REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 7, 2025
FROM
AMY COUGHLIN, Director, Department of Child Support Services
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Plan of Cooperation between the Department of Child Support Services and the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve non-financial Plan of Cooperation with the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, including a non-standard term, delineating the responsibilities of both parties for establishing, enforcing, and administering the child support program, effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, with an automatic two-year renewal at the end of the term.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Child Support Services, as required by the California Department of Child Support Services, to electronically execute and submit the Plan of Cooperation with the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, including any subsequent, non-substantive amendments in relation to the Plan of Cooperation, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Child Support Services to transmit the Plan of Cooperation, and any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the Plan of Cooperation, to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Amy Coughlin, Director, 478-7459)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost), as the Plan of Cooperation (POC) with the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino (Superior Court) is non-financial in nature.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended POC between the local child support agency, Department of Child Support Services (DCSS), and the Superior Court outlines the requirements for the California Department of Child Support Services (State) plan for child and spousal support. It mandates each county to establish a local child support agency that authorizes the director to negotiate and enter into cooperative agreements with county and state agencies to carry out the requirements of the state plan and provide services relating to the establishment of paternity or the establishment, modification, or enforcement of child support obligations as required pursuant to Family Code Section 17304, subsections (b) and (c), and Section 654 of Title 42 of the United States Code (USC).
The POC was established in 2011 and was completed every two years up until 2021. The POC term was revised in 2021 to include an additional two year term that automatically renewed. The POC was created to delineate the responsibilities of both parties for establishing, enforcing, and administering the child support program in accordance with provisions of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 USC Section 601, et seq.). The POC is a requirement of the State to receive future Title IV-D funding.
The format and contents of the POC are prescribed by the State and the Center for Families, Children, and Judicial Council of California. The POC outlines the responsibilities of both DCSS and the Superior Court for the administration and enforcement of child support services and include:
• Locating parties and support obligators;
• Determining paternity of children born to unmarried parents;
• Assessing the ability of parents to support their minor children;
• Establishing, enforcing, and modifying child support orders;
• Enforcing spousal support orders (in conjunction with a child support order);
• Collecting child support;
• Maintaining records;
• Preparing reports; and
• Other public services as needed in accordance with the federal code and California law.
The POC includes terms that differ from the standard County contract. The nonstandard terms include the following:
The POC automatically renews for two years after the end of the two-year term, until or unless it is expressly superseded by a future POC. The POC will not renew if a change is requested by either party by January 30 of the renewal year.
• County Policy 11-06SP does not permit indefinite terms or automatically renewing contracts unless approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board).
• Potential Impact: After two years, the POC will automatically renew unless a change is requested by either party by January 30 of the renewal year. The County will be bound to the renewal until terminated upon 90 days’ notice.
DCSS recommends approval of the POC, including the non-standard term, as the two-year automatic renewal still makes the total term of four years within the County’s established policy of a maximum five-year term.
Delegation of authority is requested as the State requires the DCSS Director, as the local child support director and responsible for the County’s administration of the child support program, to execute and submit the initial POC and any subsequent amendments. POC will automatically renew at the end of the current term and is subject to amendment as necessary to reflect new or revised state or federal laws, regulations, and requirements. Either Party may terminate this POC, after giving the other party 90 days’ written notice of the intent to terminate.
The State finalized the POC template in May 2025 and transmitted it to the local child support agency, DCSS, for review on May 21, 2025. The Superior Court reviewed and made edits to the POC and provided final approval on August 14, 2025 and the item was scheduled for a Board meeting in October 2025 after completing internal reviews. This item is being presented at this time as this is the first available date following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval by the Board at this time will not impact either DCSS or the Superior Court’s services.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on August 21, 2025; County Counsel (John Tubbs II, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 25, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 388-0218) on August 28, 2025.