create a better working relationship.
• Conducting surveys at public events such as the Del Norte County Fair and the Annual Health Fair.
• Working in community groups and organizations to promote better conditions for children and families in our community.
• Provide clients with referrals to other agencies for matters that we cannot assist with.
• We are also offering a non-custodial parent to work program to help certain eligible unemployed and underemployed parents reach their full employment potential.

• Let us know the non-custodial parent's Social Security Number--it is our most valuable piece of information.
• Let us know if you hear that the non-custodial parent has a new address, telephone number, or employer.
• Let us know if you go to court and custody is changed or if the amount of child support to be paid is changed.
• Let us know when you move and always make sure that we have a daytime telephone number so we can reach you.
• Let us know if you receive a direct payment of child or spousal support from the non-custodial parent. If you are receiving TANF benefits you are required by law to mail the direct payment to us. If you are not receiving TANF benefits, we request that you bring or mail the payment to us so your account will be accurate.

The Welfare Department will notify us if aid is discontinued. We will continue to enforce your case unless you notify us in writing that you want our services stopped.

Like private attorneys, we expect and require your full cooperation and assistance. We do not know the other parent as well as you do and your knowledge, if relevant to collecting support, is important to us.

You will be treated with respect when you contact our office, and we are sure you will extend to us the same courtesy.

Final Reminders

When you contact our office, if you have a case number, please have it available.

There are many resources available to locate the non-custodial parent and equally many ways to prove ability to pay child support. There are legal actions that can be taken and courts that will cooperate in the enforcement of child support orders. We have a staff of well-trained workers who are dedicated to the collection of your child support.

Nonetheless, we are not always successful. We will always be faced with the following:

• People whom we cannot locate.

• Those who do not earn enough to pay child support.
• Parents who lack sufficient responsibility to support their children.
• Parents who work under the table.

We are committed to the collection of your child support. We know how important prompt payment is to you.

We Cannot:

1. Give status reports over the phone.

2. Take any action to enforce your support unless it is more than one month late.

3. Change custody or visitation.

4. Prevent harassment, or handle restraining orders.  We can refer you to Victim Witness.

5. Handle divorce decrees.  We can refer you to the Family Law Facilitator.

6. Establish spousal support orders.

7. We do not legally represent either the custodial or non-custodial party's interests.

8. By law, we have the final decision as to which enforcement actions will or will not be taken in a case.

**Please note that matters involving denial of court-ordered visitation and incidents involving parental kidnapping are handled by the District Attorney’s office.

Complaint Resolution

We are here to assist you:

In order to serve you better, we ask that you follow these guidelines to resolve any concerns and/or complaints you have.

When you have an inquiry, speak to your Child Support Specialist regarding any concerns that you have.  If the issues have not been resolved to your satisfaction, your next step is to speak with a Child Support Supervisor.

After you have spoken with the Child Support Supervisor, if you still have questions and concerns you may wish to contact the Ombudsman. 

The Ombudsman will take your complaint and respond to you in writing clarifying your concerns.  The Ombudsman will then:

1. Submit your complaint to the State as a Conflict Resolution.

2. Submit your case to the Conflict Resolution Investigator for Investigation.

3. Meet with either the Investigator or the Conflict Resolution Team to advocate your position.

4. Submit a cover letter to the Conflict Resolution Investigator’s letter explaining the State Hearing process if you do not agree with the agency’s response to your complaint.

5. Make an appointment for you at your request to have the agency resolution and the State Hearing process explained in person by the Ombudsman and anyone else necessary to assist in the explanation.

Title 22(CCR) Division 13, Chapter 10, Article 2, Section 120106

This section dictates the Notice of Complaint Resolution shall be mailed to the complainant no later than 30 days after the complaint receipt date. The LCSA shall close the complaint after completing the following actions:

1. Acknowledging the Complaint

2. Investigating the Complaint

3. Issues a notice of complaint resolution

4. Complete the complaint resolution requirement action to resolve the complaint provided in Section 120100.

 The State Hearing is for Non Custodial Parents and Custodial Parents only.  The Complaint Resolution must be completed by the client and the local agency before the State Hearing process.