Yearly Archives: 2018

Resources for Denti-Cal Adult Dental Benefit Restoration

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As of January 1, 2018, the Department of Health Care Services has restored all optional adult dental benefits that had been eliminated in 2009.  DHCS issued an All Plan Letter to dental managed care plans with a benefits quick reference guide to describe the restored procedures.  DHCS Dental APL 17-009 (November 27, 2017).

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, Justice in Aging, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice developed a pamphlet in English and Spanish to describe the change in benefits.  https://cpehn.org/blog/201801/what-you-need-know-restored-dental-benefits-adults-california.

Western Center on Law and Poverty also created a one-page flyer about the changes: https://wclp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Full-Restoration-of-Adult-Dental-Benefits-1pager-1.pdf

End of requiring Social Security numbers for subsidized child care

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The California Department of Education (CDE) has issued instructions that Social Security Numbers are no longer required to be collected from families receiving subsidized child care.  Social Security Numbers are no longer required for child care eligibility certification.  The CDE child care application has been revised to eliminate the Social Security Number field.  The privacy notice and consent form is no longer necessary and is not to be used.  (Management Bulletin 17-20, November, 2017.)

Release of child support judgment liens

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The California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) has issued a new policy about release of judgment liens.  LSCAs are required to record real property liens as part of enforcing child support orders.  LCSA must release real property liens when closing a case.

Existing regulations allow Local Child Support Agencies (LCSAs) to either record lien releases or provide lien releases to obligors to record.  Effective January 1, 2018, the fee to record a release of lien is $75.  LCSAs are exempt from the new fee.  For that reason, LCSAs must now record record Release of Judgment Liens on behalf of the obligor unless an obligor asks to record it themselves or through an escrow transaction.

LCSA can record lien releases without a notary certificate.  Obligors must still provide a notary certificate if they record a lien release themselves.  (CSSP Letter 17-11, December 29, 2017.)

Veterans’ education, training, vocation or rehabilitation benefits and CalWORKs

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CDSS has issued instructions implementing SB 570 regarding CalWORKs treatment of Veterans education, training, vocation or rehabilitation benefits.  Effective January 1, 2018, Veterans Administration benefits for education, training, vocation or rehabilitation are exempt as income for purposes of CalWORKs for veterans, dependents of veterans and spouses of veterans who either died in the line of duty or have a service-connected disability.  Asset rules continue to apply these benefits, meaning that they are considered property in future months.

The exemption also applies to households categorically eligible for CalFresh because they receive CalWORKs.  The exemption does not apply to CalFresh only households.

Veterans benefits now excluded as income for CalWORKs include but are not limited to GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services, Yellow Ribbon Program, Survivors and Dependant Assistance Program, Tutorial Assistance, License and Certification Reimbursement, National Call to Service Program, Compensated Work Therapy and Work Study.

Counties must create a manual business process to implement the veterans benefits exclusion until each respective computer consortia is programmed to implement the exclusion.  (ACL 17-125, December 29, 2017.)

Digital child care applications

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The California Department of Education (CDE) has issued instructions regarding digital child care applications.  Contractors can now use digital applications for families to apply for child care and development services.  Digital applications must include all legally required information.

Contractors can also use digital signatures if the digital signature meets all legal requirements.  Digital applications must meet state and federal requirements for creation and maintenance of electronic records.  (Management Bulletin 17-13, October, 2017.)

Child support distribution error

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CDSS has issued instructions about a programming error that caused incorrect child support distribution in about 28,000 cases.  The problem occurred in the implementation of repeal of the Maximum Family Grant rule.  The error caused some families who are receiving CalWORKs to receive the entire amount of current child support instead of only the $50 disregard.  In other cases, the error incorrectly caused the full amount of child support collected to be retained by the state when some or all of the collection should have been distributed to the family.

CDSS states that payments issued in error are unlikely to continue and therefore should not be considered income because they are not reasonably anticipated.  After two payments, the County Welfare Department should communicate with the Local Child Support Agency to determine if the payments will continue.  If the payments will continue, they will be considered to be reasonably anticipated going forward.

For cases where the $50 disregard was improperly retained by the State, the $50 disregard will be retroactively paid to the family.  These retroactive payments will not be considered income or property for CalWORKs.  (All County Welfare Directors Letter, December 28, 2017.)