Tulare County Board Recognizes August 2025 as Child Support Awareness Month

In a recent meeting of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, the focus was on Child Support Awareness Month, with presentations from the Department of Child Support Services aimed at educating the community about the importance of child support in enhancing the well-being of families. The meeting, held on August 5, 2025, highlighted the department's mission to assist families in meeting their medical and financial needs through effective child support programs.

Director Roger Dixon opened the session by emphasizing the significance of Child Support Awareness Month, which aims to engage the public and raise awareness about the services provided by the department. He introduced his team, including Jennifer Guido, the assistant director, who detailed the various services offered, such as establishing parentage, enforcing support orders, and distributing collected funds. Guido shared compelling statistics, noting that the child support program lifts approximately 1.4 million families out of poverty each year in California, with child support accounting for a substantial portion of income for families in need.

The meeting also featured a discussion on the department's performance metrics, revealing a caseload of over 24,000 cases and a year-to-date collection of nearly $32 million, marking a significant increase from the previous year. The department is on track to meet its goal of $41 million in collections for the fiscal year.

Jennifer Davis, the training outreach specialist, presented the theme for this year's Child Support Awareness Month: "Strong families start with support, ensuring children thrive." She highlighted the positive impacts of child support on children's educational and emotional development and discussed the department's successful partnership with Valley Strong Credit Union for a back-to-school drive, which aims to provide essential supplies to local students.

The board members expressed their appreciation for the department's efforts, with Supervisor Macari commending the quick resolutions provided by the staff to families in need. The meeting concluded with the board presenting a proclamation recognizing August 2025 as Child Support Awareness Month, underscoring the county's commitment to supporting families and children.

Overall, the discussions at the meeting not only shed light on the critical role of child support services in Tulare County but also reinforced the collaborative efforts between the department and community partners to enhance the lives of children and families in the region. The board's recognition of Child Support Awareness Month serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for community engagement and support in addressing the challenges faced by families.