CAPI Presumptive Disability

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has informed counties about presumptive disability payments in the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).

When a CAPI applicant has certain medical conditions, the county can make a presumptive disability determination which makes the applicant eligible for six months of benefits while their disability evaluation is pending.  The conditions are listed in MPP section 49-025.1.  Additional conditions are stated in this letter.  Presumptive disability payments cannot be for more than six months.  These payments are not overpayments if the applicant is eventually found not disabled unless non-disability factors cause the overpayment.

If someone who received presumptive disability payments is found to be not disabled and then reapplies for CAPI, they can get presumptive disability payments again only if there is documentation or a worsening physical or mental condition, there is documentation of a new impairment, or there is a strong likelihood the claim will be approved.

When presumptive disability payments are granted, the notice of action must state the presumptive disability payments will end after six months.  If six months pass and there has not been a disability determination, the county must send a notice of action ending presumptive disability payment and stating that the case remains open pending a disability determination.

The county should send a notice of denial when the applicant is determined to be not disabled, or when a decision could not be made because the applicant did not cooperate with the disability evaluation.  (ACL 26-14, February 20, 2026.)

CalFresh time limit waiver for Alpine, Merced, Monterey, and Plumas Counties

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The United States Department of Agriculture has granted a CalFresh time limit waiver for Alpine, Merced, Monterey, and Plumas Counties from November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026.  This waiver was approved based on each of these counties having an average unemployment rate over 10 percent from January to March, 2025.  This means that Alpine, Merced, Monterey, and Plumas will not need to implement the CalFresh time on aid limit until November 1, 2026.

Alpine, Merced, Monterey, and Plumas Counties must remain ready to implement the time limit when the waiver expires.  These counties must identify clients subject to the time limit; screen for exemptions; inform clients of the time limit and work rules; and track work registration, time limit, and Employment and Training data.  (ACL 26-15, February 26, 2026.)

Parolee eligibility for California Food Assistance Program (CFAP)

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The California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is a state funded program that provides benefits equivalent to CalFresh to qualified immigrants who are not eligible for CalFresh.

based solely on the immigration status restrictions in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). Under PRWORA, parolees who are in the United States for over five years were eligible for CalFresh, but parolees in the United States for under five years were not eligible for CFAP.

Currently, California Department of Social Services policy is parolees in the United States for less than one year are ineligible for CFAP.  Parolees in the United States between one and five years are eligible for CFAP.

Starting on June 1, 2026, or when automation is completed, people paroled into the United States for less than one year will be eligible for CFAP.  These individuals will be eligible for CFAP as soon as they are paroled for up to five years.  After being paroled for five years, they will not be eligible for CFAP because after five years they will be ineligible for CalFresh because of HR 1 instead of being ineligible because of PRWORA.

Any household member who was excluded because they were paroled into the United States for less than one year must be added as a CFAP household member at the household’s next recertification, if all other eligibility is met. The DT Code is sufficient verification of parolee status and the county cannot ask for additional verification beyond the DT Code. (ACL 26-03, January 15, 2026.)

Child care contractors cannot collect Social Security Numbers

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The California Department of Social Services reminds child care and development contractors that Social Security Numbers (SSN) shall not be collected from families receiving Child Care and Development (CCD) subsidized services. They should not collect or report this information from any member of the receiving family. It is not needed for the purpose of deciding eligibility and the state is prohibited from reporting personally identifiable information including SSNs. This was originally issued before the shift from the California Department of Education (CDE) to the California Department of Social Services.

Contractors cannot collect SSNs or any documentation for the purpose of enrollment and instead should use the Family Identification Case Numbers (FICN) as unique family identifiers.  The FICN cannot contain SSNs of the Head-of-House or the child. Old records that may contain SSNs do not need to be redacted or destroyed. They should be maintained for at least five years or when an audit has been requested, until the audit is resolved, whichever is longer.

Sharing or using the information pertaining to the child or family is restricted to the purposes directly connected with the administration of the program. The use of the last four digits of SSNs is still required for income-based Household Meal Applications for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, administered by the CDSS and other Child Nutrition Programs administered by the CDE. (CCB 25-33, December 3, 2025.)

County financial penalties for late IHSS reassessments

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding county penalties for late In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) reassessments.

IHSS has four subprograms which provide services to different populations:

  • IHSS-Residual (IHSS-R). Recipients do not meet PCS or IPO requirements and are usually people with Satisfactory Immigration Status, which denies them federal reimbursement.
  • Personal Care Services Program (PCSP). Recipients qualified for Medi–Cal on the basis of age, blindness or disability.
  • IHSS Plus Option (IPO). Recipients who have qualified for Medi–Cal and are also part of one of the following groups: parent provider for a minor child, spouse providers, advance pay cases or meal allowance cases.
  • Community First Choice Option (CFCO). Recipients qualified for Medi-Cal and would otherwise need a nursing home level of care.

For CFCO cases, counties must complete a reassessment every 12 months.

Beginning January 1, 2025, counties are liable for penalties for late reassessments in CFCO cases

Beginning July 1, 2026 counties will be liable for an additional penalty if the State of California loses federal Medicaid funds because of late reassessments in CFCO cases.

When a recipient moves to a new county, the county must initiate an inter-county transfer (ICT)  along with sending pertinent case documents to the new county. Counties must ensure that specific documentation is maintained and transferred during the ICT process. All records in  Case Management Information and Payrolling System (CMIPS) and documentation attached to those cases will be included in the ICT process. During the transfer period, the receiving county can complete the transfer within 30 calendar days and can be responsible for completing a face-to-face assessment with the recipient. Counties should ensure that when they are notified of a recipient’s move, they initiate the ICT timely and allow the new county at least 30 calendar days to process the case.

If the receiving county completes the ICT within 30 Calendar Days neither the transferring nor the receiving county will incur a CFCO penalty.  If the receiving county fails to complete the ICT in 30 Calendar Days, the receiving county will be responsible for the CFCO penalty. If the receiving county has less than 30 calendar days to complete the ICT, the transferring county may be held liable for the CFCO penalty, if incurred.  (ACL 25-84, November 20, 2025.)

Extension of CalFresh Standard Medical Expense Deduction

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The California Department of Social Services has issued guidance regarding extension of the CalFresh Standard Medical Expense Deduction (SMD).  The SMD waiver and has been extended to September 30, 2029.

The SMD is a standard $150 per month deduction for households with an elderly and/or disabled member with verified medical expenses of at least $35 per month.  Households with more than $185 per month in verified medical expenses can deduct all expenses from their income.

Failure to verify medical expenses is not a basis to deny or discontinue a case.

Except as stated, the details of the SMD are unchanged.  (See ACL 17-35, 21-117, 21-117E, and 24-59.   (ACL 26-04, January 15, 2026.)