If you are interested in making a difference in the lives of fellow Californians while achieving your career goals, and you set high standards for yourself and thrive in a collaborative and challenging work environment, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Disability Determination Service Division (DDSD) is the workplace for you.
CDSS' mission is to serve, aid, and protect needy and vulnerable children and adults in ways that strengthen and preserve families, encourage personal responsibility, and foster independence.
The Department's goal is to foster a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion within our Department, that actively invites the contribution and participation of all people, and is representative of the varied identities and different perspectives in California. In our role as public administrators, our charge is to ensure that our programs and our workplaces provide all Californians the opportunity to thrive.
DDSD is the state agency responsible for determining, under the Social Security Act or related public assistance programs, the medical eligibility of California residents for:
• Title II (Social Security Disability Insurance - SSDI)
• Title XVI (Supplemental Security Income - SSI)
• Title XIX (Medi-Cal Medically Needy Only)
For Title II and Title XVI cases, the State makes such determinations under an agreement with the Social Security Administration (SSA) - the "Federal Programs" component of the Division. SSA provides all adjudicative policy and procedures that are followed by the DDSD.
The "State Programs" component of the DDSD is responsible for the development, evaluation, and adjudication of Medi-Cal, Medically Needy Only cases. Title XIX cases are processed pursuant to an inter-agency agreement with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the single state agency for Medicaid/Medi-Cal.
CDSS Guiding Principles
Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Accessibility. Belonging.
We ensure opportunities for everyone to participate in a meaningful way in fulfilling the mission and vision of CDSS.
Community Engagement
We prioritize the lived experiences of community members as a driving force behind the creation, implementation, desired impact, or change of programs and services.
Empowerment
We engage, operate, and advocate from the understanding that each community and person have desires and capabilities to lead in their own life.
Quality Services
We provide services that align intent and impact by ensuring that they are accessible, community driven, interconnected, and continuously improved.
Data Defined Outcomes
We equitably collect and analyze data, take data-driven action, and measure outcomes relevant to those we serve, ensuring transparency and accountability.