Benefits eligibility when public interest parole expires

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The California Department of Social Services has released guidance regarding benefits eligibility for public interest parolees when their parole status expires or is terminated.

Individuals paroled into the United States are eligible for CalWORKs.  If an individual’s parole status expires or is terminated, and they are not in another qualifying noncitizen status, they are not eligible for CalWORKs.  Change in immigration status is not a mandatory mid-period report.  People who lose their parole status will be redetermined at their next semi-annual report or annual redetermination.  Counties must complete a SAVE search before discontinuing benefits to ensure that they are not eligible under a different immigration status.

Parolees are no longer eligible for CalFresh unless they are Cuban-Haitian Entrants.  Parolees who have not met the five-year waiting period or are exempt from the five year waiting period are eligible for the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP). A parolee may be eligible for CalFresh, or for CFAP after five years if they adjust their status to a status that is eligible for CalFresh or CFAP after five years.

The only parolees who are eligible for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) or Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) are Cuban-Haitian Entrants who are paroled, Afghan Humanitarian Parolees, and Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees.  Continuing eligibility for RCA/ECA is redetermined at the next semi-annual report.

Note that effective May 5, 2025, RCA/ECA eligibility is limited to four months.  For cases where there is not a required semi-annual report because of the four-month limit on benefits, the county should only discontinue benefits before the four months have been used if there is a voluntary report of RCA/ECA benefits.

Note that for purposes of these benefits programs, Cuban-Haitian refers to benefits eligibility, rather an immigration status.  For purposes of benefits eligibility, a Cuban-Haitian Entrant is:

(1) any individual granted parole status as a Cuban/Haitian Entrant (Status Pending) or granted any other special status subsequently established under the immigration laws for nationals of Cuba or Haiti, regardless of the status of the individual at the time assistance or services are provided; and

“(2) any other national of Cuba or Haiti-

“(A) who-

“(i) was paroled into the United States and has not acquired any other status under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.];

“(ii) is the subject of removal proceedings under the Immigration and Nationality Act; or

“(iii) has an application for asylum pending with the Immigration and Naturalization Service; and

“(B) with respect to whom a final, nonappealable, and legally enforceable order of removal has not been entered.” (Refugee Education and Assistance Act of 1980 § 501(e).)

Cuban-Haitian Entrant parolees whose parole expires or is terminated may lose parole-based employment authorization, but may remain eligible for employment services.  Counties should review those cases to ensure that Cuban-Haitian Entrant parolees whose parole expires or is terminated are enrolled in appropriate activities. (ACIN I-15-26, April 24, 2026.)

Revised CalFresh work rules oral script

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has released an updated version of the CalWORKs work rules oral script.  The updated version removes the CalFresh Employment and Training section, and reflects changes to the CalFresh time limit and work rules because of HR 1.

The county must verbally inform at least one member of the CalFresh household or authorized representative of the work rules using the CDSS script or a similar script written by the county.  If a household member becomes a mandatory work registrant during the certification period, the county must make a good faith effort to reach the household and give a verbal explanation of the work rules.  A minimum of two attempts to contact the household is considered a good faith effort.  (ACL 26-26, April 10, 2026.)

 

 

 

CalWORKs Stage 1 Child Care lack of attendance

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Stage One Child Care administrators cannot end child care authorization because of non-utilization.  Stage One Child Care cannot be abandoned.

Counties and contractors can engage families when they are not using authorized child care including 1) contacting the family to determine if child care needs or hours have changed, and discuss the reasons for non-utilization, 2) offer alternative child care options, and 3) engage with families to create goals and a plan of action for child care.

If the county or contractor still does not reach the family, the county must continue to maintain the family’s eligibility for the full 24-month eligibility period and pay the provider based on the family’s maximum authorized hours of care, regardless of attendance.  (CCB 26-05, March 4, 2026.)

CalWORKs Home Visiting Program changes

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The CalWORKs Home Visiting Program is a voluntary program that provides home visits by social workers for CalWORKs recipient families to help them achieve stability.

Effective January 1, 2026, Home Visiting Program participation is limited to the duration of the home visiting model that the county chooses to use.

Effective January 1 2026, Home Visiting Program services can continue after a parent or assisted caretaker relative has been removed from the assistance unit or stops receiving CalWORKs for the duration of the home visiting model, with a maximum of 12 months from the date of removal.

People who are eligible for Home Visiting Program services are CalWORKs recipients who are pregnant, or have a child less then 24 months old when they enroll in the program.  Counties may serve additional individuals with approval of the California Department of Social Services.  (ACL 26-24, April 13, 2026.)

CalWORKs time limit exemption for recipients living in Indian Country with over 50% unemployment

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People who live in Indian Country with at least 50% unemployment are exempt from CalWORKs and federal Temporary Aid to Needy Families time limits.

The California Department of Social Services has released the list of Indian Country areas with 50% or higher unemployment in 2025.  Individuals who lived in those areas during 2025 are eligible for a time limit exemption for the months that they received aid.

If the individual lives in an Indian County area that is not on the list, they may get written documentation from a federally recognized tribe that they lived in an area where adult unemployment was 50% or higher in 2025.  That certification qualifies the individual for the time limit exemption.  (ACL 26-23, April 14, 2026.)

Transforming CalWORKs – end of mandatory job search

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The Transforming CalWORKs legislation, AB 119 (2025) makes several changes job search as a  Welfare-to-Work (WTW) activity.

Effective July 1, 2026, job search will no longer be a required WTW activity in initial engagement, after completion of a WTW activity, or between WTW activities.  Counties cannot require WTW participants to engage in job search unless it is an assigned WTW activity that the participant has agreed to.  Job search will remain an activity that the county can offer at any point in the WTW flow.

Note that any future federal work participation rate penalty can no longer be passed through to the counties.  (ACL 26-32, May 8, 2026.)