2. Tips and Techniques Carrie Norris CNorris@sjgov.org Tex Ritter Tex.Ritter@co.nevada.ca.us Maria Carlomagno-Brice MCarlomagno-Brice@co.lassen.ca.us

3. Tips and Techniques Tips and Techniques to Improve Performance ■Cost Effective measures that improve performance ■Out-of-the-box and off-the-shelve procedures that work ■New ways of looking at cases ■Working with CSE

4. Tips and Techniques ■This is a cafeteria plan. Take only those items that appeal to you. Some measures may not work as effectively in a small, large, medium or regional county.

5. Tips and Techniques ■Telephone calls: ✷ We found that about half of our calls were related to balance and payment. ✷ We directed our call center to refer to the IVR or Customer Connect. ✷ Listen to what they are saying. ✷ Offer solutions: SLMS, COAP, R & A.

6. Tips and Techniques ■Telephone calls: ✷ When an NP is saying that they do not believe their balance is so high, do not send them an Audit (SAT tool). Think R & A or COAP. ✷ If CP is asking when payment will come, think enforcement. High arrears balance, CP asks for mod, increase arrears rate on IWO for immediate relief.

7. Tips and Techniques ■Case opening: 20 hour minimum wage ✷ Imputed vs. presumed income ✷ Recognize what your employment availability is in your county ✷ Talk to your commissioner

8. Tips and Techniques Early Intervention ■Contact both parents at case opening ■Discuss what we do and what we don’t ■Offer referrals for visitation, custody, other issues ■Send out Stip for Judgment with S & C to both parents

9. Tips and Techniques ■Review processes to eliminate duplicative steps or unnecessary approvals. ✷ Have the person who authorizes the NRPS prepare and sign the document ✷ Have the person who reviews the court order enter the charging instructions ✷ Allow for mistakes, we can fix anything

10. Program Performance ■Have managers manage for performance, not do case work. ■Set goals and set trainings ■Let staff know expectations ■Trust your employees to do their job

11. Procedures that Work ■Automatic Dialers ✷ Schedule appointments ✷ Remind of new payments ✷ Target delinquencies ✷ Send reminders

12. Program Performance ■Use supervisors as supervisors ■Case review process or block review ■Case Audits ■Monitor cases for specific elements when worked by a caseworker ■Identify areas needed for refresher training

13. Program Performance USE YOUR TOOLS ■Case Closure tool developed and updated by Sierra Nevada Regional and hosted on the secure website ■CMT (case management tool) developed by Los Angeles County and updated and hosted by DCSS on the secure website ■DMV access tool developed by San Bernardino County and hosted by DCSS

14. Tips and Techniques ■OEX project ✷ Mail serve ✷ Target cases ✷ No pays in a year, arrears less than $10,000 ✷ Twice as many appeared vs. personal service

15. Procedures that Work ■OEX project ✷ Of those that appeared, 91% resulted in a payment or other successful resolution of case (FC compromise, COAP, case closure, etc.) ✷ Of those that appeared, 28% paid off their case

16. Tips and Techniques ■Reduce service costs ✷ Mail serve as many documents and pleadings as possible; try email for sending documents ✷ Consider mail serve of contempt, S & C, R & A, Seek Work/Employment Efforts ✷ More people coming to court, increased success

17. Tips and Techniques ■Rely on the system ■Play in the system, do not game the system ■Work the way the system flows, do not swim upstream ■Be aware of local county work-arounds ■Question why has it always been done that way?

18. Tips and Techniques ■Make your work count ■Butte County program ■Block reviews to ensure that CSE counts our work and orders

19. Tips and Techniques ■Use a Spanish Task Force to improve collections ✷ Kern County project

20. Tips and Techniques ■Set interviews and appointments for the entire caseload, NP and CP ■Establish a relationship and understanding early on ■Let each parent know what is expected of them

21. Tips and Techniques ■Take photos and use them for appointments ■Enlist CP’s aid in making NP pay ■Ask NP for money

22. Tips and Techniques ■In court, give priority to whoever pays the most on their case (even before cases with attorneys) ■Take matters that have paid all their support over other cases, even cases with attorneys ■Discuss with commissioner

23. Tips and Techniques ■Try new things ■Talk to other counties ■Collaborate ■Rely on resources in other counties ■Work all of your parent’s cases, even another county’s (if you have an R & A-do the R & A for the other county)

24. Tips and Techniques ■Give up ownership of cases and work cooperatively ■Develop team strategies ■Monitor performance ■Let the staff know what is expected of them ■Collect Support

25. Tips and Techniques ■Effective use of volunteers and interns. ■Summer youth programs. ■SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) www.score.org (SBA) www.score.org ■Subsidized Employment Program with One- Stop/Private Industry Council. ■Collaborate with partners.

26. Tips and Techniques ■Thank you and if you have any suggestions or questions, do not hesitate to contact us Carrie Norris Cnorris@sjgov.org Tex Ritter Tex.Ritter@co.nevada.ca.us