Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 10802

The county director shall, for and in behalf of the board of supervisors, have full charge of the county department and the responsibility for administering and enforcing the provisions of this code pertaining to public social services under the regulations of the department and the State Department of Health Services. He shall abide by all lawful directives of the department and the State Department of Health Services, transmitted through the board of supervisors.