Author: Stephen Goldberg

Reduction in eligibility period for RCA, ECA, and TCVAP cash assistance

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The eligibility period for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA), and Trafficking and Crime Victims Program (TCVAP) cash assistance is reduced to 4 months for individual’s whose eligibility start date is on or after May 5, 2025.

The eligibility start date for RCA and ECA is either the date of admission into the united States in a qualifying status, the grant date of a qualifying status, or the issuance date on the Certification of Eligibility Letter for a Victim of a Severe Form of Human Trafficking.  The eligibility state date for TCVAP cash assistance is the date of application.

RCA, ECA, and TCVAP cash assistance recipients whose eligibility started before May 5, 2025 remain eligible for twelve months of benefits.

Groups who are eligible for RCA or ECA are: refugees, asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, Amarasians, certain Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants (SIVs), certain Afghan Humanitarian Parolees, certain Ukranian Humanitarian Parolees, and certain victims of human trafficking.  People who are eligible for TCVAP cash assistance are qualifying noncitizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, or other serious crimes.

Automation of this change is pending.  Program forms and notices must be manually changed until automation is implemented.

CDSS recommends that counties verbally inform clients of this eligibility change until August 5, 2025.

This eligibility reduction does not impact eligibility for Refugee Support Services or TCVAP social services.  (ACWDL, May 2, 2025.)

Emergency Child Care Bridge program work and instruction hours

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The Emergency Care Bridge Program provides child care for foster children for a limited time via payment or voucher if work or school responsibilities prevent resource families from providing care when the child for whom they have care and responsibility is not in school. It also provides child care navigation services to families that qualify.

The California Department of Social Services has clarified that families cannot get Emergency Child Care Bridge benefits for hours where:

  • The Child is in public education program
  • The Child is attending a private school
  • The Child is getting other instruction or education in an alternate setting such as homeschooling/tutoring, independent studies program or online schooling.

Otherwise, if the parent is working and the child is not in an education setting in the three categories above, the family can get Emergency Child Care Bridge benefits for child care because the child is not considered to be attending school.

The term “working” for the parent includes not just working at a job but also time spent looking for work, filling out job applications, going to interviews, going to job fairs, and volunteer hours to gain work experience.  Resource and Referral Agencies and the county Welfare Department are able to determine reasonable hours for employment seeking activities.  (CCB 25-01, January 17, 2025.)

Social Security changes Title II overpayment withtholding rate to 50%

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Effective April 25, 2025, the default withholding amount from ongoing Title II (Social Security Disability and derivative) benefits to recoup overpayments will be 50% of the monthly benefit.  The 50% rate will begin unless the individual requests a lower rate of repayment, reconsideration, or waiver of the overpayment within 90 days.

Prior overpayments will continue to have the 10% withholding rate.  The 50% percent withholding rate will apply to individuals who incur a new overpayment and have a prior outstanding overpayment.

The overpayment recovery rate for Title XVI cases (Supplemental Security Income) will remain at 10%.   (EM 25029, April 25, 2025.)

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Implementation of CalWORKs Homeless Assistance changes

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Two changes in the CalWORKs Homeless Assistance program that were delayed pending automation are now implemented.  Effective March 5, 2025, CalWORKs Homeless Assistance eligibility is expanded to include families who receive any eviction notice.  Previously, CalWORKs Homeless Assistance eligibility was limited to families who received a notice to pay rent or quit.

Also effective March 5, 2025, for purposes of Homeless Assistance, domestic violence perpetuated by a roommate that results in homelessness includes domestic violence by a parent or child the family is living with.  This expanded definition applies to the domestic violence exception to the once in a 12 month period rule for Homeless Assistance, and the Expanded Homeless Assistance for Victims of Domestic Abuse.  (ACIN I-15-25, April 27, 2025.)

Adoption Assistance Program eligibility for Indian children

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Prior to January 1, 2025, an Indian child who was adopted from tribal jurisdiction was not eligible for Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) benefits.  This was because tribal courts generally do not terminate parental rights as part of the adoption process.

Effective January 1, 2025, an Indian child whose case is transferred from state court jurisdiction to tribal court jurisdiction can be eligible for AAP because a final order of adoption from the tribal court now meets the criteria for AAP eligibility.

In these cases, the county of state court dependency jurisdiction is the responsible county and responsible public agency for AAP.

A tribe does not need to have a Title IV-E agreement with the state or federal government to be eligible for AAP payments.

In these cases, the tribe will need to communicate to the responsible county that there is a plan of adoption, and will need to help the adoptive parents with the AAP application.  (ACL 25-20, March 18, 2025.)

Adoption Assistance Program Wraparound services

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Wraparound services are community based mental health services.  The Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) can fund Wraparound services, in lieu of out of home placement, for up to 18 months per episode or condition.  Adoptive parents can request an additional 18 months of Wraparound services for a new episode or condition.

Adoptive parents who use Wraparound services for an AAP eligible child are private pay consumers.  Wraparound service contracts are between the adoptive parent and the service provider.  For Wraparound services, adoptive parents ask their responsible public agency to increase the child’s total monthly negotiated AAP rate to cover the cost of Wraparound services.  Adoptive parents must provide supporting documentation to the responsible public agency to support their request.

A specialized service beyond the capability of the service provider may be provided indirectly, that is, by a different provider.  The specialized service must be part of the service contract and plan of care, and it must be identified as necessary support for the AAP child by the Wraparound Team.

Wraparound service providers cannot use AAP funds to cover the costs of respite care that is more than a total of 30 days.   (ACL 24-66, August 30, 2024.)