Legislative Analyst's Office
February 22, 1995

Aid to Families With Dependent Children

Child Support Enforcement Program

Automation Project Will Miss Federal Deadline For Enhanced Funding

We recommend that the department report during budget hearings on the anticipated delay in the implementation of the Statewide Automated Child Support System (SACSS) and how the loss of enhanced federal matching funds will impact the General Fund in 1995-96.

Background. The SACSS is a federal and state mandated automated system to provide a comprehensive, integrated, child support enforcement tracking and monitoring system statewide. The SACSS will interface with a Los Angeles County automated system being implemented according to a federally approved plan. The ten-year project cost is estimated to be $152 million. Under current law, the system must be implemented and certified as meeting all the federal requirements by September 30, 1995. Enhanced federal funding for SACSS development is available at 90 percent until September 30, 1995, after which the project will be funded at the regular sharing ratio of 66 percent federal and 34 percent state-county.

Project Delayed. The department indicates that the SACSS is experiencing delays in implementation and therefore will not meet the September 30, 1995 implementation date to qualify for enhanced federal funds. At the time this analysis was prepared, a revised timetable for implementation and an estimate of the resulting loss of enhanced federal funding was unavailable because the department was in the process of reviewing additional options to minimize the impact on General Fund costs in 1995-96. Accordingly, we recommend that the department report during budget hearings on the anticipated delay in the implementation of the SACSS and how the loss of enhanced federal matching funds will affect General Fund costs in 1995-96.

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