Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department

What Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department does

Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department (CSSD) is the designated local child support agency for Los Angeles County, operating under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. Established as an independent county department in July 2001 after responsibility was transferred from the District Attorney's Office, CSSD establishes and enforces child support and medical support orders, establishes parentage, locates parents, and collects and disburses support payments. The department serves custodial parents and caregivers, non-custodial parents, California employers (for income withholding and health insurance enrollment), and CalWORKs/public-assistance families. In Federal Fiscal Year 2024–2025, CSSD distributed $517,159,384 in child support payments (92% to families, 8% reimbursing public assistance), provided services to 294,447 children, established parentage for 189,349 children, and enforced health insurance orders for 180,862 children.

CSSD operates a multi-channel service and technology platform combining six physical division offices (Antelope Valley, Commerce, South LA, Van Nuys, Pomona, and Torrance — the last closing permanently January 16, 2026) with virtual interviews, a Customer Contact Center, an SMS-based application channel, and the state-managed Customer Connect online portal. Court operations are supported by the GreenCourt GovLink electronic filing, document management, and workflow platform (launched October 2025 through a partnership with GreenCourt Legal Technologies funded by the County IT Fund) and LACourtConnect for remote video and telephonic court appearances. Payment options span Direct Deposit, Electronic Payment Card, TouchPay mobile app, online credit/debit card, MoneyGram cash (6,200 California locations), PayNearMe cash (8,500+ retail locations), and self-service kiosks at all division offices. Adjunct programs include Bridges to Support (employment assistance for non-custodial parents) and outreach in 14 languages.

CSSD is a government department within the County of Los Angeles and does not generate revenue in the commercial sense; it is funded through federal Title IV-D and California DCSS allocations. The only direct charges to families are a $35 annual service fee for non-aided families receiving $500+ in payments, plus transaction-based convenience fees ($1.99–$1,99 for cash channels, 1.9%–2.7% for card/PayPal) paid to third-party processors. Management includes Interim Director Genie Chough (appointed 2026, succeeding former Director Terrie Hardy) and the department maintains a compliance posture covering WCAG 2.1 Level AA and ADA Title II accessibility standards.

Name

Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department

Legal name

Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department

Website

https://cssd.lacounty.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department (CSSD) is the designated Title IV-D local child support agency for Los Angeles County, establishing and enforcing child support and medical support orders and distributing payments to families, serving custodial parents, non-custodial parents, and California employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Child Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Child Benefits Administration (Child Allowance, Parental Leave) (BPAIAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK)

Keywords

• Child support services
• Government social services
• Parentage establishment
• Child support enforcement
• Payment processing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Commerce

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Child Support Collection and Distribution: CSSD collects child support payments from non-custodial parents and distributes them to custodial parents. The department collected and distributed $517,159,384 in Federal Fiscal Year 2024-2025, with 92% going directly to families and 8% reimbursing public assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CSSD is the designated Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) for Los Angeles County responsible for locating non-custodial parents, establishing parentage, establishing and enforcing child and medical support orders, collecting and disbursing child support payments, and modifying existing court orders. The department delivers services through six division offices, virtual interviews, a customer contact center, the Customer Connect portal, and multiple payment channels, serving both families receiving public assistance and those requesting services voluntarily.

Product overview

Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department (CSSD) provides a comprehensive suite of child support services including case management, payment processing, and court coordination. The department operates a multi-channel service platform consisting of: a customer-facing web portal (Customer Connect), multiple payment options (Direct Deposit, Electronic Payment Card, online payments, kiosk, MoneyGram, PayNearMe, TouchPay app), virtual and in-person service delivery at six division offices, court filing systems (including GreenCourt GovLink partnership), community outreach programs (Bridges to Support), employer compliance services (Income Withholding Orders, health insurance enrollment), and educational resources (videos, newsletters, legal FAQs). The department's services are available in 14 languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridges to Support: A collaborative initiative between CSSD and community/employment partners that connects noncustodial parents to job training, employment services, and wraparound resources.

Products and services

• Customer Connect Portal Online self-service portal allowing parents to access case information, payment history, and manage child support services 24/7. Available to custodial and non-custodial parents across California.
• Electronic Payment Card (EPC) Mastercard-branded debit card for receiving child support payments directly. Funds are accessible 24/7 wherever Mastercard is accepted. Available to custodial parents receiving child support.
• Direct Deposit Automatic deposit of child support payments into a checking or savings account. Enrollable online, by phone, or by mail. Available to custodial parents receiving child support payments.
• TouchPay Mobile App Mobile application enabling child support payments via debit or credit card directly from a mobile device. A 2.7% service fee applies. Available to non-custodial parents making payments.
• Payment Kiosks Self-service kiosks at all six division offices allowing cash and check payments for child support. Available to non-custodial parents making in-person payments.
• Income Withholding Orders (IWO) Federal standardized form requiring employers to withhold child support from employee paychecks and remit to the State Disbursement Unit. Issued to California employers with employees subject to support orders.
• Electronic Income Withholding Orders (e-IWO) Electronic transmission of IWO documents between CSSD and employers via a centralized federal portal, reducing paperwork and processing costs. Available to California employers processing income withholding.
• National Medical Support Notice (NMSN) Court order requiring employers to enroll employees' children in employer-provided health insurance plans including medical, dental, and vision coverage. Issued to California employers.
• Bridges to Support Program Employment support initiative connecting non-custodial parents with job training, employment services, and wraparound resources to help them meet child support obligations. Collaborative initiative with County and community-based organizations.
• GreenCourt GovLink Court Filing System Electronic filing, document management, and workflow system for court paperwork. Partnership with GreenCourt Legal Technologies enables CSSD staff to prepare and submit court documents electronically. Used internally by CSSD caseworkers and attorneys.
• Virtual Interviews One-on-one video interviews with Child Support Specialists, allowing parents to receive assistance remotely without visiting offices in person. Customers can schedule online and receive assistance via video call from home.
• California Guideline Child Support Calculator Online tool for estimating potential child support amounts based on California state guidelines, considering parental income and custody arrangements. Available to parents and caregivers seeking to understand child support calculations.
• Employer Workshop Program Partnership with Southern Inland Region Child Support Collaborative (SIRC) providing free workshops and video library for employers on child support withholding requirements. Available to California employers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of child support payments go directly to families
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GreenCourt Legal Technologies, LLCcoreTechnology or Integration · 6 October 2025CSSD partnered with GreenCourt to use their GovLink platform for electronic filing, document management, and workflow systems to support caseworkers and attorneys at every stage of preparing and submitting court paperwork. The partnership was made possible through a competitive award from the County's Information Technology Fund.
• Bridges to Support Employment PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBridges to Support is a collaborative initiative connecting noncustodial parents to job training, employment services, and wraparound resources through partnerships with County and community-based organizations.
• Southern Inland Region Child Support Collaborative (SIRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSSD partners with SIRC to provide employer workshops and education about child support withholding requirements.
• California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS)coreOthersState agency that manages all local child support agencies in California and maintains the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) system. DCSS provides vital document translations and system support for CSSD.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• San Diego County Child Support Services: Another California LCSA operating under the same DCSS framework as CSSD. Provides direct case-level comparison for service delivery, payment processing, and regional caseload management in a similarly large urban county.
• Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS): A sister LA County agency that administers CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, and other public benefits. Directly linked to CSSD through the 8% of collections that reimburse public assistance and is a key referral partner for Bridges to Support.
• California Department of Child Support Services: The state-level agency that oversees all local child support agencies in California, including CSSD. Operates the statewide CSE system and Child Connect portal used by CSSD, making it the direct administrative parent and policy counterpart.
• Orange County Child Support Services Division: Adjacent California LCSA serving Orange County under the same Title IV-D mandate. Highly comparable in service mix, payment channels, and operating structure, differing primarily in geographic scale.
• Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE): Federal agency within HHS/ACF that administers the Title IV-D program under which CSSD operates. OCSE sets national policy, distributes federal funding, and operates interstate data systems that CSSD relies on.

Broad incumbents

• New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance — Child Support Enforcement: New York's Title IV-D agency. A state-level peer operating under federal guidelines with comparable mandate, payment processing capabilities, and intergovernmental case work, scaled to a similarly large statewide population.
• Maximus: A public-sector services contractor that supports state and county human services agencies with eligibility, case management, and contact center operations. Relevant as a potential vendor / operational analog for outsourced CSSD functions.
• Tyler Technologies: A leading provider of software and technology services to the public sector, including courts, justice, and human services. Comparable to CSSD's technology stack (case management, court filing, electronic payments) as a vendor peer.
• Texas Office of the Attorney General — Child Support Division: The largest state-level child support program in the U.S., operating a centralized model in contrast to California's county-based approach. Comparable in scale, case volume, and enforcement toolset (income withholding, license suspension).
• Conduent: A major government services and digital payments processor with health and human services capabilities, including child support payment disbursement and case management solutions used by multiple state agencies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cssdla
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLywXWN6ouc2IQ2cXRegqOqzbfZ9v0ePEN
• Facebookfacebook.com/CSSDLA
• Instagraminstagram.com/CSSDLA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/los-angeles-county

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department