For the counties: timelines for submitting reimbursement claims for the U.S. Repatriation Program. and a request that county repatriation programs provide updated contact information. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
refugees
ACL 09-05: CalWORKs Information Regarding California Registered Domestic partners (RDPs) And Same-Sex Spouses (2/27/09)
Policy direction regarding eligibility of same-sex married spouses to the CalWORKs, Food Stamp, and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) programs, and instructions regarding eligibility for Medi-Cal. (DHCS has issued ACWDL 09-03 and ACWDL 09-04 regarding this.) The California RDP is an individual who has a declaration of domestic partnership registered with the California Secretary of State. AB 205 extended these rights and responsibilities to a member of a legal union validly formed in another jurisdiction that is equivalent to a California RDP.
For CalWORKs , RDPs have the same rights and responsibilities as stepparents. Pending judicial resolution, all same-sex marriage licenses issued between June 16, 2008 (when the In re Marriage Cases finding the bar on same-sex marriages unconstitutional became final) and November 4, 2008 (Prop 8) are deemed to be valid on the basis of marriage for the purposes of CalWORKs eligibility. Massachusetts and Connecticut also permit same-sex marriages.
CalWORKs Stage One child care services does not change – RDPs and same sex spouses are treated as stepparents. The CalWORKs parent will have the option include or exclude the RDP/same-sex spouse in the AU, which could impact the availability of child care in the home. If a RDP/same-sex spouse adopts the eligible child(ren), the RDP/same-sex spouse will be considered a parent and a member of the AU, so the same eligibility requirements for two-parent families will be applied
No change to the Food Stamp Program, which never cared about this, looking only at the group that purchases/prepares food together.
RCA is the same as CalWORKs.
RDPs/same-sex spouses are not eligible for federal Medi-Cal benefits unless they are a natural or adoptive parent of a child in the AU, the name of both RDPs/same-sex spouse appear on the child’s birth certificate, or they can establish eligibility on their own behalf (e.g. by being aged, blind, disabled, pregnant, etc.) The RDP/same-sex spouse may be eligible for specific state funded Medi-Cal programs because he/she is treated as a spouse under state law. When the RDP/same-sex spouse is not the natural or adoptive parent of a child in the AU, but he/she is eligible for CalWORKs, a separate Medi-Cal determination must be made for that RDP/same-sex spouse and in some instances for the rest of the family.
[Download]
ACIN I-46-09: Time-Eligibility For Refugee Cash Assistance And Entrant Cash Assistance Recipients (6/9/09)
Just letting the counties know that the state has improved automation to help cut folks off aid (to avoid overpayments). Programming changes made to the Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System (MEDS) will provide an alert 90 days before the 8 months period of eligibility ends for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) clients. At the end of the 90 days, the system will terminate the aid. Counties must still issue 10-day NOAs. [Download]
ACL 09-26: CalWORKs And Food Stamp: Treatment Of 2010 United States Census Workers’ Income (6/4/09)
It is expected that approximately 17,000 full-time and part-time workers will be hired as census takers in California beginning on April 1, 2009. Most workers will be working from four to ten weeks. While the income is not exempt, it can only be counted (for quarterly reporters) if reasonably anticipated. “The nature of these temporary part-time and full-time jobs is such that the income received will often be difficult to reasonably anticipate.” Any income received mid-quarter that does not exceed the Income Reporting Threshold, does not need to be reported until the next QR7 is due and may not affect the CalWORKs grant, if it is not expected to continue. All these rules also apply to RCA, and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) folks. [Download]
ACL 09-20: CalWORKs: Grant Reduction; Suspension Of COLA To The Maximum Aid Payment (MAP) Levels; COLA Increase To The Minimum Basic Standard Of Adequate Care (MBSAC) Levels (4/8/09)
The state budget cut CalWORKs grants (both regions, exempt and non-exempt households). This ACL lists the new grant amounts, and reminds counties that this cut may result in higher Food stamps. The Maximum Aid Payment (MAP) COLA is suspended, but the Standard of Need (the MBSAC) goes up. All clients will get the attached stuff in a May mailing.
The cut also applies to Refugee Cash Assistance and the Trafficking/Crime Victims programs. [Download]
ACL 09-05: CalWORKs Information Regarding California Registered Domestic Partners (RDPs) And Same-Sex Spouses (2/27/09)
Policy direction regarding eligibility of same-sex married spouses to the CalWORKs, Food Stamp, and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) programs, and instructions regarding eligibility for Medi-Cal. (DHCS has issued ACWDL 09-03 and ACWDL 09-04 regarding this.) The California RDP is an individual who has a declaration of domestic partnership registered with the California Secretary of State. AB 205 extended these rights and responsibilities to a member of a legal union validly formed in another jurisdiction that is equivalent to a California RDP.
For CalWORKs , RDPs have the same rights and responsibilities as stepparents. Pending judicial resolution, all same-sex marriage licenses issued between June 16, 2008 (when the In re Marriage Cases finding the bar on same-sex marriages unconstitutional became final) and November 4, 2008 (Prop 8 ) are deemed to be valid on the basis of marriage for the purposes of CalWORKs eligibility. Massachusetts and Connecticut also permit same-sex marriages. CalWORKs Stage One child care services does not change – RDPs and same sex spouses are treated as stepparents. The CalWORKs parent will have the option include or exclude the RDP/same-sex spouse in the AU, which could impact the availability of child care in the home. If a RDP/same-sex spouse adopts the eligible child(ren), the RDP/same-sex spouse will be considered a parent and a member of the AU, so the same eligibility requirements for two-parent families will be applied.
No change to the Food Stamp Program, which never cared about this, looking only at the group that purchases/prepares food together.
RCA is the same as CalWORKs.
RDPs/same-sex spouses are not eligible for federal Medi-Cal benefits unless they are a natural or adoptive parent of a child in the AU, the name of both RDPs/same-sex spouse appear on the child’s birth certificate, or they can establish eligibility on their own behalf (e.g. by being aged, blind, disabled, pregnant, etc.) The RDP/same-sex spouse may be eligible for specific state funded Medi-Cal programs because he/she is treated as a spouse under state law. When the RDP/same-sex spouse is not the natural or adoptive parent of a child in the AU, but he/she is eligible for CalWORKs, a separate Medi-Cal determination must be made for that RDP/same-sex spouse and in some instances for the rest of the family. [Download]