Support Report

Newsletter 1 Suppor t Repor tOrange County Department of Child Support Services

2019 FALL EDITION2 OC CSS INDEX 2019 EMPLOYER FORUM PAGE # 4 STAFF APPRECIATION 2019 PAGE # 5 CUSTOMER SERVICE LAUNCHES A NEW PILOT PROGRAM PAGE # 6 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR DDC PAGE # 7 LET IT GROW CAMPAIGN PAGE # 8 THE TIE THAT BINDS US TOGETHER PAGE # 9 EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOCUS GROUPS PAGE # 10 LOOKING BACK AT TOOLS2LEAD 2018-2019 ACCOMPLISHMENTS PAGE # 11 AROUND CSS PAGE # 12

Newsletter 3 FROM THE DIRECTOR -Steven Eldred Customer Service. We provide outstanding customer service, measured in so many ways. In the Call Center we answer phones in an average of 45 seconds or less. When you call, in about 85% of the time we can answer your question or solve your problem in that first call. If your issue is a little more complex, the Immediate Response Team gets the call, and in 97% of the time they can solve the problem in less than 5 days (over 80% in two days!). Less than 3% of calls need to be investigated or sent to other teams. That’s outstanding! In the lobby, you will be seen by a customer service representative in less than 10 minutes, without an appointment. No one, in government service or private industry, can match that. I wait longer at In-N-Out (but at least there I walk away with fries!). Have a legal issue? We’ll turn around your Answer to Complaint, your Request for Modification, your Notice of Motion in about 48 hours. Need to go to court? We can schedule you in about a week after the statutory minimum of 40 days after the request. In the legal system, that’s blindingly fast! And it isn’t a cold efficiency kind of customer service – we’re warm, friendly and helpful. We’re invested in each parent’s success and can provide a wide range of services – education about the child support process, referrals to community services, and help navigating other social safety net systems. Sometimes, just letting the customer vent. And that’s why we get consistently high marks in customer service surveys. We’re always trying to get better. So in the coming year you can expect to see expanded offerings in customer service techniques. Some will be team-driven, provided by subject matter experts or supervisors. Some will be provided by our stellar Training Team – either in-person, online or through Eureka. Some will come from outside – professional trainers and service-delivery experts who can help raise our game to new levels. I don’t want to limit us to firms that specialize in government customer service – that bar is too low. If we want to provide world-class service and truly assist our customers to be successful, we need to look outside of the traditional and find experts that can best help our families. Research has shown that the parents who do best in the child support system are the ones who stay in touch. Providing great customer service builds that essential trust to keep parents engaged and helps us provide the best service at the right time. What do they want? Be there – be accessible in a way that meets the customer’s needs. Listen. If you make a promise, follow through. Do what you say you will do. Tell me what to expect – the unknown is the scariest part. If we keep doing all those things, and share our successes with each other, we’ll achieve our ultimate goal – and that means Cheerios on the table, sneakers on the feet!

4 OC CSS 2019 Employer Forum What a success! By Sophea Marr September 26, 2019, marked CSS’ 10th Annual Employer Forum. Because the goal is to increase participation, CSS hosted the event in September rather than November. This year, we had one hundred forty-two employers attend in-person and via webinar — a record turnout! The event provided an opportunity for open dialog by answering employer questions, addressing concerns and learning about Child Support Services processes including: • IWO • Wage and Insurance • Lump Sum IWO Verification Notice • e-IWO • NMSN • Employer Express Team • EDD New Hire Registry Background • Non IV-D Cases • State Disbursement Unit (SDU) Since 2016, CSS has been certified by the American Payroll Association (APA) as an approved provider of payroll education; consequently, APA members who attended in-person or via webinar received education credits toward APA recertification. This annual event is a great avenue to strengthen the partnership between employers and CSS. Thank you once again for your support in hosting an eventful Employer Forum! We look forward to continued success in engaging employers and increasing our IWO collections.

Newsletter 5 Staff Appreciation2019 By Alex Gutierrez THE 2019 CSS STAFF APPRECIATION FESTIVITIES WERE AN INTERGALACTIC SUCCESS! THIS YEAR’S THEME WAS “S P A C E” AND ALL SUMMER WE CELEBRATED OUR STELLAR STAFF. ………………………………………………….. STAFF APPRECIATION EVENTS LAUNCHED WITH THE BIG DIPPER ICE CREAM SOCIAL IN JUNE, WHERE EMPLOYEES WERE INVITED TO ENJOY A TASTY ICE CREAM CONE IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT. ……………………………………………………………… IN AUGUST, EFFORTS WERE KICKED INTO OVERDRIVE AS OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM GREETED STAFF WITH ASTRONOMICAL BREAKFAST TREATS, THE “CSS STAFF IS OUT OF THIS WORLD” LOBBY DISPLAY WAS UNVEILED, A TEAM DOOR DECORATING CONTEST WAS IMPLEMENTED,……………………………… ………………………………………………………AND STARBURST CANDY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL OF CSS’ SHINING STARS. STAFF APPRECIATION DAY WAS READY FOR BLASTOFF ON AUGUST 29, WITH AN “OUT OF THIS WORLD” LUNCHEON. ………….……… …………………………………… …………………………………………… OCEA WAS IN ATTENDANCE AND PROVIDED A HOT DOG LUNCH AS MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS LINED UP TO SERVE AND THANK STAFF FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS AND COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMERS. THE HUNTINGTON ROOM WAS DECKED OUT WITH SPACE-THEMED POSTERS, DECORATIONS, AND CELESTIAL CENTERPIECES. .…………………… THERE WAS A GALACTIC PHOTO BOOTH, A FRISBEE TOSS GAME ALSO KNOWN AS “THE BLACK HOLE”, AND AWESOME PRIZES. ……………………………………………………………………… THE WINNER OF THE DOOR DECORATING CONTEST WAS ANNOUNCED AND CASE INITIATION TEAM RECEIVED A PIZZA PARTY AS THEIR PRIZE! THANK YOU TO THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE FOR THEIR TIME AND COMMITMENT ALL YEAR LONG IN ASSISTING WITH FUNDRAISING AND PLANNING TO MAKE THESE EVENTS POSSIBLE.……..………………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….. SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR EONS OF SUPPORT AND GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU TO ALL STAFF FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO…TO INFINITY AND BEYOND! CLICK ON THE ASTRONAUT BELOW TO VIEW THE EPIC PHOTOS CAPTURED FOR STAFF APPRECIATION 2019

6 OC CSS CLuastoumnecrhSeersvice a New Pilot Program By Veronica Olsen Assisting customers with getting back into the workforce is a “win-win” for the entire family. Many of our customers do not have the resources to find a job, and others have jobs that make it difficult to make ends meet. In the Spring Edition of the Support Report, we announced that we are expanding our partnership with America’s Job Center of California (AJCC) in order to meet the employment needs of our customers. We recognized that transportation is vital in any job search. Because of this, the expanded partnership resulted in a new pilot program for unemployed or underemployed customers with a driver’s license suspension or revocation. CSS and AJCC developed a new direct referral system for these customers. Customer’s An AJCC location provides license is employment services and suspended guidance. or revoked. Referred customers must receive proof of their participation. After connecting with CSS, The customer returns and a customers receive: caseworker determines A direct referral to an whether to extend the AJCC location. suppression. A 30-day suppression of Customers that enroll in a their license suspension or full training program receive a revocation. 90-day suppression. CSS staff have been informing other customers about the referral system during appointments and when utilizing our resource room. One customer shared, “Thank you so much! One Stop Center set me up with an orientation for Monday. They said I am a great candidate for their Class A Training Program.” After the current pilot program has ended, the entire Department will be able to connect customers to employment resources through AJCC. The addition of this personalized service is another example of how our Community Resource Center continues to evolve. Click here to learn more about AJCC’s services and locations

Newsletter 7 Robert Sech Getting to Know Your DDC Supervising Attorney Why did you choose this Did you practice law What do you career? prior to working for OC consider your biggest I chose being an attorney because CSS? accomplishment? I enjoy words and am not the best I worked for two years in Chicago, My biggest accomplishment, and the when it comes to mathematics. But Illinois doing insurance defense and one for which I am most grateful, is really, it allows me the chance to admiralty law. Prior to CSS, I worked being a husband and father. I am make a positive difference day to day. for a year and a half as an in-house also proud of having completed attorney for a company handling several marathons. My favorite is What college(s) did you transactional real estate work. the Catalina Island Conservancy graduate from? Marathon. What attracted you to I earned my undergraduate degree Can you tell me about from Purdue University in West OC CSS? your family? Lafayette, Indiana. I earned my law CSS provided a chance to handle degree from Valparaiso University meaningful legal work coupled with My wife is a teacher, and our children Law School in Valparaiso, Indiana. It’s a great work/life balance. By and range in age from 7 up to 18. a small law school whose graduates large, the people here at CSS are the often end up in either Chicago or best I’ve worked with throughout my Indianapolis. career. What are your favorite hobbies and pastimes? I enjoy reading, distance running, listening to music, going to the beach, and just being outside as much as possible. Growing up in the Midwest, I never thought I would end up in an area with such nice weather, so I feel like being outdoors here is amazing.

8 OC CSS GrLeot iwt Campaign Trees and Leaves-Share Your Story The Help Someone Grow (HSG) ‘Trees and Leaves-Share Your Story’ campaign ended on 8/30/2019. The stories received in the HSG mailbox were amazing. As you walked through the building, you noticed the trees full of leaves! Every day staff work diligently to provide the best service to their peers and CSS customers. Below are a few comments from both expressing their gratitude for our staff members going that extra mile. Customer wrote: CSS staff member wrote: A Veteran customer came to court and took the time to I want to express appreciation toward Susana Fernandez recognize Leti Ochoa-Trejo for making contact with him for training me with the SET process. She was very during the court workup. He took the time to tell us he positive and willing to meet with me upon request. had PTSD, but Leti’s phone call made a difference for him Thank you Susana for your precise training, sharing your and her assistance helped him prepare for the hearing knowledge and helping me grow! that day. He came by the alcove a second time after the Peers like you make our work easier and makes a hearing with a grateful heart for the service he received. difference here at CSS. Thank you for treating this Veteran with respect and dignity! -Veronica Castellanos -Grateful Veteran Just a few words being expressed as staff help one another and our customers grow! Thank you to the staff who have taken the time to show appreciation to their fellow staff members and acknowledge how they’ve helped them grow! Click the image to view the leaves staff have received as they continue to HELP SOMEONE GROW! Are you interested in joining the HSG committee? If so, please send an email to CSS-Help Someone Grow mailbox!

Newsletter 9 The Tie That Binds Us Together By Russell Villasenor Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to interview leaders throughout our office from Supervising Child Support Specialists to Deputy Directors. I went into each conversation with the goal of ascertaining what made each leader successful and kept them coming to work every day. I was expecting each leader to give me a distinct answer. We all have individual experiences and motivations. Why would this be any different? I was surprised to discover that even though every leader was unique and utilized different skills, they all had one common driving motivation: To see our customers and their staff grow and be successful. They genuinely care about the well-being and happiness of their team, and consider those factors when making decisions. It was a refreshing reminder that leaders make our success a priority. Sometimes we focus on the day-to-day and forget to take a step back and look at the big picture. Our leaders are looking out for us and feel our success is their success. That is the tie that binds all of us together.

10 OC CSS Employee ENGAGEMENT Focus Groups have been completed and the results are being reviewed. Because of your participation, the focus groups generated... 600over comments and more than 50 suggestions Stay tuned for the next steps and more opportunities to provide feedback! Thank you

Newsletter 11 Looking Back at Tools2Lead 2018-2019 By Sandra Jimenez Accomplishments KEV IN AD AMS, Tools2Lead Club DIANE BAUGHMAN, from the OC President from 2018 - 2019. District Attorney’s Office, won His commitment to the club first place in the highest-ranking and members was evident in Founder’s District Table Topic his support of the leadership Contest as a direct result of her environment and his attitude determination and enthusiasm. towards service. Congratulations to Congratulations to Diane on her incredible achievement and wishing Kevin for receiving the President’s her many more. Distinguished Award. SUSANA FERNANDEZ earned the Toastmasters provided me an Best Attendance Award for her opportunity to alter a self-perceived commitment to the club. She consistently attended meetings shortcoming in public speaking. and was ready to participate in Tools2Lead provided me the chance to various activities. Susana said, “I take my misunderstood perception and enjoyed getting together with the turn it into a strength. Thank you to my club for camaraderie in a learning club for allowing me to gain more than I environment.” Congratulations Susana! expected and give back through service. SANDRA JIMENEZ received the -Kevin Adams Toastmaster of the Year Award and she said, “It was an honor to receive this award on behalf of the club. Club collaboration is a win for everyone.” LOOKING FORWARD TO 2019-2020 EXECUTIVE MEMBERS Esther Hernandez, President Alex Gutierrez, VP Education Erica Louw, VP Membership Sandra Jimenez, VP Public Relations Maria Ruiz, Secretary Cheryl Vargas, Treasurer Raul Cabrera, Sergeant at Arms Join us to see how you can benefit from Toastmasters Tools2Lead! Contact Erica Louw at (714) 347-5990 or email CSS-Toastmasters@css.ocgov.com

AROUND CSS12 OC CSS INDEX COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARDS PAGE # 14-17 SUPERVISOR OF THE QUARTER PAGE # 17 TEAM OF THE QUARTER PAGE # 18 MANAGER OF THE QUARTER PAGE # 19 CUSTOMER SERVICE COMPLIMENT PAGE # 20 EMPLOYEE SUGGESTIONS PAGE # 20 GROWTH THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHANGE PAGE # 21 SERVICE AWARDS AND NEW HIRES PAGE # 22

Newsletter 13 “If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then Autumn would be the magic hour.” - Victoria Erickson

14 OC CSS COMMITMENT TO EX The Commitment to Excellence Award is presented to CSS employees in recognition of outstanding achievement, exemplary attitude or commitment to staff and customers. The following staff being recognized today were nominated by their supervisors or peers. JERRY OCAYA Nominated by Michelle Reyes — I nominate Jerry for Peer of the Quarter because of his willing ‘can-do’ attitude. You can always count on Jerry for help. He is confident and ready to deal with problems and take on new tasks. Instead of complaining or giving in, Jerry always maintains a positive outlook. He is a great asset to Customer Service Contact, always going above and beyond when checking-in customers. Jerry demonstrates great attitude and always has a smile on his face when helping customers. He handles irate customers in a professional manner and assists everyone to the best of his ability. Jerry is very friendly and dependable; you can always count on receiving a warm smile and hello from him. Thanks Jerry! MATT REICHMAN Nominated by Adriana Lazarin — I nominate DDC Matt Reichman for the Commitment to Excellence Award. Matt is very deserving of this recognition because of his dedication and legal expertise. He successfully negotiated a very contentious case covering a span of over four years! Matt has the ability to resolve complex matters quickly. His internal and external customer service is excellent! Thank you, Matt! JENNIE ESCALANTE Nominated by Marcy Siqueiros — Jennie’s nomination is long overdue. It is a pleasure working with her and having her on the team. She has earned this nomination as she continuously excels in her assignments. Jennie has a strong work ethic and has established herself as a high performer. She consistently has a high number of interviews and stipulations obtained. Jennie is flexible with workload demands and is quick to assist customers late in the day, often staying beyond her end of shift to ensure customers are assisted and receive quality customer service. She also frequently volunteers and participates in overtime projects and community events. Jennie is engaging with customers and strives to help them reach an agreement, eliminating the need for them to have to appear in court. She regularly demonstrates her Strengths: Responsibility, Empathy and Maximizer as supported in her work ethic and approach in assisting customers. Jennie always displays a high level of professionalism and positively represents Child Support Services to customers, peers, and the community.

Newsletter 15 XCELLENCE AWARDS ALEX GUTIERREZ 1Nominated by Kevin Lenertz — I believe Alejandra “Alex” Gutierrez deserves the Peer of the Quarter Award as I can attest to her actions and progress since she came on board just over a year ago. She has put significant effort into learning her role and doing her part to bookend everyone’s work day with a pleasant greeting and welcome our visitors with professionalism and confidence. As an example, I received an email from a Probation employee who works in another office that stated, “Interviewing at PAO (Probation Admin Office) is always pleasant; Alex and Joe make it such a smooth process for us.” Additionally, Alex provides constructive feedback and her perspective on areas that directly affect the reception desk and indirectly the Department. She constantly searches for new growth opportunities; for instance, she took a proactive approach in establishing her PIP goal of assisting other areas for specific periods of time. To our conference, she brought a general outline of the goal she had in mind. We discussed the parameters and, with my approval, she took the initiative to arrange meetings and confer with managers in the areas she wanted to work. In discussing her desire to assist in their area, Alex explained how she could be of service and identified what she could do to gain the most value out of her time there. This experience has facilitated in broadening her knowledge, increasing her exposure to other departments and staff, and increasing her value to the Department by ensuring her ability to temporarily step in should a need arise. In the short time she has been with CSS, Alex has become a valued member of the Facilities Team and the CSS family. Furthermore, if you happen to walk by at the right time, she just might serenade you! 2Nominated by Maria D. Ruiz — It is my pleasure to nominate Alex for the Peer of the Quarter/Commitment to Excellence Award. She is extremely deserving of this recognition for the care and dedication she displays in her work and interactions with everyone in the Department. Alex is hard working, professional, and demonstrates great passion for her work/projects. She often goes the extra mile to make things special, for instance, by displaying fresh beautiful flowers at reception. Alex’s friendly and approachable demeanor help create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for CSS staff, customers, and visitors. Her attention to detail and great customer service are commendable. Alex is also incredibly creative and an expert at Microsoft PowerPoint; she did an amazing job designing the 2019 Staff Appreciation slideshow. It was truly impressive! During this year’s Staff Appreciation events, Alex played a significant role by collaborating closely with Employee Recognition Committee and Facilities to ensure the event space was set up correctly and we had everything we needed. She also used her creative talent to come up with fun and engaging activities for staff to enjoy and share in, such as the team door decorating contest and ‘black hole’ game. Her positive energy is infectious and a delight to be around. In addition, Alex is always open to new learning opportunities and is never afraid to step up to the plate; she is always taking initiative and willing to assist in any way she can. As Vice President of Education for Toastmasters (Tools2Lead) Club, she puts her exceptional organizational and communication skills to work by effectively managing, tracking, and encouraging member development and supporting members with their educational needs. It is a true pleasure to work with her and I sincerely appreciate all her help and support. Thank you Alex!

16 OC CSS COMMITMENT TO EX MICHELLE GACHUZ-MCENTYRE Nominated by Russell Royston — On behalf of ESAT and Manager, Stephanie Ramirez, I proudly nominate Michelle for the Commitment to Excellence Award. She is an incredible source of information and support, which her co-workers and supervisor can completely depend on. In August, Michelle provided back-up help at the default desk, taking on sole responsibility of this assignment. Then, during the last week of August, Michelle provided default training to all Establishment Team Senior Child Support Specialists as they undertook this responsibility effective September 3. In addition, Michelle even developed a step-by-step guide on how to complete a thorough default case review. She received countless compliments from Establishment Team Supervisors and Seniors regarding her knowledge, skill, and patience during these training sessions as she clearly communicated the intricacies for a successful default assessment. Michelle is committed to doing the best job possible, no matter the assignment, and is well deserving of this honor! APRELLA JENKINS Nominated by Melanie Koch — Saying that Aprella is a valuable member of our team is an understatement. She is a priceless member of our unit. Her wealth of knowledge in the establishment process has served our unit in more ways than one. Recently, Aprella provided Locate Strategies Training for each of the teams in our unit (Case Initiation, Establishment Special Assignment Team, and Establishment Teams). These strategies included how to effectively utilize our locate tools and other resources to locate lost participants. She even offered strategies on how to effectively communicate with our customers, in order to gather the information needed to successfully complete the establishment process. In addition, Aprella supports her peers through collaboration and teamwork. These new strategies will have a long lasting effect as we begin integrating them into our daily practices. It is apparent that her contribution and dedication to our unit has helped us grow cohesively. Thank you, Aprella, for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience with our unit! RAFAELA DAMIAN-GRELCK Nominated by Marcy Siqueiros — I believe that anyone who has worked with Rafaela would agree that she is the ultimate professional. She consistently performs at an outstanding level and is eager to assist whenever needed. Rafaela exercises patience and understanding with customers when explaining their options, as she helps them maneuver the process of modifying or obtaining a new court order. She is engaging and personable with our customers and co-workers. Rafaela always greets you with a smile and treats everyone with respect. She is ready and willing to step in and assist when customer volume is heavy so as to minimize customer wait times and ensure customers are provided with a high level of service. It is great having her on the team! Rafaela continually displays a high level of professionalism and positively represents Child Support Services to customers, peers, and the community.

Newsletter 17 XCELLENCE AWARDS MARIA LARREA Nominated by Jennifer Wills — I’m happy to nominate Maria Larrea for this award. Maria worked diligently to resolve an interstate case that had slipped through the cracks. I first reviewed this file in October 2018, as a potential SET case. However, I had some concerns and since Maria had recent comprehensive notes on the case I figured she had the most information about what was going on. I gave her a call to discuss my concerns. Maria quickly jumped into action and contacted the other jurisdiction to address my concerns regarding their inaction, confusing court order, and failure to understand continuing exclusive jurisdiction. Maria was persistent. After my attempts to reach an attorney in the other jurisdiction failed, Maria did not give up. At one point, she even sent the other jurisdiction a detailed outline of events going back to 2016! After too many emails and phone calls to count, Maria finally received from the other jurisdiction, an agreement from the custodial parent and a certification of arrears that modified the arrears balance from approximately $146,443 to $50,000! We were also informed we should have stopped charging current child support as of 12/2018 due to the child being self-supporting. Despite the obligor not being in contact with us, or making payments on the case, it was the right thing to do. We are hopeful that now that the obligor feels he has finally been “heard” he will begin to make payments on the case. Great job, Maria! SUPERVISOR OF THE QUARTER ESTHER HERNANDEZ Nominated by Team Members — We are proud to nominate Esther Hernandez for Supervisor of the Quarter. Esther is an effective leader who practices empathy and diplomacy to achieve her team’s maximum potential. Every morning she greets the team to ensure we are ready for the day and shares her positive thoughts with each one of us. Esther is very approachable and regularly advocates for others’ success. She remains current on all policies and communicates updates to staff as needed. Esther has an open door policy and welcomes honest communication among the team; in her eyes, it is a great tool to learn and better understand each of her staff members. Esther leads with excellence, endurance, and respect. She supports employees with tools which will help them achieve their purpose and goals here at CSS. Her constructive feedback and ‘leave-no-one-behind’ attitude keeps the team striving to get better and better. Esther is a powerhouse of knowledge. Any employee under her wing is an employee that will surely exceed all measures. Esther is definitely destined for greatness. And by the way, she is also a great cook!

18 OC CSS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARDS TEAM OF THE QUARTER Collection and Performance Reports Team B Left to Right: Robert Conti, Hilda Heraz, Helena Chang,Veronica Castellanos, Adriana Gonzalez, Jose Najera Not pictured: Diane Arellano, Raul Cabrera, and Jeremy Koren Nominated by Raul Cabrera — I would like to nominate Collection and Performance Reports Team B (CPRT B) for Team of the Quarter. Since joining the team in April 2018, everyone has been extremely helpful and supportive. Coming to work for a new department was very challenging. However, CPRT B members have continuously shared their knowledge and helped me grow as a caseworker. They have taken the time to answer any questions I’ve had. The team works collaboratively to make sure that cases are worked proactively and great customer service is provided. Team members are thorough in their case reviews, which results in taking the next appropriate action and ensuring we are providing customers the assistance they need. I have learned a lot from listening to team members speak with customers Congrats! over the phone and will use this knowledge as I begin my new assignment in Call Center. For these reasons, I believe CPRT B is deserving of this recognition!

Newsletter 19 Manager of the Quarter Marcela Mandagie Marcela demonstrates leadership overseeing Call Center, Immediate Response and FIDM/SLMS teams, that exemplifies our CSS values consistently. She is first and foremost, committed to her staff’s individual and collective growth as a team. In her six months overseeing the Call Center, Marcela, has successfully onboarded a newly promoted Supervisor and three newly rotated Supervisors to the Call Center teams. Immediately after joining Call Center, Marcela commenced a three-month sensitivity test with her leadership team and achieved the desired results including identification of the number of individuals required to maintain 85% service levels and one-minute wait times. Her effective resource planning prepares CSS for the future and identified actual impact of added or reduced staff to customer service levels. She also led efforts in piloting a New Order Orientation project which helped identify best practices in orienting parents with a new child support order to the child support process, a demonstration of Dedicated Customer Service. Through this project, she committed to Growth and Learning by dedicating four Child Support Specialists to help CSS test new methods of communication with customers, providing parents new to the program with encouragement and expanding skill sets on a challenging assignment by engaging with customers in new ways. Lessons learned from this pilot were recently transitioned to Enforcement Teams to incorporate into their existing early intervention protocols. This demonstrates her values of Teamwork and Collaboration with her peers to create the best experience possible for our customers by partnering with other units. Marcela also led the effort to close out the 18-month extended Call Center hours pilot. She was able to evaluate call volumes in 30-minute increments to determine peak demand and balance customer demand with desirable work schedules. This included incorporating 5:30 shifts and flex schedules in Call Center for those who were interested in helping serve our customers by providing a permanent addition of 30 minutes to our Call Center business hours. Marcela strives to improve our customer experience through her weekly quality assurance sessions with her leadership team. She is committed to learning more about our customers’ needs by walking in our customers’ shoes and ensuring we treat each customer with respect. As a customer service leader, she and her teams have implemented several additions to our call handling including wrap up questions and extended talk times to ensure our customers feel educated, heard, and informed about their child support case. As a leader, Marcela communicates and engages with her teams constantly and provides them with guidance and support. As Call Center manager, she meets one-on-one with all staff joining the Call Center teams to onboard them, explain the vision of the Call Center, share our commitment to our customers and welcome staff to her area. Her teams recently surpassed their annual credit card collections goals, continuing to display their Commitment to the Children we serve. Three of Marcela’s principal Strengths are Harmony, Deliberative and Adaptability. From the paragraphs above you can see she is clearly exercising these Strengths daily, and bringing her best self to CSS! Please join in congratulating Marcela on being a values-based leader with a continued commitment to helping CSS achieve our vision and mission.

20 OC CSS CustComoemr Spelrivmiceent Sr. CSS, Veronica Castellanos, thanks Susana for her excellent training, knowledge, and helping her grow! She contacted Susana to request further training on preparing cases for SET. Susana happily agreed and was willing to meet upon request to go over the SET process. Susana was very detailed in explaining all aspects of the process. Veronica said, “It’s people like Susana that make our work easier and make a difference here at CSS.” Susana Fernandez Sr. Child Support Specialist Collection and Performance Reports Team C EmplPoyreoegSuraggmestion The Employee Suggestion Program provides a forum for employees to submit suggestions to enhance customer service, workplace environment, employee wellness and safety; provide cost savings; and boost employee motivation and engagement. We value your ideas and want to hear from you. The Employee Suggestion Program is available for all employees to submit their ideas and suggestions to enhance CSS. These innovative ideas and recommendations greatly help CSS. “Thanks” to the employees below for submitting their suggestions. Iriss Barriga suggested providing Customer Service Contact Teams access to applicable CSE fields/screens in order for staff to properly update CP and NCP ATRI or representative information per the LRC. After a collaborative review and assessment of LRC, between Customer Service Operations and PPM, it was determined that Customer Service Contact staff should undoubtedly have access to update appropriate ATRI fields. As a result, effective early August, IT granted Customer Service Contact staff access and the ability to appropriately update ATRI information in CSE. This suggestion will definitely improve business processes here at CSS so that we can better and more efficiently serve our customers. Way to go Iriss! Jan Dunford suggested updating the CSS Learning Calendar with a link to Eureka. Marketing & Communications, in collaboration with IT Services, worked to successfully add a Eureka link to the CSS Learning Calendar. This addition will definitely benefit all staff, as it will allow them to quickly and easily access CSS’ newest training platform. Eureka is a powerful learning and development resource with many useful features and courses to help staff grow and take learning to the next level. Great job Jan! Your suggestions and ideas are helping CSS become better and better each year. We encourage you to continue sharing ideas to enhance our workplace environment and customer service. To submit an employee suggestion, visit the Employee Suggestions page on the Intranet. Keep submitting your ideas!

Newsletter 21 DGerovweltohptmhroeugnht Opportunities and Change CSS’ efforts to promote growth and development broaden as we explore more ways to leverage new opportunities. There are many ways to grow at CSS and enhance your knowledge and skills. Intra-agency mobility is one way to challenge yourself and take advantage of a path for growth and development. The following individuals have recently taken on exciting new growth opportunities at CSS: Employee: From: To: Alan Chun Immediate Response Team Enforcement Team 1 Sue Davila Michelle Gachuz-McEntyre Stipulation Team A Call Center D Angela Kirkpatrick Marion Marroquin ESAT Call Center D Kim Phung Michael Velasquez CERT CPRT D Kevin Adams Raul Cabrera Enforcement Team 1 CERT Aidee Cooksey Sylvia Diaz Call Center D Immediate Response Team Adriana Gonzalez Ana Gonzalez CPRT D Enforcement Team 1 Hilda Heraz Cathy Looney Enforcement Team 3 Case Initiation Sophea Marr Cynthia Reyes CPRT B Call Center B Jennifer Sanks Heather Stotler Service Support Team Employer Express Team Gabriela Zambrano Case Initation ESAT Call Center B CPRT B Community Resource Call Center A Call Center D CPRT B Post Order C Payment Processing/Cashier Employer Express Team Legal Services A Legal Services A Legal Services- Specialized Team Legal Services- Specialized Team Post Order C CPRT C Enforcement Team 3 Employer Express Team Call Center C “Self growth is the driving force behind success and growth.”

22 OC CSS SERVICE AWARDS 45 40 35 30 Jan Dunford Nelia Castillo-Navalle Pamela Graber Lan Tran Patsy Sanchez 25 20 15 10 5 Ed Romero Ana Gonzalez Leti Ochoa-Trejo Natalie Rivera Brandon Kasper Kim Phung Diane Arellano Sophea Marr Kari Karam Lynne Peterson Thank Marcela Mandagie Duy Nguyen You! Josie Flores Kim Tran Veronica Gonzalez NEW HIRE Office Assistant Elizabeth Sayur EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHER VIOLETA GARCIA ALDENISE BELCER ASSISTANT EDITORS PUBLISH DATE DAVID AYALA November 6, 2019 RUBEN PADILLA BRANDON REED JAN DUNFORD

Newsletter 23 Our Mission To facilitate the financial support of children by engaging parents and providing professional child support services. Our Vision To be a trusted partner of parents in securing financial stability for Orange County’s children. Are you interested in writing an article? Contact Marketing and Communications CSS-MarketingandCommunications@css.ocgov.com