Positions in this series are responsible for administering the Washington State Child Support Program to ensure children have the financial support of both their parents or guardians. Responsibilities are cross-functional in nature and encompass intrastate, interstate, tribal nations, and foreign country child support collection activities.

Performs a variety of technical duties and responsibilities requiring child support program knowledge and utilize independent judgment in assigned areas.  

Provides supporting services such as processing and distributing payments, correspondence and case-related mail processing, locating individuals, preliminary interviews, preparing legal documentation and serving same, paternity establishment, central registry case referral screening, and delivers general program information to service recipients.

This is the paraprofessional level of the series. Under general supervision, performs support services ranging from entry-level duties to technical responsibilities requiring analytical skills and the application of specialized child support program knowledge.

Provides technical assistance to Support Enforcement Officers 1-3, attorneys, contracts staff, and other specialized teams within the Division of Child Support (DCS);  

Assists with preparations for hearings as part of the Virtual Legal Office; prepares exhibit packets for hearings and/or intergovernmental referrals, including the redaction of personal information using specialized software; 

Serves as the initial contact for customers requesting services over the phone and in-person;  

Educates applicants and service recipients on governing policies and procedures, evaluates their needs, and directs them to appropriate resources; explains pertinent department policies, procedures, and provisions of laws, to applicants and service recipients;  

Performs all facets of payment processing and distribution; 

Maintains accurate handling and safe keeping of all negotiable items within a secured environment; performs research to troubleshoot issues and uses independent judgment regarding unidentified payments and the appropriate application of funds, including the manual application of funds to cases as needed; receipts and/or processes payments of various types including, but not limited to: child support payments, Internal Revenue Service, tribal entities, vendor recovery, estate recovery, and food assistance overpayments; 

Coordinates parentage and paternity actions with prosecuting attorneys, which may include organizing genetic testing and billing documents;  

Conducts initial paternity and locate interviews utilizing the telephone and in-person contact; accesses and navigates multiple databases to obtain client information;  

Analyzes paternity affidavits from other states, tribes, international jurisdictions and their laws to determine whether the affidavits are legally binding in Washington State;  

Reviews administrative and Superior Court orders to determine appropriate data for case setup;  

Acts as Court Clerk Liaison, working with Washington State county courts to ensure orders are received and processed according to federal guidelines; utilizes information to accurately code, setup, and assign child support cases to Child Support Specialists; 

Accesses restricted, confidential and/or sensitive information from multiple databases and tools to ascertain information for use in the establishment of child support cases, determination of debt, and collection of child support; 

Enters case data accurately into the Division of Child Support’s electronic case management system, and routinely cross-references case information from multiple sources to ensure data integrity;  

Performs process service of legal documents to appropriate parties, prepares legal documents for certified mailings, and completes all necessary documentation regarding service for use in legal proceedings; 

Regularly operates multiple financial and document management systems; 

Assists Support Enforcement Officers with locating individuals and assets by utilizing professional skip tracing methods including conducting interviews; electronically accessing multiple databases with varying levels of confidentiality and sensitivity; initiating correspondence with other agencies, employers, other jurisdictions, and persons; and by controlling and initiating electronic locate systems within and across state lines; 

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of: Washington State Child Support Program and related Federal and State regulations and guidelines; professional skip-tracing techniques and/or locate processes; collection practices; extracting and compiling confidential information from secure databases. 

Ability to: ensure federal and state guidelines are followed; compile and verify incoming information in a timely manner; communicate effectively and efficiently with coworkers, customers, and stakeholders in a high-volume cross-functional work environment; articulate information clearly, concisely, and accurately using a variety of formats which includes by phone, in-person, and in writing; exercise sound, professional judgment, and accurately document the decisions made; learn and articulate state and federal statutes, court decisions, departmental regulations, and programs available to applicants; train and work in a virtual team environment; shift work priorities according to the demands of the workplace; practice professional and courteous customer service techniques; operates mail and payment processing machinery, databases, and programs.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Two years of college level coursework, 

OR 

Two years of customer service related experience within a program and/or services related to research, investigation, auditing, writing, reporting, administration, law enforcement, community relations, or allied field. 

Note: Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute year for year.

Establishment effective December 1, 1991.
New class code effective July 1, 2007; formerly 46690.
Revised class series concept, definition, distinguishing characteristics, and salary adjustment adopted June 13, 2019, effective July 1, 2019.
Typical work, knowledge and abilities, and desirable qualifications revised June 14, 2019.
Desirable qualifications revised administratively September 3, 2019.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.