Riverside
When Governor Gavin Newsom signed the state’s budget, for the first time in 19 years, Riverside County’s Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) will received a significant increase in funding. The increase will provide financial and emotional stability to families, and in the process also aid the local economy. The new state budget allocates $56 million for 21 of the state’s most underfunded local child support agencies including $5.4 million for DCSS in Riverside County. “I hope that this budget is a sign that state legislators have realized they can no longer ignore us as the fourth most populous county in the state,” said Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington, who advocated in Sacramento for this funding. “Riverside County must receive an equitable portion of the state’s budget.” The added funding will enable the county to hire 29 additional case workers. This should result in shorter processing times and increase the number of families helped each year. The greater number of families the county can assist each year will mean more money for local households to support the growth, safety and well- being of the county’s children. Currently, case workers in Riverside County manage an average of 900 cases. The goal is to reduce the average workload assignment to 188 cases per employee per year. If the county is successful in this effort it will help mitigate staggering costs to other programs, and most importantly, it can help increase the economic security for children and families in Riverside County.
