In recognition of August as National Child Support Awareness Month, the Colusa Sutter Yolo Regional Child Support Agency honors the diversity of our families with the theme – “One Size Does Not Fit All.”

The child support professionals at the Colusa Sutter Yolo Regional Child Support Agency work collaboratively with moms, dads, and guardians to attain the financial stability they need. Their services match the diversity in our communities.

“Child support payments help cover essentials needs for housing, food, and clothing as well as other expenses like sports, music, back-to-school supplies, and so much more,” said Natalie Dillon, Director of the Colusa Sutter Yolo Regional Child Support Agency. “Our child support services help our families flourish and sets our kids up to succeed.”

Tailoring Engagement

The agency’s child support professionals tailor services to fit the needs of fathers, mothers, and guardians by:

- Offering a variety of ways to apply, including:

- The recently created online Statewide Enrollment Program
- Its  Quick App application
- Paper-based applications in English and Spanish
- A phone call to start the process at 866-901-3212

- Encouraging parental agreements through stipulated child support orders and modifications
- Providing all services in English and Spanish, as well as Punjabi, Hmong, and dozens of other languages
- Communicating with customers by the method that works best for them, including:
- Text messages
- Email
- Phone
- Online chat
- Social media

Simplifying the Payment Process

The recovery from the pandemic has created and transformed many jobs, changing how people work in the public sector, agriculture, private industry, or gig work. Adapting to these changes and others, including a major shift to telework, Child Support Services has transformed how people can pay child support.

- Parent paying in person in our offices can use kiosks accepting cash, credit and debit card, and e-checks.
- Others can use services such as PayPal, PayNearMe, or MoneyGram to pay whether they are in another county or across the country.
- Parents can also pay with credit cards online, by phone, or direct withdrawal from a checking or savings account.
- In keeping with programs across the country, we have welcomed electronic improvements to the most common and reliable method of payment: having payment submitted by employers on behalf of busy working parents.
- These changes also reflect the child support programs’ conviction that the payment process should be as easy and as accessible as possible.

California Child Support Services also revised its Debt Reduction Program to give more parents access to much-needed relief to lower or eliminate child support debt owed to the state.

During Child Support Awareness Month, it is important to remember that we know that one size does not fit all. That is why we take care to reflect the needs of each parent and make the process adaptable and collaborative.