Who is eligible for services?

Any parent or guardian can apply for Child Support Services by visiting the El Dorado County Department of Child Support Services office. An application may be requested by mail by calling 1-866-901-3212. Also you may download an application for services from this website and return the completed application to our office. Parents or guardians receiving public assistance will automatically be referred to Child Support Services by the Department of Human Services.

TurboCourt
You may complete your Application Packet on line using a program called TurboCourt.  This is an independent program that asks questions designed to collect the necessary information to open and process a child support case.  TurboCourt guides you through the process and provides helpful information along the way.  It then places that information into the appropriate forms and electronically delivers them directly to El Dorado County Department of Child Support Services so you don’t have to mail or bring your forms in.  Forms are available in English and Spanish.

On-line Application for
Child Support Services

TurboCourt Español
le ayuda a llenar las formas necesarias para abrir un caso de manuntencion de ninos

TurboCourt charges a fee of $5.00 to prepare and electronically deliver your Application Packet.

What type of documentation is required to open a child support case?

One important piece of information is the non-custodial parent's social security number. Other items would include place of employment, home and work address, date of birth and any prior court order information. If you are not receiving CALWorks, your most recent employment information would also be required.

I am applying for Cal-WORKS (welfare) and Medi-Cal. Do I have to personally ask the other parent for child support?

No. The Department of Child Support Services will contact the noncustodial parent. As a condition of eligibility for Cal-WORKS and/or Medi-Cal, you must cooperate with the Department of Child Support Services in getting child support and/or medical support from the other parent by providing as much information as you can.

What does it mean to "cooperate" with the Department of Child Support?

To "cooperate" means you must provide any information or documents needed by the Department of Child Support Services to establish paternity and/or locate the other parent, and to get support payments for your child. If you are receiving welfare and/or Medi-Cal and you do not cooperate with the Department of Child Support Services, you must have "good cause" for not doing so. "Good cause" means you must have a legally acceptable reason for not cooperating with the Department of Child Support Services such as the probability of physical or emotional harm to you or your children. The Dept of Social Services will review and approve the good cause claim.

What does it mean to "assign" my support rights?

Only welfare recipients, Medi-Cal recipients or the parent(s) of a child placed in foster care must "assign" their support rights. When you "assign" your support rights to the county, you are giving the county the right to keep any child and spousal support and medical support money that was owed to you at the time you received public assistance and any money it collects for you. The county will use that money to pay back any welfare payments or foster care payments given to you or paid on behalf of your child. Any support money collected that is more than the welfare benefits you receive will be paid to you. Regardless of whether you agree or not, support rights are assigned by operation of law when you and/or your child(ren) receive welfare and/or Medi-Cal. If you do not agree to "assign your support rights," you will not get any welfare money or Medi-Cal benefits for yourself. Your child(ren) will still be able to get a smaller welfare grant and Medi-Cal.

Why is it important to establish paternity?

The Court cannot order the non-custodial parent to pay child support until paternity is legally established. It may also be important in regards to social security or veterans' benefits.

Is there an age limit for the blood tests to be done on a child?

No, children of any age may be tested, although some laboratories will not take blood from an infant younger than six months of age.

What happens after paternity is established?

Once paternity is established, the DCSS will establish a support order in most cases. After the order is established, the DCSS will use all resources available to enforce the obligation(s).

My children and I need financial assistance now. The non-custodial parent left us years ago. Will the Department of Child Support Services still try to find him/her?

By law, the Department of Child Support Services must try to find the noncustodial parent. The longer the parent has been gone, the more difficult it may be to locate him/her, but every effort will be made.

If the Department of Child Support Services cannot find the non-custodial parent, does that mean I cannot get Welfare or Medi-Cal benefits?

No. As long as you have cooperated with the Department of Child Support Services, welfare payments and Medi-Cal benefits will be available to you while the Department of Child Support Services tries to find the noncustodial parent.

I have a California support order. The non-custodial parent now lives in another state. I know she/he has land and other assets in California. Can the Department of Child Support Services help me collect on the past-due amount?

Yes. The fact that the noncustodial parent now lives somewhere else does not prevent the Department of Child Support Services from reaching his/her assets in California.

The other parent is in jail. Can I still receive support?

Unless he or she has assets (like property or income from an outside source or from a work-release program) it is unlikely that support can be collected until he or she gets out of jail and receives income or acquires property.

Can the other parent be required to include our children under the group health insurance available where he or she works?

Yes, Health Insurance must now be included in any child support order if the medical coverage is available at a reasonable or no cost. This applies to both Cal-WORKS and non-Cal-WORKS cases.

I want the Department of Child Support Services to enforce my court order. Is the information I provide open to the public?

Child support case files are not open to the public. However, anything filed with the court can be seen by the public. The information from the Department of Child Support Services files is confidential and will not be released, except as authorized by law or by court order.

How do I get my child support order modified?

Either party may request a review of the child support order for modification by contacting the department and requesting the required documents. Once the documents are completed, and all required information is obtained, the department will review the child support order for modification. There is certain criteria which must be met in order for the department to agree to modify support. Either party maintains the option of filing their own motion with the court.

If I am the custodial party, can I close my case?

If the custodial party wants to close the child support case with the department, the request should be in writing either by mail or by fax to the appropriate office. If the custodial party is not receiving public assistance, the case can be closed. If the custodial party is receiving public assistance, or there are public assistance arrears, the case will not be closed.

Where do I send payments?

You can send payments by mail to:

State Disbursement
Unit PO Box 989067
West Sacramento, CA 95798

You can also drop off checks (no cash please) after hours at our Placerville office using the night drop box. Please be sure to include your case number on your check to assure the proper account is credited. You can make payments in person at either the Placerville or the South Lake Tahoe office, but if you send a payment to our local office there will be a significant delay in crediting that payment to your account. Please make sure you use the State Disbursement Unit address above for payments made by mail.