CDSS has issued instructions to counties implementing the decision and judgment in Riojas v. Vilsack and Lightbourne, 2016 WL 3566941. Riojas held that people in SSI suspense status are eligible for CalFresh.
CDSS instructed counties that, effective immediately, people who are not receiving a SSI payment are eligible for CalFresh as long as all other CalFresh eligibility criteria are met. Within two months counties must identify applications that were filed after August 30, 2016 that were denied solely because the applicant was in SSI suspense status and issue retroactive benefits to those people. Counties must also identify household members excluded solely because of their SSI suspense status on or after August 30, 2016, and, if otherwise eligible, issue retroactive benefits to those persons.
A change in SSI from active status to suspense status is not a mandatory mid-period report. However, if this change is reported, the county must add the household member effective the first day of the next month. If SSI status changes to active status and that change is known to the county, then the county must increase or decrease benefits effective the first day of the next month, or as soon as 10-day notice can be given. (ACL 17-09, January 27, 2017.)