Yearly Archives: 2018

Diapers as welfare-to-work supportive service

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CDSS has issued instructions implementing AB 480 regarding diapers as a welfare-to-work (WTW) supportive service.  Starting April 1, 2018, counties must provide $30 per month to welfare-to-work participants to assist with diaper costs for each child under 36 months of age.

To qualify, WTW participants must have a child who is under 36 months of age at the beginning of the month and is either receiving CalWORKs or is ineligible for aid but is under the care and control of the WTW participant.

A participant in the WTW program is defined as a CalWORKs client who is not sanctioned or removed from aid, exempt from WTW or excused from participation because of participation by another adult.  Persons who are sanctioned or removed from aid who are participating as part of a cure plan are eligible for the diaper benefit.  Exempt or excused persons who are voluntarily participating are eligible for the diaper benefit.  Teens in the Cal-Learn program are eligible for the diaper benefit.  Clients in noncompliance who are not yet sanctioned and clients with good cause for non-participation are eligible for the diaper benefit.

Designation as participating is not based on assignment to WTW activities, scheduled hours or verified actual hours.  A WTW plan is not required to be eligible for the diaper benefit.  Persons are considered participating regardless of their number of participation hours, even if the participation hours are zero.

Counties must provide diaper payments to all qualifying WTW participants who have time remaining on their 48 month clock.  Diaper payments can also be provided to persons who have reached their 48 month time limit as a job retention service or a post-aid service depending on the County Plan.

The diaper benefit is available to both single and two parent assistance units.  Child only assistance units where the parent is ineligible for CalWORKs are ineligible for the diaper benefit.

Diapers are considered a necessary supportive service and participants will have good cause for not participating in WTW if payment is not provided in advance of the assigned activity.

The benefit will be a $30 payment per month for each qualifying child in the home.  The benefit is not prorated.  Any number of days in the month that the parent qualifies for the diaper benefits will result in the full $30 payment for each child.

Payments will be issued automatically to eligible clients unless the clients opts out of the payments.  Payments will be distributed on the household’s EBT card.

Counties must inform all new and current WTW participants of the diaper supportive service and payments must begin immediately without action or communication from eligible participants.  The diaper benefit must be issued in advance of any assigned WTW activity.

(ACL 18-38, March 28, 2018.)

IHSS Applications

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CDSS has issued instructions implementing AB 1021 regarding IHSS applications.  Counties must facilitate accepting applications by telephone, fax, in-person or email if the county is capable of accepting electronic applications.  Counties must assist IHSS applicants and facilitate the application process which includes informing applicants of the various methods for submitting applications.

Counties should establish secure drop boxes for applications.  Counties can accept applications face-to-face instead of providing a drop box.  Counties must designate staff to receive fax submissions daily.

Counties are required to provide IHSS applicants with a confirmation number upon receipt of the application.  The confirmation number can be provided verbally before the end of the telephone call in which the application is taken or in writing when the application is entered into the computer system.  Counties must communicate the confirmation number timely regardless of how the application was submitted.  (ACL 18-30, March 16, 2018.)

New Notices for 250% Working Disabled Program

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DHCS has issued new guidance directing counties to issue discontinuance and denial notices for applicants for the 250% Working Disabled Program.  Prior to discontinuing a case, the county must evaluate individuals for all other programs, including MAGI Medi-Cal and non-MAGI Medi-Cal programs.  The letter includes sample notices.

DHCS ACWDL 18-05 (March 15, 2018).

Changes to CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program and Employment and Training Program

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CDSS has issued instructions implementing SB 282, the Reducing Hunger Among Vulnerable Californians Act of 2017.

CDSS must now issue an annual ACL providing a list of counties or regions participating in the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), instructions on how a county can participate in RMP, and guidance for how a county can appeal a CDSS determination that a county is ineligible to participate in RMP.

EBT cards must now allow all CalFresh recipients who are eligible for RMP to utilize benefits in all RMP authorized restaurants statewide, regardless of whether the recipients lives in an RMP participating county.

Counties select restaurants that are eligible to participate in RMP. Restaurants participating in RMP must allow in-store purchases except for direct farm purchasing programs or certified farmers markets.  Selected restaurants and vendors must maintain a current public health license and comply with all federal, state and local health and safety laws.

The federal government provides funds for Employment and Training (E & T) Programs.  There are a limited amount of 100 percent federal funds and an uncapped amount of 50 percent federal reimbursement funds. The 100 percent funds are allocated nationally based on the number of work registrants in the state.  The 50 percent funds are available to counties and service providers based on costs for allowable E & T components.

SB 282 requires CDSS to request a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to allow 50 percent reimbursement funds to be used for providing subsidized employment.  (ACL 18-24, March 15, 2018.)

CalFresh policy regarding men and boys residing in domestic violence shelters

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CDSS has issued a clarification regarding CalFresh policy about men and boys residing in domestic violence shelters. AB 2057 entitles domestic violence victims who reside in shelters to receive an additional allotment of CalFresh as a separate household.  ACL 17-30 provided instructions to counties implementing AB 2057.

Men and women are not distinguished in the definition of domestic violence.  In addition, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons are included in the definition of domestic violence.

The CalFresh program requires that all provisions related to persons fleeing domestic violence be interpreted to apply to all victims regardless of gender or sex.  The requirements of ACL 17-30 and all future CDSS correspondence regarding domestic violence shall apply to men, women and children unless otherwise specified.

CDSS also included a list of available domestic violence resources.  (ACIN I-09-18, March 1, 2018.)

CalFresh exclusion of funeral agreement from resources

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CDSS has provided implementing instructions for changes to federal regulations that exclude the cash value of one funeral agreement per household member when determining if a household meets the resource limit.

Most households in California are not required to meet the resource limit.  For the households that must meet the resource limit, such as elderly and disabled households with gross income above 200 percent of the federal poverty level, the case value of one funeral agreement per household member will now be excluded when determining whether the household meets the resource test.  (ACL 18-16, February 14, 2018.)