California has been granted waivers of the initial application and recertification interview (if certain criteria are met); and of the recording requirement for telephonic signatures (if certain criteria are met) because of COVID-19. These waivers have been extended until March 31, 2023.
Approval of these waivers requires California to state that a State of Emergency or disaster declaration continues at the time of the request. The federal Food and Nutrition Service will approve additional waivers for up to three months. If the State wants to continue using a waiver for longer than three months, the State can submit an extension request in the third month of the waiver timeframe. No waiver may continue beyond the end of the month after the month when the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration is lifted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (ACWDL, December 21, 2022.)