Effective January 1, 2015, CDSS issued new regional market rate ceilings, or caps on the amount child care providers can be reimbursed for subsidized childcare under CalWORKs Stage One child care.  The changes increased the reimbursement rate for some assistance units and none received a reduction under the revised ceilings.  Counties were required to issue notices of action for any changes (NA833) that included a right to hearing to challenge the subsidy or grant computation.  ACL 14-94.

Coincidentally, given the recent outbreaks of measles and whooping cough in California, CDSS recently issued a revised form for CalWORKs recipient families who seek a good cause exception to the child immunization requirements.  As of March 1, 2015, counties must use the revised Immunization Good Cause Request Form (CW 2209) which allows families to explain why one or all eligible children in the assistance unit are not immunized or cannot show proof of immunization.  The form must be provided at the time of application, redetermination and whenever the county requests proof of immunization.  Families are still permitted to make a verbal good cause request.  ACL 14-98.

Upon request, or upon notice that a person requires accommodation due to a disability, counties must assist CalWORKs applicants and recipients to obtain required benefit eligibility evidence if the applicant’s or recipient’s good faith efforts to obtain the evidence have failed.  CDSS has directed counties to revise 17 notices of action that deny, discontinue or decrease benefits due to failure to provide required verification to specify that the client did not ask the county for help getting the required proof of evidence of eligibility.  CDSS also directs the counties to rescind any negative actions on CalWORKs cases wherein the applicant or recipient asked the county for help, but did not receive help. ACL 14-88 (11/20/14)