California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued new notices of action regarding CalWORKs Pregnancy Special Needs payments. The notice approving a CalWORKs Pregnancy Special Needs payment (M-44-211L) has been revised to include the option to provide a sworn statement or verbal attestation when medical verification is not available at the time of application. Recipients who provide a sworn statement or verbal attestation must provide medical verification of pregnancy within 30 working days following submittal of the sworn statement or verbal attestation for benefits to continue. The revised notice also informs recipients that if the pregnancy ends prior to the estimated delivery date and does not result in the live birth of a child, they are required to report that to the county within 30 days of the end of the pregnancy.
The Notice to Discontinue Pregnancy Special Needs Supplement (M44-211N), and Notice to Discontinue Cash Aid for Pregnant Person Only Assistance Unit (M82-820D) have been revised to add two new reasons to end the CalWORKs Pregnancy Special Needs Supplement: (1) when the pregnancy ends prior to the estimated delivery date and does not result in the live birth of a child, and (2) when medical verification has not been given to the county within 30 working days of receipt of the sworn statement or verbal attestation, and the recipient has not provided evidence of a good faith effort to comply with the verification requirement.
The new Notice to Discontinue Cash Aid for Pregnant Person Only Assistance Unit (M82-820D) Pregnancy Special Needs Supplement (M44-211N) has been revised to add two new reasons to end the CalWORKs Pregnancy Special Needs Supplement: (1) when the pregnancy ends prior to the estimated delivery date and does not result in the live birth of a child, and (2) when medical verification has not been given to the county within 30 working days of receipt of the sworn statement or verbal attestation, and the recipient has not provided evidence of a good faith effort to comply with the verification requirement.
These new notice of action messages will only be available in the CalSAWS computer system. Counties may continue to use the prior versions of these notice of action messages until they are automated for all counties. The letter does not include a timeframe for automation of these new notice of action messages. (ACL 23-78, September 12, 2023.)