Author: Stephen Goldberg

Spanish Language Learning Disabilities Screening

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CDSS has released a validated Spanish language learning disabilities screening tool.  Counties are to begin using the tool for Spanish speaking clients immediately. The tool must be administered either by a bilingual staff member or with a Spanish speaking interpreter.  Counties must offer learning disability screening at the first Welfare-to-Work contact (orientation or appraisal) or at the latest at assessment.  This offer must be made both verbally and in writing.

CDSS does not have a learning disability screening tool for languages other than English or Spanish.  For other languages, counties must perform learning disability screening based on discussion with and observation of the client.  Counties must refer clients whose primary language is not English or Spanish for learning disability screening.  (See ACL 15-101.)  ACL 16-93 (November 21, 2016).

CalWORKs Homeless Assistance Program

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Effective January 1, 2017, clients are eligible to receive CalWORKs Homeless Assistance once every 12 months with exceptions.  Previously, clients were eligible for Homeless Assistance once in their lifetime with exceptions.  This change is because of AB 1603, Section 15 (2016).

There are two types of Homeless Assistance.  Temporary Homeless Assistance is available to CalWORKs recipients or apparently eligible applicants and provides up to 16 consecutive days of shelter, which is generally a hotel.  Permanent Homeless Assistance provides security deposit, last month rent and utility deposit for commercially available rental unit where rent does not exceed 80 percent of the client’s income.  Alternatively, for clients facing eviction, Permanent Homeless Assistance can provide up to two months or rental arrearages for a client to remain in their unit.

The 12 month period begins the day the welfare department issues the first payment of temporary or permanent homeless assistance.  Exceptions are available once during the 12 month period.  ACL 16-98 (November 30, 2016).

Counting income of children formerly excluded by the MFG rule

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CDSS has issued an errata to All County Letter 16-66 about implementation of the repeal of the Maximum Family Grant (MFG) rule.  ACL 16-66 stated changes in MFG status were to be treated as county initiated mid-period changes to be acted on immediately even if the change resulted in a mid-period decrease in the grant.  ACL 16-66E corrects this to state that income from children formerly excluded by the MFG rule is not considered until the beginning of family’s next reporting period unless that income puts the assistance unit over the Income Reporting Threshold.

If the family’s reporting period ends in December, 2016, then income of a child previously excluded by the MFG rule is used to determine the grant beginning in January, 2017.  If the family’s reporting period ends after January, 2017, the income cannot be used until the beginning month of the family’s next reporting period.  ACL 16-66E (November 17, 2016).

IHSS licensed health care professional certification

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CDSS has issued instructions and forms to counties about certification from a licensed health care professional as a condition of eligibility for In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) benefits.  Counties are required to provide applicants with the SOC 873 certification form and SOC 874 instructions.  Applicants must submit the completed form within 45 days of receiving it from the county.  Applicants can submit alternative documentation if it contains the same information as the SOC 873 form.  The application will be denied if certification is not submitted within 45 days of the county providing the forms.

The health care certification is not the only factor in determining the need for IHSS services, but should be considered as one indicator of the need for services.  However, the IHSS application must be denied if the first two questions on the SOC 873 form are not answered yes by the licensed health care professional.  If the county believes the applicant should be eligible for IHSS despite not receiving yes answers to those questions, the form must be returned to the health care professional to be reconsidered.

Services cannot be authorized until the county has received certification from a licensed health care professional unless services are being requested on behalf of an applicant who is returning to the community from a hospital or nursing home and needs services to remain safely in the community or the applicant is at imminent risk of out-of-home placement.  ACL 16-78 (September 28, 2016).

CalFresh Student Eligibility

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CDSS issued instructions to counties about CalFresh eligibility for students.  The general rule is students age 18-49 are ineligible for CalFresh.  However, there are several exceptions.  Eligibility workers must evaluate whether a student meets one of the exceptions.  The exceptions are when the student is:

  • Employed average of 20 hours per week for the month
  • Has parental control of a child under age 6
  • Has parental control of a child 6-12 but do not have child care to allow attending class and working 20 hours per week
  • Approved for Work Study and anticipate getting a work study job. Exception applies even if no work study jobs are available as long as will take Work Study job if it is offered
  • Receives CalWORKs
  • Enrolled full time and single parent with responsibility to care for a child under age 12
  • Participating in an education and training program and placed in education for that program. Placements with Workforce Investment Opportunity Act, CalFresh Employment and Training, JOBS, Section 236 of Trade Act or state or local government education and training program can qualify.

ACIN I-89-15 (December 1, 2015).

CalWORKs supportive services and verification for education and training

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CDSS has issued instructions to counties about supportive services and verification when a recipient’s welfare-to-work (WTW) activity is education or training.  The WTW plan should include all classes or equivalents required to meet the goal of the education or training program.  This includes concurrent or prerequisite classes.  The specific classes for the education program may not be available prior to enrollment.  In that instance, the county must have procedures to update or revise the WTW Plan to reflect the classes that are actually being taken.  Classes that are not required by the client’s program or education provider are not required to be included in the WTW plan.

Clients are entitled to supportive services for all classes included in the WTW plan.  Clients can request and receive advance payment for supportive services, including books, transportation, or fees and other ancillary expenses.

Participation hours in education or training must be supported by documentation in the case file.  Documentation can include classroom time sheets, attendance records, or enrollment verification from the provider.  Clients are not required to seek additional verification if such verification would require disclosure of confidential information, including disclosure of the fact that an individual is a CalWORKs recipient.  Prohibited verification includes requiring a client to provide teacher or instructor verification of attendance.  Instead, counties can seek verification through other resources offered by the educational institution such as CalWORKs Community College Counselors.

Counties are also reminded that the requirement of daily supervision of WTW activities does not require daily in-person contact.  The supervision requirement is that the responsible party has daily responsibility for oversight of participation.  This responsibility can be achieved by telephone or electronic means.  ACIN I-57-16 (September 8, 2016).