Child Support Specialist I/II/III

County of Shasta•Redding, CA

15h•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Child Support Services is responsible for collecting and disbursing child support payments, locating parents, establishing parentage, and establishing and enforcing child and medical support orders. This position involves performing a wide variety of child support duties, including maintaining a caseload, locating and interviewing parents and others to establish child support obligations and enforce child support laws, arranging for support payments, and preparing cases for court hearings. For the Child Support Specialist III level, duties involve more difficult and/or sensitive cases, special assignments, acting as a senior case manager, and potentially providing lead worker assistance in the absence of a Child Support Specialist IV. The ideal candidate is goal-oriented, communicates effectively verbally and in writing, displays a positive and professional demeanor, is dependable, and willing to perform a variety of tasks. Core values of the department are Respect, Integrity, Service, Responsibility, and Communication.

Requirements

Knowledge of civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws and regulations pertaining to the establishment, and enforcement of child support obligations
Knowledge of sources, methods and techniques used to locate non-custodial parents, relatives and related persons, assets, income, and liabilities
Knowledge of techniques and methods for establishing paternity
Knowledge of Child Support specific collection methods and techniques
Knowledge of legal terminology used when explaining legal procedures to customers or the public
Knowledge of when and how to prepare and process a variety of child support related legal documents in a clear and concise manner
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language
Knowledge of basic mathematics and business arithmetic, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percentages, and decimals
Ability to apply specialized Federal child support laws and procedures as they apply to intergovernmental and international cases
Ability to explain child support procedures, regulations, and requirements to individuals from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds
Ability to use effective interviewing techniques to interview a wide variety of people, over the telephone and in person
Ability to use patience, tact and courtesy in firmly dealing with people who may be uncooperative, unreasonable, angry, upset, or hostile
Ability to collect DNA samples to establish paternity
Ability to use sound independent judgment to analyze factual information, situations, and people
Ability to understand financial records such as tax records, income and expense reports, and employer earnings records to determine the amount of child support payment obligations
Ability to compile multiple pieces of information clearly and concisely into an organized and understandable written report or oral presentation
Ability to organize work and set priorities in order to meet critical deadlines with minimal direction
Ability to exercise initiative within the limits of assigned duties
Ability to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive or personal information
Ability to establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, courts, attorneys, other agencies, and the public
Ability to be flexible and supportive of change
Ability to prioritize multiple assignments having conflicting deadlines
Ability to effectively use computer and other resources to prepare and manage cases
Knowledge of effective investigative principles, research, techniques, and procedures to obtain information for child support cases (for Specialist III)
Ability to assist and train newly newly assigned staff (for Specialist III)
Ability to promote harmony, good morale (for Specialist III)
Two (2) years of full-time clerical experience which included interaction with the public (for Specialist I)
One (1) year of full-time experience performing debt collections duties which included interviewing others for the purpose of collecting information (for Specialist I)
Completion of sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter units of college (for Specialist I)
One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Specialist I in a state or local government agency (for Specialist II)
One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Specialist II in a state or local government agency (for Specialist III)
Possession of a valid California driver’s license

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of accounting and audit procedures
Ability to read, speak, and write Spanish, in addition to English

Responsibilities

Performs a wide variety of child support duties consisting of maintaining a caseload, locating and interviewing custodial and non-custodial parents and others to elicit factual information for the purpose of establishing child support obligations and enforcing child support laws
Arranges for support payments when possible
Prepares cases for court hearings as necessary
Performs related work as required
Performs a wide variety of child support duties involving the more difficult and/or sensitive cases (for Specialist III)
Performs special assignments (for Specialist III)
Acts as a senior case manager (for Specialist III)
Provides lead worker assistance in the absence of the Child Support Specialist IV (for Specialist III)
Assists in train lower-level Child Support Specialists (for Specialist III)
Assists with special projects such as audits and/or quality control reviews (for Specialist III)
Manages a general caseload consisting of child support legal actions and the establishment, enforcement and collection of child support payment obligations based on established guidelines
Coordinates appointments for personal interviews with custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys
Develops and analyzes information for the establishment of paternity
Uses a variety of methods, systems and procedures for locating information on custodial and non-custodial parents' assets, income, and liabilities
Evaluates income and expense data of custodial and non-custodial parents to determine and recommend child support payment obligations based on established guidelines
Responds to general inquiries and explains general child support laws, court orders, rules, regulations, and policies to public and staff
Participates in interviews to secure support agreements and to persuade responsible parties to make payments without recourse to legal action
Prepares and processes legal documents necessary for the establishment, collection, and enforcement of child support obligations
Documents and updates customer information, contact information, case actions/history logs, and records using a state-wide automated system
Provides case status information, explains the complaint resolution process, and answers case specific questions for all involved parties ensuring the verbiage used cannot be interpreted as legal advice
Applies federal, state, and local codes, procedures, and rules in establishing and processing child support cases
Coordinates and/or conducts genetic tests when needed
Provides support in new hire induction training and peer mentoring (for Specialist III)