REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 4, 2026
FROM
AMY COUGHLIN, Director, Department of Child Support Services
SUBJECT
Title
Revised Standard Contract Template for the Parentage Opportunity Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve revised standard contract template, including a non-standard term, to provide the required California Department of Child Support Services Parentage Opportunity Program services countywide, effective upon execution through December 31, 2030.
2. Authorize the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, Deputy Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Child Support Services to execute the individual standard contracts with licensed hospitals and other entities that participate in the Parentage Opportunity Program within the County, which includes non-substantive changes, subject to review by County Counsel.
(Presenter: Amy Coughlin, Director, 478-7471)
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 revision to the standard contract template is non-financial in nature.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) determines paternity, establishes and enforces child support orders, and secures payment to assist families in meeting the financial and medical needs of their children. In 1995, California Family Code sections 7570 through 7577 were implemented requiring hospitals and authorized county agencies to provide unmarried fathers with the opportunity to acknowledge paternity by establishing the Parentage Opportunity Program (POP). POP provides all public and private California hospitals and clinics that provide birthing services with the information needed to comply with federal and state laws pertaining to paternity establishment. POP creates the legal link between unmarried fathers and their children, simplifying the process for obtaining support for children of unmarried parents.
POP is administered by licensed hospitals and other entities that provide prenatal services, and payment is issued by DCSS. Pursuant to California Family Code section 7571, DCSS is required to pay the legally established rate of $10 to hospitals and other entities that participate in POP for each completed declaration of parentage that is filed and accepted by the State, provided the local child support agency and the hospital or other entity that provides prenatal services have entered into a written agreement that specifies the terms and conditions for the payment as required by federal law.
On November 18, 2025 (Item No. 24), the Board of Supervisors approved a standard contract template for the POP program in order to provide the required POP services countywide.
DCSS currently has POP contracts with 13 hospitals and other entities that provide prenatal services. Once approved, the existing POP contracts will be amended with the revised contract template.
This revision to the template removes insurance requirements that are unnecessary for POP services, eliminating the need for vendors to obtain excess coverage and reducing administrative and financial burdens for both current and future providers.
The non-standard term includes the following:
The revised contract template does not require Contractor to meet the County’s insurance standards as required pursuant to County Policies 11-05, 11-07 and 11-07SP.
• County policy requires contractors to carry appropriate insurance at limits and under conditions determined by the County Risk Management Department and as set forth in County policy and in the County standard contract.
• Potential Impact: The revised contract template does not include County standard insurance requirements pertaining to Abuse and Molestation, Automobile, and Cyber insurance coverage. This means that the County has no assurance that the Contractor will be financially responsible for claims that may arise under these categories, which could result in expenses to the County that exceed the County’s insurance obligations.
DCSS recommends approval of the revised standard contract template, including the non-standard term, to allow the department to continue working with hospitals and other entities that provide prenatal services for POP services through December 31, 2030. Approval of Recommendation No. 2 will enable the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, Deputy Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Child Support Services to execute the individual standard contracts with licensed hospitals and other entities that participate in POP. This will provide the legal link between unmarried fathers and their children, simplifying the process for obtaining support for children of unmarried parents.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Lisa Rivas-Ordaz, Contracts Manager, 388-0222) on June 22, 2026; County Counsel (John Tubbs II, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 22, 2026; Risk Management (Stephanie Pacheco, Staff Analyst II, 386-9039) on July 1, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 388-0218) on July 15, 2026.