The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding provision of equipment and supportive services to CalFresh employment and training (E & T) participants, particularly in response to COVID-19.

Counties and state partners can purchase necessary equipment for use by CalFresh E & T participants.  Equipment purchased by a county, state partner, or third-party partner may include laptops, cell phones, and other computer equipment to be loaned to participants for programs that require remote access such as distance learning.

Supportive services assist participants with overcoming barriers that prevent participation in CalFresh E & T.  Providers are required to pay directly or reimburse CalFresh E & T participants for expenses that are reasonable, necessary and directly related to participation upon presentation of appropriate documentation.  Reimbursable supportive services include dependent care costs, transportation, uniforms, personal safety items, books or training materials, and internet or telephone services.

Personal protective equipment necessary to engage in CalFresh E & T, when not provided by an employer, is covered, including personal protective equipment, hard hats, non-slip shoes, cloth face coverings and protective gloves for use during COVID-19 consistent with public health guidance.  (ACL 20-125, November 17, 2020.)

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) provides clarification about CalFresh overissuances in the context of COVID-19.  Beginning in March, 2020, all CalFresh households have been receiving maximum amount of CalFresh.  Households entitled to less than the full allotment have been receiving the difference between their entitled allotment and the full allotment as an emergency allotment.  For any month a household receives an emergency allotment, there cannot be an overissuance unless the household is found to have been completely ineligible.

Households are only required to report a change in income during the reporting period that are over the income reporting threshold. Changes in household circumstances such as a change in household composition or expenses, and income fluctuations that are less then the income reporting threshold are not required to be reported during the certification period.

If households report all income as required at application, periodic report or recertification, an overissuance can only be calculated for months in which gross monthly income exceeds the income reporting threshold for two months or more.  Changes in household income or other circumstances that are not required to be reported do not result in an overissuance.

Nonrecurring lump sum payments, including any government stimulus payment or retroactive unemployment insurance payments, do not count as income for CalFresh.  Nonrecurring lump sum payments are a resource in the month received. In this context, there is an overissuance only if a household subject to the resource limit receives a nonrecurring lump sum, does not report at application, periodic report or recertification, and the countable resources exceed the resource limit.

Income that is not reasonably anticipated cannot be used in determining eligibility.  When recreating the circumstances to determine the amount of an overissuance, the county must determine whether the income was required to be reported and if the income was reasonably anticipated to continue.

When determining if an overissuance is administrative error or inadvertent household error, counties must consider the circumstances at the time of the overissuance.  These circumstances include various waivers because of COVID-19 including waiver of periodic reporting and extension of certification periods, and elimination of the interview requirement at initial certification and recertification.  In addition, COVID-19 created significant application and call volume and changes in county operations that may have resulted in a households inability to complete required reports.  Counties must consider these circumstances when establishing an overissuance claim. These circumstances are likely to have impacted a household’s ability to report timely, increasing the occurrence of overissuance claims caused by administrative error.

When an administrative error overissuance claim is established for an active CalFresh household as a result of administrative error, collection is by grant adjustment of 5% or $10 per month, whichever is greater, for no more than 36 consecutive months.

When an overissuance is established for an inactive CalFresh household as a result of an administrative error or inadvertent household error, the claim establishment threshold is $400. (ACIN I-87-20, November 19, 2020.)

California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for December, 2020.  The emergency allotment will be issued on January 10, 2021 to raise each household’s monthly CalFresh allotment to the maximum allowable for the household size.  Per guidance from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), households already receiving the maximum allotment are not eligible to receive an emergency allotment.

Moving forward, emergency allotments may be approved by FNS on a month-to-month basis until the Secretary of Health and Human Services rescinds the public health emergency. (ACWDL, November 30, 2020.)