California Code, Family Code - FAM § 17311.7

(a) Any payment required to be made to a family through the State Disbursement Unit shall be made directly to the obligee parent in the child support order requiring the payment, the conservator or guardian of the obligee parent, a special needs trust for the benefit of the obligee parent, the guardian of the person and the estate of the child subject to the order, any caregiver relative having custody or responsibility for the child, pursuant to a written record, or an alternate caregiver to whom the obligee under the child support order directs, in a written record, that payments be made.

(b) For purposes of this section, “alternate caregiver” means a nonrelative caregiver who is designated in writing by the obligee parent to take care of the child for a limited time.