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2015
Annual Child Support
Training Conference & Expo
April 13–16, 2015 Burlingame, California
CHILD SUPPORT DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
What’s Inside
Message from the President................................................. 3
About the Conference........................................................... 4
Conference Agenda at a Glance............................................ 5
Keynote Speakers................................................................. 6
Track and Workshop Descriptions...................................... 10
Plenary Sessions.......................................................................10
The Law & Casework................................................................10
Leadership.. ................................................................................12
Program and Fiscal Management. ........................................14
Program Improvement. ...........................................................16
Partnerships for Families........................................................18
The Inside Scoop......................................................................20
Registration Information.................................................... 22
Hotel and Travel Information. . ............................................ 23
Charity................................................................................. 24
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2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
Message from the president
Dear Colleagues,
s president of the California Child Support Directors Association (CSDA), it is my
pleasure to invite you to attend the 2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference &
Expo in Burlingame, California. Please join us for the 9th annual training conference
April 13-16, 2015.
CSDA is celebrating 15 years of operation as a non-profit association supporting local child
support agencies in California’s 58 counties. On behalf of the CSDA Board of Directors and 2015
Conference Planning Committee, I am pleased to announce that our distinguished plenary
keynote speakers on the status of child support at the federal and state levels will include
Commissioner Vicki Turetsky and Michael Hayes of the Office of Child Support Enforcement and
Alisha Griffin, Director of the California Department of Child Support Services. We will also be
entertained and motivated by professional keynote speaker Sarita Maybin.
The 2015 conference program includes topical tracks on Law and Casework, Leadership, Program
and Fiscal Management, Program Improvement, Partnerships for Families and the Inside Scoop.
Speakers will include members of the California child support
community, private contractors, and professional trainers
covering the many exciting topics.
Please join attendees from across child support programs
in California, other states, and tribal nations for an exciting
and informative training conference experience! This will be
an excellent opportunity for you to network and socialize
with others in the child support program and bring back
new information and tools to your agency. Our banquet and
awards ceremony will provide an opportunity to celebrate the
agencies and individuals that make our California child support
program thrive. I look forward to experiencing another
successful and informative conference with you in April.
Jamie Murray
President, California Child Support Directors Association
Director, Santa Cruz/San Benito County Regional Department of Child Support Services
www.csdaca.org
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about the conference
Who Should Attend
About CSDA
The annual conference is designed to afford child
support professionals from local, state and federal
government agencies and tribes, with a meaningful and
relevant training experience. California and national staff,
including directors, child support caseworkers, attorneys,
supervisors, managers, trainers, clerical, customer service,
outreach, IT, financial and administrative staff will gain
useful information and resources.
The Child Support Directors Association of California
(CSDA) was established as a non-profit association to
represent the local child support directors of California’s
58 counties. The Association strives to be of service to
local child support agencies (LCSAs) in their effort to
provide children and families with the financial, medical,
and emotional support required to be productive and
healthy citizens in our society.
If you have questions about our conference, please
contact the conference chair, Debbie Frahm, Director,
Ventura County Department of Child Support Services
(805) 437-8100, [email protected] or cochair, Jamie Murray, Director, Santa Cruz/San Benito
County Regional Department of Child Support Services
(831) 454-3632, [email protected]
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CSDA Mission
CSDA enhances and promotes California’s local child
support programs through education, collaboration &
sharing resources.
2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
conference agenda at a glance
Monday, April 13, 2015
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Managing Attorney Forum
1:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Conference Registration
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Welcome Reception
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
7:30 am – 5:00 pm
Conference Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Opening Plenary Session
10:00 am – 10:30 am Refreshment Networking Break
10:30 am – Noon
Concurrent Workshop Sessions
Noon – 1:30 pm
Luncheon
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Concurrent Workshop Sessions
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Refreshment Networking Break
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Concurrent Workshop Sessions
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
7:30 am – 5:00 pm
Conference Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am
General Plenary Session
10:00 am – 10:30 am
Refreshment Networking Break
10:30 am – Noon
Concurrent Workshop Sessions
Noon – 1:30 pm
Luncheon
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Concurrent Workshop Sessions
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Refreshment Networking Break
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Concurrent Workshop Sessions
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Pre-Banquet Reception
6:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Awards Banquet/Dance
Thursday, April 16, 2015
7:30 am – Noon
Conference Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Full Plated Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Concurrent Workshop Sessions
10:00 am – 10:30 am
Refreshment Networking Break
10:30 am – Noon
Closing Plenary Session
www.csdaca.org
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keynote speakers
Alisha Griffin
Alisha Griffin is the Director of the California Department of Child
Support Services. She has been with the child support program for
more than seventeen years and came to child support with many
years in public and private family services, including child welfare,
child protection, rehabilitation and therapeutic service systems.
From that background, Ms. Griffin brings a broad, substantial and
successful track record to her work in child support. She most
recently assumed leadership of the California Child Support program
after leading New Jersey for a number of years. While in New Jersey
she successfully led the design, procurement, implementation and
management of the first “second generation” national model child
support automated system, including substantial pre and post
change management strategies. It is considered one of the most
successful reengineering of a completely new system in a HHS
domain. Additional focus on practice improvements and ensuring efficient and effective service delivery
resulted in a comprehensive streamlining of all collections and disbursement systems and overarching
fiscal management coordinated with revamping customer service through creating a centralized
comprehensive “one stop” quality driven service model, with comprehensive performance metrics. She
also has a strong portfolio of experience in direct service programming, policy analysis and development
and advocacy focused on quality service delivery to children and families.
Ms. Griffin has chaired, participated and worked on many national workgroups, designed several model
programs both in the child support and child welfare arenas. She has served as Past President of the
National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) and the National Council of Child Support
Directors (NCCSD). She currently serves on NCSEA’s International and Policy and Government Relations
committees, chaired by the Strategic Alliance Committee. She serves on the Executive Council of NCCSD
and the chair of the subcommittee on Medical Support which is addressing issues related to child support
with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
She represented NCSEA for all five years as a member of the delegation to the Hague Private Law
Convention on Child Maintenance and Family Support and served as an observer/ program advisor
to NCCSUL on the revisions to UIFSA to incorporate the new convention into US laws. Because of her
expertise she was invited to testify to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the Hague Convention
and its benefits to the US children and families.
Ms. Griffin continues her dedication to families and community on several other levels. She has also
served as President and Senior Advisor for the National Family Preservation Network (NFPN), providing
leadership on grant acquisition, media relations and fatherhood services and helped NFPN acquire
numerous grants to further the work of preserving and strengthening families. Ms. Griffin has a Masters
in both Clinical and Community Psychology. She is both a teacher and practitioner of yoga, a weaver and
working on becoming a master gardener.
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2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
keynote speakers
Michael Hayes
Michael Hayes works in the Federal Office of Child Support
Enforcement – Division of Program Innovation where his focus includes
OCSE’s parenting time portfolio, family violence, program design and
evaluation, and family centered child support innovations. Prior to his
position at OCSE, Michael spent 12 years in the Texas Child Support
Division where he was the Deputy Director for Family Initiatives. His
work in Texas included the development and leadership of: statewide
prevention education programming for teens, perinatal family support
service interventions for unmarried couples, court/workforce/child
support collaborations to help unemployed noncustodial parents find
work and pay child support, enhanced child support and parenting
legal resources for military/veteran families, co-parenting resources for
couples in the child support system, and family violence collaborations
and resources to help survivors of intimate partner violence access the
child support system safely.
Michael was the founder and director of the Texas Fragile Families Initiative, a state-wide initiative
bringing together more than 30 private foundations, multiple state agencies and community/faith-based
organizations in 12 sites across Texas to support fragile families. He worked previously as a Senior Trainer
on the Ford Foundation’s Strengthen Fragile Families Initiative, as the Education Manager for Planned
Parenthood of Austin, as a youth minister in the United Methodist Church, as a health education trainer for
the Center for Health Training, and as a wilderness guide and adventure games instructor.
www.csdaca.org
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keynote speakers
Sarita Maybin
Sarita Maybin is an international speaker and communication
expert whose audiences have fun learning how to stay positive,
constructively confront tough communication situations and work
together better. Her interactive presentations provide real-life
solutions and inspire positive action!
During her 20-year speaking career, Sarita has spoken at conferences,
companies and campuses in 49 of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico,
Jamaica, Canada, England, Asia, and Iceland.
Her clients include Hewlett Packard, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles
County, Department of Navy and University of California, among
others. Sarita was voted a Top 5 Communication Speaker and had the
privilege of presenting on the prestigious TEDx stage.
She is a former university Dean of Students with a Master’s degree in Counseling and has been interviewed
by the media about her book entitled “If You Can’t Say Something Nice, What DO You Say?”
Sarita was the closing keynote for last year’s CSDA conference and is back by popular demand to kick off
our 2015 event!
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2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
keynote speakers
Vicki Turetsky
In 2009, Vicki Turetsky was appointed Commissioner for the Federal
Office of Child Support Enforcement. As Commissioner, her priorities
include implementing family-centered strategies to support parental
employment and involvement, modernizing federal and state
technology to increase program efficiency, expanding the tribal child
support program, and preparing for generational change.
Ms. Turetsky brings more than 30 years of experience as a public
administrator and advocate for low-income families. She is a
nationally recognized expert in family policy, and is instrumental in
efforts to boost child support payments to families and establish
realistic child support policies that encourage fathers to work and
play an active parenting role. Prior to her appointment, she served as
the Director of Family Policy at the Center for Law and Social Policy,
and was a visiting lecturer at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public
and International Affairs at Princeton University.
She also has held positions at the U.S. Corporation for National and Community Service, MDRC, Union
County Legal Services in New Jersey, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, and the Minnesota
Department of Human Services. She received her B.A. from the University of Minnesota and her J.D. from
the University of Chicago Law School.
She has received a number of honors, including the 2014 Burton Award for Government Service, 2006 NCSEA
“Champion of Children” Award, and the 2000 OCSE “Lifelong Achievement” Award. In 2013, she was named by
Newsweek as one of “30 Leaders in the Fight for Black Men.” She also received one of first Minnesota “STEP”
Awards in 1987 cited by Osborne and Gaebler, Reinventing Government.
www.csdaca.org
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track & Workshop descriptions
plenary sessions
PLENARY 1
“How to Stay Positive and Focused in Changing
Times”
Our conference will begin with local talent from San Mateo
County Child Support Julia Nicole Hansen and Tristen
Alexander Cagno performing the National Anthem. We
will be treated to an encore keynote presentation by Sarita
Maybin. In these changing times it’s important to know
how to gain the cooperation of others and communicate
in a way that gets your ideas heard. Is your glass half empty
of half full? Learn how to respond to negative feedback
without getting defensive and what to do when someone
asks your opinion and you have nothing nice to say. This
keynote presentation will provide exciting strategies for
staying positive and communicating in the face of change.
PLENARY 2
Future Challenges and Opportunities
Curious about the future direction of the Child Support
Program and how new state and federal child support
initiatives may impact your daily work? Then do we have
a plenary session for you! Joining us to discuss these and
other important topics are Federal Office of Child Support
Enforcement Commissioner Vicki Turetsky and California’s
new State Department of Child Support Services Director
Alisha Griffin.
for states, and that states should use existing resources
to pursue this goal. Hopefully you’re asking yourself,
“What existing resources?” This plenary will lay out an
incremental path to providing parenting time services that
includes key partnerships, promising outreach strategies,
and resource opportunities.
The Law & Casework
Almost every aspect of child support casework
comes back to the law. Join us in exploring the
myriad of legal issues that can determine, change
or influence almost every aspect of casework.
Workshops within this track will broaden and
enhance your knowledge and perspective on
important legal topics and help you navigate tools
both lawyers and caseworkers use on a daily basis.
Top legal professionals in the child support program
will address a variety of subjects, including court
processes, enforcement remedies, military issues,
diversity, and ethics. This series of workshops
will help every child support professional grow
their confidence, knowledge and understanding
of child support law while providing creative and
innovative ideas for the future. (CSDA is a State Bar
of California approved MCLE provider. MCLE credit
is available for most workshops in this track.)
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
To Contempt or Not to Contempt
PLENARY 3
“It Takes a Village… To Provide Parenting Time
Resources to Families in the Child Support
Program”
Michael Hayes with the Federal Office of Child Support
Services will close our conference with the timely
discussion on parenting time. Last fall Congress passed
Public Law 113-185. This law includes a “Sense of
Congress” that establishing parenting time arrangements
when obtaining child support orders is an important goal
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That is the question. Every case is different and no obligor
is exactly the same. In this era of cost effectiveness, it’s time
to set aside the ‘assembly line’ approach to enforcement.
What is the ideal case for a civil contempt action? Which
cases are just a drain of the precious resources of time and
effort? This workshop will explore one LCSA’s experience
and insights in choosing the right cases for contempt. Learn
to use contempt with care and watch your collections grow.
2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
track & Workshop descriptions
Confidentiality and the Law
Policy and Regulations
Handling child support information with confidence is
the focus of this workshop. Vast amounts of private,
personal information come to us from seemingly every
source: CSE, FTB, DMV and even the parties themselves,
just to name a few. Handled properly, this information
helps us serve families. Mishandled? It can have
devastating effects. What information is confidential and
when can it be released and to whom? Learn about the
“release assessment tool” and how to analyze requests
for information from participants, third parties, and other
agencies. Join us in taking a close look at confidentiality
in the California Child Support program.
We may be familiar with case law and statutes, but we
are also subject to the California Code of Regulations and
DCSS policy letters, as well as numerous other policies
and procedures governing each local agency. Interpreting
and applying them can be a challenge. This workshop
will help to familiarize you with these aspects of the law
and how they shape and guide what we do. Explore the
inter-relationships between the “operations” side of the
program and the “legal” side and how both come together
in the IV-D world.
The Self Employed Parent – Part I: Analyzing
Income Information
A confusing heap of financial and tax documents.
Where to begin? There is no easy way around it. You
have to jump in and start digging. In this workshop,
you will learn where to begin and how to analyze tax
documents, profit and loss statements and other proof
of self-employment income. Clear away the confusion
and fog and know what to look for to handle any selfemployment case with confidence.
(No prerequisite required)
The Self Employed Parent – Part II: Digging
Deeper
Whether or not you attended Part I, this workshop will
help you put the focus on getting the clearest picture
possible of non-wage income. The presenters will walk
you through actual case examples, showing you how
to analyze all kinds of tax forms and schedules and
other documents. Sole proprietorships, partnerships,
corporations, investments, and real estate all raise
big questions for child support. With the law as your
ultimate guide, you will learn how to start asking the right
questions to get the right answer.
(No prerequisite required)
Ethics
Attorneys and case workers face ethical questions on a
daily basis. Common sense can go a long way towards
solving the obvious problems, but many issues go
unrecognized until it’s too late. The Rules of Professional
Conduct and case law are your first guide. This workshop
will explore modern ethical problems in the child support
program and help you recognize and avoid the pitfalls
before it’s too late.
Elimination of Bias
The legal profession has come a long way from its roots as
a male dominated profession. However, we still have a long
way to go in ending racial, gender, and sexual orientation
bias. Attorneys and caseworkers must first be able to
recognize even the most subtle forms of bias, to work
toward ending it by promoting diversity in everything we
do. This workshop will help you spot examples of bias and
brainstorm ways to combat and end it.
www.csdaca.org
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track & Workshop descriptions
Evidence and Social Media
Judicial Roundtable – The Winds of Change
Thanks to internet sites such as Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn and Google we can now gain an almost limitless
amount of data and information on a person within
seconds. But is this information relevant? Is it admissible?
Is it useful? Find out the ways in which you can and
cannot go about using social media sites for child
support activities such as locating parents, imputing
earnings and as evidence in the courtroom.
Change is in the air. Courts today are dealing with
change on a number of levels; automation, shrinking
budgets, going paperless, and changes to what defines
a “family”. While our shared mission of helping families
remains the same, courts all over the state are rising to
the challenge and demands for efficiency and flexibility,
all without sacrificing due process. Each court and every
county has a unique story to tell. Join the Commissioners
in a discussion of the challenges we face together and
some unique solutions of what we can do to further our
partnership for families.
Workers Compensation – How to Effectively
work with WCAB, Insurance Companies
and Attorneys to Collect from Workers
Compensation Benefits
Have information that an Obligor is currently receiving
Workers Compensation Benefits and need to effectively
collect? Want to ensure that your child support cases are
receiving everything they are entitled to receive from
a Workers Compensation settlement and money isn’t
slipping through the cracks? Workers Compensation
is changing, so come join us for a discussion of the
new practice from the caseworker perspective and the
attorney/legal perspective. Panel members will discuss
how to effectively and efficiently collect from Workers
Compensation Benefits and will address the newly
issued WCAB handbook as well as the newest practice
of e-filing liens.
UIFSA – What does the future of UIFSA look
like for CA.?
We all know the unique and challenging situations we
encounter with intergovernmental cases. With the
passage of H.R. 4980 will these issues be resolved or will
they continue? How will our case analysis and handling
have to be changed? Join us as we discuss the impacts
of the recently signed H.R. 4980 and the changes this
federal legislation will require of California and our
current UIFSA statute.
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Leadership
You’ve probably heard the expression “He/
She is a born leader.” Are all leaders born? Or
can leadership be learned? Some people are,
indeed, born leaders. However, leaders are also
learners: from success, failure, assignments,
books, classes, people, and life itself. We all have
leadership potential and learning how to be a
more effective leader is within everyone’s grasp.
This track is focused on leadership and exploring
what it takes to be an effective contributor
to team and organizational outcomes.
The workshops will set the stage for child
support professionals to obtain knowledge,
exchange information, and gain insight into
diverse perspectives necessary for maximum
performance and career enhancement.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
The Best Teams Hold Themselves Accountable
Have you heard of the phrase “peer pressure”? Do you
think that peer pressure could help limit the amount
of time you as a supervisor or manager spends settling
disagreements between members of your team? When
issues arise on teams and team members are provided
2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
track & Workshop descriptions
the freedom to immediately and politely confront one
another, the amount of time the supervisor or manager
must spend settling disputes minimizes. Putting this
dispute resolution method into practice could improve
productivity, increase trust and build camaraderie while
freeing up the person in charge and allowing him/her to
work on more pressing matters.
Manager Focused Skills/Development
The saying “Keep Calm and Carry On” is one that can
be used in many factions of life whether it is your
personal life or work life. You might be telling yourself
this constantly when trying to navigate your local
LCSA’s political landscape, strategically planning your
budget to meet the needs of your department or deal
effectively with personnel matters. This workshop will
provide you with the skills needed to follow the mantra
of keeping calm and carrying on.
Structured Networking
Are you uncomfortable with chatting-up strangers and
sometimes do not know how to find common ground?
Is this your first conference and you’re finding it difficult
to know where to begin to meet people and network?
Managers have often built a network, but most line staff
have few opportunities to get to know people through
outside workgroups and other events. With technology,
in-person networking seems to be getting more and
more difficult for some. This workshop will provide a
hands-on approach in providing the best practices and
techniques while you network with your fellow child
support professionals.
Managing Change in the Workplace
The simple statement of “change being inevitable”
holds true in any workplace. Just think about all of the
changes that have occurred within your organization as
well as those organizations around you. One key aspect
of managing change is taking a proactive approach
instead of a reactive approach. This workshop will
provide an overview of approaches and models that can
be utilized for managing change in your organization.
Transition from Peer to Supervisor
Have you recently transitioned from peer to supervisor?
Making that move from co- worker to supervisor
or manager could be a difficult situation for some.
Gaining new responsibilities, increase in decision
making, and realizing how to make that change from
the team member to leader can be perplexing. This
workshop will assist the recently transitioned leader in
handling the “peer to supervisor” shift. It will provide a
guide of do’s and don’ts to follow for success.
Critical Thinking
“Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without
the discomfort of thought.” – John F. Kennedy. When
facing a problem or an issue, making the right decision
is a fundamental task. Critical thinking helps us to ask
relevant questions, weigh evidence offered in support of
arguments, interpret complex problems, and make wise
decisions. This is especially important when you realize
that many problems do not lend themselves to clear-cut
solutions. This workshop will explore creative problemsolving techniques where you’ll learn how to evaluate
ideas objectively, solve problems more effectively, and
make much better decisions. Join us to get the skills that
can propel you to the next level of success.
Leadership for Supervisors
Supervisors of all levels who desire to become better
leaders will find this engaging workshop beneficial
and insightful. Discover key concepts associated with
supervisory leadership, and learn how your leadership
style can impact employee satisfaction and productivity.
Supervisors and team leaders will gain insight into the
skills they need and strategies they can use to become
more effective leaders within their organization.
www.csdaca.org
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track & Workshop descriptions
Life Lessons in Coaching / Leadership vs.
Management
The old rules of management and supervision simply
don’t work with today’s complex workforce. The
effective leaders of today must maintain the right
balance of leadership and management, and rely on the
power of coaching and mentoring to lead their teams
to success. During this workshop you’ll gain coaching
and mentoring techniques along with proven strategies
to motivate team members to achieve more. You’ll
discover how coaching can help you become a more
effective leader and learn how to build a rock-solid team
of winners!
Mentoring and Staff Development
Today, successful organizations large and small are
realizing that having a mentoring program in the
workplace can have long-term benefits. Mentoring
serves as a platform to discuss career goals while
offering development opportunities and guidance to
employees seeking professional growth. It also acts
as a tool to enhance the quality of leadership within
key individuals and the organization. Join us as we
explore how other counties have leveraged mentoring
to improve employee onboarding, leadership
development, and other important learning and
development initiatives to help employees develop new
skills and stay engaged within the organization.
Program and Fiscal
Management
Join us on the journey of managing the present
and shaping future strategies for case/financial/
administrative management. Managing the
Child Support Program requires that you wear
many hats and fill many roles. Explore successful
strategies that improve efficiencies and best
use of resources throughout the program.
Discover workshops that connect, collaborate
and share approaches regarding program/fiscal
management.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
System Functionality for Fiscal Staff
This workshop will help demystify the sometimes complex
and hard to understand financial system in CSE. Enhance
your ability to read and understand the financial screens.
Learn different ways complex adjustments, involving
collections, can be processed. Determine how to work the
fiscal tasks most efficiently and identify the types of financial
reports available. Join us as we explore and clarify these, and
other areas, of the financial realm.
Legal to Financial
Dissolution orders and even our own IV-D judgments
and orders, have unusual language and requirements
that are difficult to enter and enforce in CSE. Is it your
responsibility to prepare, interpret or enter these details
into CSE’s court order and financial screens? Join us for
this roundtable discussion to ensure you are accurately
deciphering, entering, tracking, and enforcing orders.
Gain a better understanding of how these non-standard
judgments and orders impact financials in CSE. Examine
Smith-Ostler orders, net orders, consolidation clauses, SSA
derivative benefits and much more.
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2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
track & Workshop descriptions
Child Support Claiming Process
Do you ever wonder how other counties prepare their
CS356 Quarterly Administrative claim? When preparing the
claim, do you have lingering questions about categorizing
expenses or cash basis versus accrual basis claiming?
This workshop is your opportunity to learn how LCSAs
are categorizing Administrative EDP expenses, why
expenses are claimed on a cash basis and the exceptions
to this. We will examine abating interest, depreciation
rules and when prior approval is needed for purchases.
Finally, we will compare all of this information to the
county’s accrual basis and discuss reconciling the two
during the year-end process.
Working with Mexico – Strategies for Success
Cross-border establishment and enforcement of
child support can be complex. Understanding the
differences and similarities between the laws in the
USA and Mexico can help your program be successful
when working with our growing Hispanic population.
Learn how to build a collaborative relationship with the
Mexican Consulate, Desarrollo Integral de La Familia
(DIF - Baja’s equivalent to DCSS), how Mexico can help
with the enforcement of child support orders and the
nuances about the UIFSA Referral process to Mexico.
This workshop will provide valuable information as it
relates to the international child support community.
When Less is More
In today’s economic climate of shrinking budgets, it’s
even more important to work smarter, not harder. Join
us to learn how your LCSA can optimize resources while
still meeting the objectives of the State’s Strategic Plan.
Walk through a basic workload assessment model to
optimize your resources. Learn to take a close look
at processes and critically assess what resources are
necessary to do the job.
Leveraging CMT to Improve Performance
Still wondering how to get the most from CMT? Join
us as we explore how CMT can be used to improve
caseload performance. Gain insight on how to obtain the
most from the pre-defined queries and reports, how to
choose what data to display and how to use filters to create
custom reports. All of these features can sharpen your
focus on the cases you need to work. This workshop will
also cover the recent enhancements to CMT filter options
and future plans for CMT development.
Understanding the State Budget
Do you think of the California State Budget Process as
a mystery wrapped in an enigma? How does the State
Budget impact both the state and local child support
program? And what is so darn important about budget
item 5175? If you are interested in having the State
Budget Process explained in simple and understandable
terms, and understanding why the State Budget is so
important to our everyday work, then this workshop is for
you. Be sure to bring your local budget related questions
or concerns as we will leave plenty of time for a lively and
informative discussion.
Preparing for the Big One – The DCSS State
Audit That Is
Are you prepared for the next big one, a visit from
the DCSS Office of Audits and Compliance? OAC has a
schedule that includes a regular stop at each of the 51 local
child support agencies, so if you haven’t seen them yet,
they are coming. And they are looking at your claimed
administrative costs. Are you ready? Do you know what
is an allowable cost? Are you aware of the changes in
regulation based on the new uniform requirements that
replaces A-87? Are you aware of the requirements in
depreciating modular furniture, or ensuring that your LCSA
has support for staff who perform non- Title IV-D activities;
or the requirements for reporting interest? Join us for
a fascinating discussion of financial records, supporting
documents, internal controls, direct and indirect cost,
payroll records – and some of the things even your County
Auditor-Controller might not know. Preparation pays, and
we’ll help you to get prepared. Remember, it doesn’t have to
hurt. With a little preparation and knowledge, you can get
through this without a finding.
www.csdaca.org
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track & Workshop descriptions
IV-A Interface
If you are interested in learning more about the IV-A
updates to CSE and Service Request (S/R) assignment,
this is the workshop for you! Join us as we discuss the
information CSE receives via the IV-A interface. Tips and best
practices will be shared as we navigate S/R assignment and
transactions received via the IV-A interface.
Preparing for the IRS Safeguard Review
Every LCSA employee needs to be keenly aware of IRS
safeguarding requirements. If you’re involved in the
annual Safeguard Audit Review (SAR), you understand
the stress that goes along with it! LCSAs are required to
perform mandatory annual and semi-annual, internal
“safeguard” reviews to ensure policies, procedures
and security measures are in place to protect the
confidentiality of Federal Tax Information (FTI). A
comprehensive strategy will ensure procedures for record
keeping, storage, security, encryption, and disposal of FTI
conforms to IRS requirements. This workshop will provide
you with a blueprint and some best practices to prepare
you for the annual IRS safeguard reviews.
Program Improvement
Understanding and learning from our past
helps us navigate our present and plan for
our future. The work we do currently is a vital
piece of the support structure that leads to the
healthy development of our nation’s children.
Our efforts support the future of our country.
Program Improvement is so much more
than chasing numbers – trying to increase a
percentage on a Federal Performance Measure
– it’s about doing our very best to maximize
the support we provide to families. This series
of workshops will provide you with strategies
and approaches to increase your contribution to
the families we serve (and likely increase your
performance in the process).
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
State Services Portal
Can’t Find It? The State Services Portal (SSP) may have
what you’re looking for. The SSP is the gateway to
the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS). SSP allows
you to take advantage of several locate tools all in
one location, and everything is just a click away. This
workshop will showcase this tool and its ability to help
you streamline your business needs all in a one-stop
shopping location. The workshop will also focus on
CSE Locate processes and where much of the SSP data
can also be found in CSE!
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2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
track & Workshop descriptions
Understanding Social Security Administration
Information in the State Services Portal
Quantifying Success – Know Your
Performance Data
Interpreting Social Security Administration (SSA) SVES
Title II & Title XVI benefits in the Federal Parent Locator
Services (FPLS) State Services Portal (SSP) can be tricky. This
workshop will focus on SVES benefits available through
SSA, how to find the information in the SSP, and understand
what they mean.
Daniel Keys Moran once said, “You can have
data without information, but you cannot have
information without data”. The child support
profession is filled with data. Let us help you navigate
your way through the sea of information. What does
it all mean? How can you make sense of it? How can
we use it to better serve our customers?
Using Data to Tell the Child Support Story
Child Support makes a difference in the lives of children.
Helping the public understand who we are and what we
do helps promote parental responsibility. When child
support data is integrated with other public data such
as socioeconomic indicators, demographics, and county
geographic informational systems (GIS), we can begin to
paint a more comprehensive picture. This workshop will
discuss strategies used to turn available data into a clear
child support story and provide time for an open discussion
to explore ideas.
Tailored Analytics
Is it possible to forecast your performance like we do
the weather? Can you cultivate and embed analytic
functions into your program activities to help predict
the outcome? We think you can. Learn what can
be done with modern predictive capabilities and
analyzing data to help improve your performance.
Understand your customer and their needs to better
assist you in supporting California’s children.
Establishing Right-Sized Orders
Enforcement Strategies for Long Term
Delinquent Cases
We all have them and need new ideas on how to work
successfully with them. Getting money to families is the
name of the game. Are you looking for new approaches to
working with customers who haven’t made a payment in
quite some time? Local Child Support Agencies will share
their approach to working long-term delinquent cases.
What has worked and what hasn’t? Explore short-term
solutions with a long-term effect.
The latest research indicates that establishing rightsized orders for NCPs result in higher compliance,
higher payment consistency, and a reduction in
future arrears growth. Based on these findings,
what are the strategies child support professionals
can implement to set and maintain right size orders
to improve the long term financial well-being of
families? At this workshop, we will discuss the
most effective strategies currently used from an
administrative, judicial, and policy perspective.
Employers and DCSS – A Winning Combination
Child Support Beyond Performance
Employers are valuable and essential child support
partners. Statewide, income withholding orders account
for 70 percent of child support collections. Working
with employers and ensuring employer data is accurate
in CSE are key factors in improving compliance and
increasing collections of child support orders. Learn about
local, statewide and national efforts to strengthen our
relationship with employers and improve the reliability of
employer information. Together, we can make a difference.
Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same
thing over and over again and expecting different
results”. Does it seem like we are recycling projects
and thinking that someday we will unlock the secret
to performance. Thinking “outside the box” may
be the answer. Learn a different way of viewing
performance. Let’s work together to boost California’s
performance.
www.csdaca.org
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track & Workshop descriptions
Collection Strategies
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the
average cost to raise a child over an 18 year time span
is $241,808. With the increase of single parent homes,
child support plays a vital role in the lives of children now
more than ever. Come learn what other child support
professionals have done to increase their collections.
Together, we can make a difference in a child’s life.
Partnerships for Families
]
Being a Child Support Professional today
requires a broad knowledge of the services
available to help parents successfully provide
for their children’s financial, emotional and
educational needs. Come learn and explore
the innovative services offered to families.
Parents need tools and resources to support
their children and to be positively involved in
raising them. This track will give you the ability
to provide references and information to partner
with parents on the many issues impacting their
children’s lives.
Employment…The First Step to Financial
Independence
Employment barriers for case participants may range from
transportation, education, physical or mental disabilities
and substance abuse. Programs and service providers can
and will partner with Child Support Agencies to help…
every journey begins with the first step. This workshop
will highlight the most innovative and effective projects
out there.
Working Together on the Road to Family SelfSufficiency
Community Services Agencies, Child Support Agencies,
Workforce Investment Departments, and non-profits; we’re
all working towards the same goal, on the same road. We
are driving separately towards the same destination of
lifting families out of poverty to reach self-sufficiency, but
we get caught up in traffic jams because we are not working
together. This session gives you the “fast pass” to the carpool
lane where agencies come together and share the journey.
Come and hear how agencies are successfully working
together as partners, on grant opportunities and shared
projects to help families in our communities.
Family Law Facilitator Services
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
Building Brighter Futures – Relationship
Education with Non-Custodial Parents
In today’s world young fathers must co-parent, complete
their education, and navigate romantic relationships
while supporting their child emotionally and financially.
Relationship skills training helps them make wiser choices
that enable their goals for education, employment,
parenting, and family. Join LA County Child Support
Services Department and The Dibble Institute as they
discuss how their collaboration in the successful Building
Brighter Futures project accomplishes these goals.
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Are you utilizing your Family Law Facilitator services to
the fullest? Come join this dynamic panel to explore best
practices, the Facilitator’s role and hear what is happening in
several high-functioning programs from around the state.
Are you Ready for Parenting Time?
Whether you are ready or not, Parenting Time is coming
your way soon. Come learn the federal perspective for
implementing Parenting Time programs and hear how
San Diego and Orange counties have developed programs
and processes to help establish parenting time orders
with new child support orders. You will hear about what
worked, what didn’t work, and how to address domestic
violence. You will discover the benefits to children when
their parents agree to co-parent and create reliable
schedules that kids can depend on.
2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
track & Workshop descriptions
Relationship Building with Local Partners
In delivering effective services to families it is important to
build relationships with partners in our local communities.
As we serve our families by collecting child support,
employers play a significant role in helping us achieve
our goals. However, there are many more opportunities
to establish relationships with other local partners in
doing the business of child support. This workshop will
showcase local child support agency programs that are
innovative and will broaden attendees’ perspectives
regarding new approaches and opportunities in working
with new local partner agencies.
Working Effectively with Distinct Communities
and Immigrant Groups
As California becomes more and more diverse, our need
to tailor services to meet our customer needs becomes
more challenging every day. There are a myriad of cultures,
communities, languages and customs which are becoming
increasingly important to understand and honor in building
effective relationships with the customers we serve. This
workshop will highlight LCSA developed programs for
working with special populations and illustrate proven
methods for building relationships through understanding
the unique needs of these vital customers.
Recognizing Domestic Violence
Domestic violence continues to be a challenge for many
of the families we serve. While our primary goal is to serve
families by collecting child support, it is important for our
staff to understand the dynamics of the family and be
sensitive to the impacts of domestic violence as we deliver
child support services. Families where domestic violence
is an issue still need regular monthly child support to
be self-sufficient and are entitled to our services. This
workshop will provide attendees with strategies for
effectively managing cases where domestic violence may
impact the collection of child support and learn innovative
ways to partner with other agencies as well as how to
effectively work with case participants who may need our
services but are concerned about the safety of their family.
Introducing p.r.e.p. (Parental Responsibility
Education Program)
The presenters will introduce the p.r.e.p. program (Parental
Responsibility Education Program). Developed originally by
the Texas Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division
as p.a.p.a. (Parenting and Paternity Awareness), p.r.e.p. was
adapted for California by the Los Angeles County Child Support
Services Department. The program is a curriculum intended
for California teachers to help meet the health education
content standards. The programs overarching goal is to
promote responsible parenthood and encourage the formation
of healthy relationships & strong, stable families. More
specifically, the program helps students: gain an understanding
of parenting, parental responsibility, and the child support
program; identify the realities, costs and legal consequences of
parenting; and explore if, when, and under what circumstances
they would like to become parents in the future.
Demythologizing Mental Illness and Suicide
In our society people with mental illness have been regularly
stigmatized, discriminated against, and marginalized. One
significant factor in dealing with the mentally ill is that
many do not get the treatment and services they require to
live effectively with a diagnosis of mental illness. Through
understanding the challenges faced by this segment of our
population, we can provide services in a way that allows case
managers to be sensitive and learn to understand triggers that
may be barriers to delivering services to those suffering with
mental illness. Particular attention will be given to dealing with
persons who are suicidal. Through partnerships with mental
health service providers in this workshop we will learn to work
with these customers to achieve successful outcomes.
Tribal Case Transfers
The Yurok Tribe became the first tribe in California to receive
federal approval to operate a comprehensive IV-D child
support program. In this workshop the presenters will
discuss the process for transferring cases from LCSAs and
California courts to the Tribal IV-D program and Tribal
Court. They’ll also share lessons learned along the way and
procedures that have been developed to support all parties
in serving the families of California.
www.csdaca.org
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track & Workshop descriptions
The Inside Scoop
Breaking news! Read all about it! As child support
booming and we ha
professionals we all know there is more to the
story when it comes to supporting California’s
families than what makes the headlines. This
training track offers a wide array of workshops
designed to enhance both personal and
professional development for all staff working
in the Child Support Program. The workshops
will provide insight when it comes to managing
stress, building morale, preparing for an
emergency, improving communication, and much
more. Join us for “The Inside Scoop” and walk
away with knowledge and skills that will make the
headlines.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
CSDA – The Who? The What? The Why?
Established in 2001, the Child Support Directors
Association of California (CSDA) is a non-profit
association created to represent the directors of
California’s 58 counties. With a mission to promote
and support the county child support agencies in
their efforts to provide for the economic well-being of
the children and families served by California’s Child
Support Program, CSDA plays an integral part to our
program. Walk away knowing the who, the what, and
the why of CSDA.
Discovering Your Balance – Finding the
Harmony Between Work and Personal Life
Ever feel like you are being tugged in 10 different
directions? There’s kids, school, family, sports, friends,
appointments…Don’t forget about tasks, mail, return
phone calls, staff meetings, and case reviews. Does
it feel like all of these things are battling for your
attention? Confused on where to focus first? Join us as
we explore different techniques to help establish your
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priorities for both home and work. Learn tips to maintain
a better balance between work and personal life and
create a healthier you.
The Big Bang Theory – Top 10 Reports in CSE
With all of the reports made available to us, which ones
do we work first? What exactly does each one do? Are
they going to help with clean data, Federal Performance
Measures, or collections? Come and get all of your
questions answered from some of the top analysts
regarding which reports will help in each of these areas.
This workshop is guaranteed to give you more BANG for
your buck when it comes to reports.
When Can You Start? – Tips for Finding the
Right Person and Successful Interviews
There are always opportunities for employees to
promote, and as supervisors and managers, one of
our roles should be to help our line staff prepare for
interviews. Conversely, as a supervisor or manager on
an interview panel, whether a promotional candidate or
somebody new to the organization, how do you know
if you are choosing the correct person? Have you ever
hired a new employee and 6 weeks later hear them say
“I didn’t know I was going to be doing this, that, or the
other thing?” The child support business is a difficult and
challenging job and not everyone finds it to be fulfilling
and rewarding. Walk away from this workshop with tips
on identifying the candidates you desire, weeding out
those you don’t, and conducting a successful interview
for both the interviewer and interviewee.
Defining Strategy – A Look at the State
Strategic Plan
In order to be successful, one must have a plan…A
roadmap of sorts to lead you to your goal. The same
applies in the world of child support. Take advantage of
this amazing opportunity to hear directly from the State
Director of the Department of Child Support Services
regarding the direction that the child support program is
taking and what our future looks like.
2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
track & Workshop descriptions
AB 109 – What Does Realignment Look Like for
Child Support?
Going the Extra Mile – Customer Service
Techniques
With the implementation of Assembly Bill 109, the
responsibility for incarcerating many low risk inmates
shifted from the state to the counties. Many refer to this
shift as “prison realignment”. While AB109 has drastically
affected local jails, police and probation departments,
and the courts, the child support program has also felt
the effect. Determining status of “incarceration”, creating
a point of contact, and overall best practices will be
shared to assist LCSAs with understanding AB109 and
how it pertains to our program.
Good customer service is meeting the expectations of
customers and usually leaves the customer pleased.
Excellent customer service is perfection plus 10%, leaving
the customer not only satisfied, but telling others about
their exceptional experience. This practice applies
both to our external customers as well as our internal
customers. Join us as we share tools and techniques on
how to constantly and consistently exceed customers’
expectations.
Securing Staff Safety
Dealing with families, children, and money can be a
delicate situation. At times, child support professionals
come in contact with customers who are not necessarily
content with their situation and unclear about how
to deal with it. This can lead to frustration, anger, and
a sense of hopelessness. With crime and violence on
the rise, protecting staff from some of these customers
has become a concern for many LCSAs. This workshop
will provide tools and techniques to better insure staff
safety without creating a state of paranoia within your
department.
Using Your Words – Perfecting Business
Writing Skills
Business writing skills are needed in almost every facet of
your daily work. Whether you’re sending a letter/email
to a customer or entering an activity note into CSE, your
skills must be sharp as well as professional. Starting with
a purpose, establishing the tone of your document, and
proof reading your work, are all key points to remember
when clicking SAVE, SEND or GENERATE FORM SET. Learn
how to fine tune your writing skills and have a successful
relationship between you and your computer/pen.
Training Coordinator Forum
Their motto is “to support shared responsibility between
DCSS Statewide Training Branch and LCSA Training
Coordinators to operate a professional, efficient, and high
quality training program for California’s child support
program”. Come and find out what is in the works as far
as up-coming classes and trainings in the child support
world. Are you a Training Coordinator in your county?
Take this opportunity to touch base with fellow trainers,
to enhance your growing network, and meet face to face,
rather than just a voice on a conference call.
Don’t Panic and Stay Calm – Preparing for the
Unexpected
Everyone stay calm! Easier said than done when faced
with a crisis such as a fire, flood, or earthquake. Is your
office prepared in case of an emergency? Does your
staff know what to do? Where to go? Who to call? This
workshop will provide you with practical ways to prepare
for an emergency
and hear from
LCSAs that have
had to deal with
these types of
situations firsthand.
www.csdaca.org
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REGISTRATION INFORMATION
REGISTRATION
payment
To register for this year’s Annual Child Support Training
Conference and Expo, please visit https://csdaca.org/
events/csda-annual-child-support-conference.
CONFERENCE RATES
Full registration fees include:
n
All conference materials
n
Admission to conference workshop and plenary
sessions and the Exposition Hall
n
Lunches, continental breakfasts and refreshment breaks
n
Banquet Dinner (Wednesday)
n
MCLE Credits (provided with designated workshops)
Registrants may pay online by credit card (Visa/MasterCard/
American Express) or by check. If paying by check, please
note which registrants should receive credit for payment in
the check memo.
Mail checks to:
Child Support Directors Association
2150 River Plaza Drive, Suite 420
Sacramento, CA 95833
Attn: Annual Training Conference
refund policy
Full Conference
$325 One Day Registration
$145 guests
Registrants may invite up to two guests to each of the
following:
Banquet Dinner.................................$50/per Guest
User initiated cancellations without penalty can be made
online prior to March 26, 2015. After this date, registered
attendees unable to attend due to special circumstances
must submit a detailed request in writing to CSDA for
refund consideration. Send request to: CSDA, 2150
River Plaza Drive, Suite 420, Sacramento, CA 95833,
Attn: Annual Training Conference. Requests for
refunds must be received by March 26, 2015. If approved,
refund of registration fee, less a $25 processing charge,
will be issued to the agency by check.
attire/weather
Lunch.................................................$30/per Guest
The attire for this conference is business casual. The
temperature in Burlingame in April averages 60 degrees.
special needs
Registrants who require special accommodations related to
facility access, communication, or diet are asked to please
contact the Conference Coordinator Lisa Bispham at
(916) 446-6700 extension 100 or [email protected].
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2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
hotel & travel information
conference hotel
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
1333 Bayshore Highway
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 347-1234
To make hotel reservations online click here or call
(888) 421-1442. If making your reservations by phone,
please mention that you would like the group rate for
the Child Support Directors Association (CSDA). The
special rate is only available if you reserve your room
BEFORE March 23, 2015.
rates
Single…....$149 (plus applicable taxes and fees)
Double…..$149 (plus applicable taxes and fees)
Triple…….$174 (plus applicable taxes and fees)
Parking*…$12 per day/self-parking
reservations
$14 per day/valet parking
(*special discount on self parking rate for conference attendees)
About the
Hyatt Regency SFO
The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport is a
sophisticated hotel located in Burlingame and just 15
minutes from downtown San Francisco and a short drive
from San Francisco Airport (SFO). The recently renovated
airport hotel offers pampering amenities and services
with an emphasis on sustainable green practices.
Note: Please do not make a hotel reservation unless you are
certain you will use it, as rooms in the conference hotel are
highly prized. Making reservations merely to ensure a space
when you are not ready to commit to attending denies
other attendees a room of their choice, costs the hotel
business, and is costly for the Association due to our room
block guarantees. Additionally, if you make a reservation
and later need to cancel, please do so as early as possible so
the room may be made available to someone else.
transportation
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Distance: 2 miles
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Distance: 30 miles
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART): Take the complimentary
Hyatt Shuttle Bus to/from SFO’s International Terminal to
connect with BART. Approximate cost from the station to
downtown SF is $8/one-way.
Caltrain: Weekday train service between San Francisco
and San Jose, with commute-hour service to Gilroy.
Weekend service is offered from San Francisco to San
Jose. Caltrain station is 5 minutes from the hotel.
Shuttle Services
Complimentary 24-hour shuttle offers transportation to
and from San Francisco International Airport daily. There
is also a complimentary Burlingame Trolley that offers
transportation to and from downtown Burlingame for
shopping, dining and entertainment.
www.csdaca.org
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charity
CASA of Santa Cruz County • CASA of San Benito County
ASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Santa Cruz County and
CASA of San Benito County train and supervise community volunteers
who advocate for children who have been abused or neglected and
placed in foster care. They uphold the children’s rights while pursuing
a safe and permanent home. They are based on a proven model developed in the
late 1970s that has grown into a network of over 900 independent organizations
nationwide.
Children in need of support are referred to CASA by the judge, social workers,
or others within the child welfare system. CASA matches its trained volunteers
with a child. The volunteer is called an Advocate. He or she spends time with
their child each week, building a trusting relationship through weekly visits and
enriching excursions. For many children in foster care, their Advocate is the only
consistent adult presence in their lives.
www.casaofsantacruz.org
The volunteer advocates on the child’s behalf with family services, the court,
medical and mental health providers, and works closely with the child’s social
worker, caregiver and teachers. And finally, the Advocate gives the child a voice
by attending court hearings and communicating their needs to the court on their
behalf.
With over 500 children in the Santa Cruz County dependency (foster) care
system, CASA of Santa Cruz serves more than 200 children each year. They train
approximately 80 new Advocates each year, and supervise approximately 240.
Since its inception in 1992, they have trained over 1,100 volunteer Advocates and
served almost 1,900 children.
www.casasanbenito.org
San Benito County has approximately 100 children in the foster care system.
CASA of San Benito County operated as a division under CASA of Monterey
County since 2008. On July 1, 2013 CASA of San Benito became an independent
nonprofit organization. Last year they served 55 children with 34 Advocates.
In the words of an Advocate for a foster child, “I became an Advocate to give hope
to these children who need it the most.”
This is what having an Advocate meant to a young woman in foster care from
the age of 10: “Without my Advocate, I wouldn’t have graduated from high school,
wouldn’t be in college now, and wouldn’t be living on my own. Without her showing
me the way, I just wouldn’t have seen those options.”
CASA of Santa Cruz County and CASA of San Benito County are non-profit, 501(c)(3) organizations.
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2015 Annual Child Support Training Conference & Expo
2015
What’s Inside
Annual Child Support
Training Conference & Expo
Click Here to Register
www.csdaca.org
www.csdaca.org
CHILD SUPPORT DIRECTORS
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA