CUSTOMER RELATIONS

For issues regarding your child support case, contact your local agency Ombudsperson or email your caseworker through Customer Connect. For technical help with this website, use the Webmaster Contact Form. For questions NOT related to a specific child support case, use the form on this page and your email will be routed to the California Child Support Office of Communications.

California Child Support Services continuously strives to ensure that participants receive the highest level of service from the local child support agencies and through the California State Disbursement Unit (SDU). If you have an open child support case, you have rights regarding the services you receive.

Please note, if you are not satisfied with the service that you are receiving, the first of point of contact should be the Ombudsperson for the local agency that you are not satisfied with.

If you are still not satisfied with the service that you’re receiving after speaking with the Ombudsperson, you have the right to file a complaint through the Complaint Resolution Program. Either the person paying child support or the person receiving support can file a complaint.

Choose from the Customer Relations categories below to learn more:

• Ombudsperson
• Complaint Deadlines
• About State Hearings
• State Hearing Deadlines
• Forms & Publications

Ombudsperson

If you need help with a problem, ask to speak with the “Ombudsperson” – it is his or her job to:

• Help you get child support services.
• Explain your rights and responsibilities.
• Help you resolve problems with your case.
• Explain the complaint process before, during, and after a complaint is filed.
• Help you request a state hearing if you are not satisfied with the results of the complaint resolution process.
• Forms are available at each agency, or you can download one below.

To reach your Ombudsperson, contact the agency handling your case. To contact your agency, find and connect to your county’s website using our map tool.

Please Note

Your local child support agency can resolve complaints about:

• Customer service
• Timeliness of service
• Payment and billing problems
• Decisions to close a child support case

Your local agency cannot resolve complaints regarding actions taken by the court, for example:

• The amount of a child support order
• Custody
• Visitation
• Spousal support orders

Only the court can resolve these matters. See your county Family Law Facilitator for help with these topics.

Local Agency Deadline for Complaints

• You must file your complaint within 90 days of the date you knew, or should have known, about the subject of your complaint.
• The local child support agency is required to respond to every complaint: in writing and within 30 days.
• If a complaint cannot be resolved within 30 days, your agency may extend the time for resolving a complaint up to a maximum of 30 additional days. If the period for resolving a complaint is extended for any reason, the agency will mail a notice stating the reason for the extension.
• If your local child support agency does not respond to your complaint in writing, you must request a State Hearing within 90 days from the date of your first written complaint.

State Hearing

Forms to request a state hearing are available below or you can get them from your local child support agency.

Instructions for requesting a state hearing are included on all complaint resolution forms, and your agency Ombudsperson will help you complete the forms correctly. If you get a state hearing, you will be notified of the date, time and place of the hearing. If you are unable to attend, ask for a new hearing date or for the hearing to be held by phone.

Only the following issues will qualify for a state hearing, according to California Family Code section 17801(a):

• Denial of child support services
• Child support services required by federal or state law, regulation or department letter have not been provided within a reasonable time, or in the manner required by law
• Incorrect or missing support payments
• Incorrect calculation of the amount of arrears owed
• Decisions to close a case

State Hearing Deadlines

• You must file your complaint within 90 days of the date you knew, or should have known, about the subject of your complaint.
• You must request a state hearing within 90 days of the date of the written decision of the local child support agency on your complaint.
• If the local child support agency does not respond to your complaint in writing, you must request a state hearing within 90 days from the date of your complaint.