Our Services

Establishing Parentage

Parentage establishment is the process of determining a child’s legal parent(s). Legal parentage ensures that every child born to unmarried parents will have all the same legal rights and benefits provided to a child born to married parents. The benefits of legal parentage may give your child the right to:

• Social Security Benefits
• Military Benefits
• Inheritance Rights
• Health Insurance
• Survivors Benefits

Parentage can be established by the following actions:

Court Order

Open a case with CSCSA and we will walk you through the legal process which can save you time and money. Click here for how to apply for this service

Parentage Opportunity Program (POP)

This program is free to eligible parents who agree to establish legal parentage without going to court. To find out more about signing a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage click here.

Payment Processing

To make a payment online, please visit the Payment options page here

Important Reminder

Payments must have identifying information to insure proper credit:

• Participant Identification Number(s) – If you do not have this number, please contact the Agency, or;
• Case numbers, or;
• Social Security Number(s), and;
• Payor/Payee Name
• "Child Support" should be indicated in the Memo section of any check/money order

Receiving Payments

SDU offers parents more options – Today child support payments can be received by:

• Direct Deposit
• Way2Go Card which is an electronic payment card (EPC)  – similar to an ATM card

When a payment is received, it is forwarded to the family within two business days unless the money is owed to the county or must be held for some other reason. All collections, except federal tax refund intercepts, are credited to current monthly support (child support first, medical second, and spousal third.) If there is money remaining after paying current support, it is used to pay any past due child support.   Payments applied to past due child support are first applied to principal and then to interest.

Modifying a Support Order

Once child support is established, it continues at the same rate until it is legally changed. A child support order is eligible for review every three (3) years, however a case can be reviewed for modification sooner if there is a substantial change in circumstance. Either party may request a review of their order and the support amount may increase or decrease depending on the facts presented at the time. We will gather visitation and financial information from both parties, such as pay stubs, tax return statements, child care verifications, and health insurance premiums. This information is entered into the California Guideline Child Support Calculator, which determines the monthly child support amount due.

If the parties agree to the new amount of child support without court appearances, we can prepare a stipulated agreement which is filed with the court. When parties do not agree, a request will be made to the court to review the order and the parties will be notified.  The court then holds a hearing to determine the terms of the new child support order and if a modification is appropriate. The hearing provides an opportunity to the parties to be present and heard in court.

To estimate your child support order, visit State of California child support Guideline Calculator.

Out-of-State Child Support

The child support agency also establishes parentage and collects support when a parent lives outside of California – in any of the other 49 states, territories, and many other countries. If the law allows, support will be determined  in California courts however, in some cases we must use the courts of the other state or country. Every state and country has its own court system, laws and procedures. By their very nature, these cases are more complex and may take more time to get results.

Complaint Resolution

If you have a complaint against any Child Support Office for any action or inaction regarding your child support case, you have the right to request complaint resolution. Prior to filing a complaint, we attempt to resolve any complaints through your caseworker and/or their supervisor. If you are still not satisfied with the results:

• You can initiate a complaint in writing by completing and submitting a Complaint Resolution Form to any Child Support Office, the form can be found here or by calling (866) 901-3212.
• Your request for complaint resolution must be made within 90 days from the date you knew, or should have known, about the subject of your complaint.
• The Child Support Office has 30 days from the date it receives your complaint to give you a written resolution of your complaint. The Child Support Office will contact you if it needs more information or time to resolve your complaint.

State Hearing Process

You have a right to a State Hearing if you have gone through the complaint resolution process and you are not satisfied with the Child Support Office's written response to your complaint:

1. Your request for a State Hearing must be made within 90 days of the date you received the Child Support Office's written decision to your complaint.
2. If the Child Support Office does not respond to your complaint in writing, you must request a State Hearing within 90 days from the date of your complaint to the Child Support Office

You may contact the Ombudsperson Unit at (866) 901-3212 or email centralsierra@centralsierra.cse.ca.gov. 

The following issues are not subject to the complaint resolution process:

• Child Support issues requiring a motion, order to show cause, or appeal in court
• A review of any court order for child support or child support arrears
• A court order or equivalent determination of parentage
• A court order for spousal support
• Child custody or visitation determination
• Complaints of alleged discourteous treatment by a local child support agency employee, unless such conduct resulted in a hearable action or inaction

License Holds

If a hold has been placed on a license or you have received notification from the Department of Motor Vehicles regarding a suspension or revocation, contact us immediately by phone, in person, or by email to determine options available for a release.

Per Family Code Section 17520, driver's licenses and many professional licenses can be denied or suspended if the paying parent becomes delinquent with their child support payments. Some of the licenses affected by the suspension process include but are not limited to the following: driver's licenses, teacher, contractor, truck driver, hunting/fishing, real estate, lawyer, medical, barber, cosmetologist, and many others.