Author: Stephen Goldberg

CAPI date of entry

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) reminds counties that qualified aliens who entered the United States prior to August 22, 1996 can be eligible for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).

Qualified aliens who entered the United States before August 22, 1996 can be eligible for CAPI if the Social Security Administration denied their SSI applications due to immigration status because they were not lawfully residing in the United States on August 22, 1996.  This policy reiterates the 2005 settlement agreement in Jamal Eddin v. Bolton.  (ACIN I-81-20, November 17, 2020.)

New CAPI payment standard

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) transmits the new payment standard for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).  Effective January, 2021, the 1.3 percent SSI cost of living increase will cause both the SSI/SSP payment standard and the CAPI payment standard to increase.

The cost of living increase will also increase the presumed maximum value for in-kind support and maintenance, the allowance for ineligible children in deeming situations, the sponsor’s allocation in alien deeming situations, and the allowance for parent(s) in parent-to-child seeming situations.  (ACIN I-78-20, November 17, 2020.)

CalFresh verification procedures

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding implementation of AB 79 regarding verification of information for CalFresh.  To the extent permitted by federal law, counties must seek verification via available electronic sources or client statement when allowed, before requiring submission of additional information, use of collateral contacts, or home visits.  Before sending a household request for missing verification, the county must check all available electronic resources to verify the missing information, and use the client statement to the extent allowed by federal law.

Counties must not send a request for missing verification or deny a case based on missing verification, unless they have first checked all available electronic sources or determined whether client statement is an allowable option.  If verification cannot be obtained by electronic sources, and client statement is not an allowable form of verification for the information in question, counties must make the request for information using the CW 2200 Request for Verification form.

Available electronic sources include IEVS, MEDS, SSA, CMIPS, or any other source available to the county.  The Work Number can only be used for verification when confirmed by the household to be accurate.

Counties must accept a client statement as the standard verification for dependent care expenses, and counties cannot seek other verification unless the information provided by the household is questionable.

If a household does not provide verification of certain expenses, or provides questionable information, but the household is eligible for CalFresh without deducting the expense, the county must approve the case without the deduction.

There are other ways to verify information.  For example, residency must be verified to the extent possible, using all documents already provided by a household.

For factors other than mandatory verifications, a client statement must be accepted as verification unless the information provided is questionable.

Counties must accept verbal confirmation from the household whenever client statement is a valid form of verification.  For information that can be verified by client statement and that is not questionable, counties are not required to also check electronic sources, and cannot delay processing of an application, recertification or periodic report by checking electronic resources.

When regulations only allow for verification via client statement under specific circumstances, and all other attempts at verification have failed, counties can use the best available information which can include verbal client statement.

Counties must document in the case record why information provided by a household is questionable before requesting additional information.  Counties cannot require a specific type of verification when verifying questionable information.  (ACL 20-135, December 15, 2020.)

COVID-19 extension of time eligibility for RCA, ECA and TCVAP

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions for an additional extension of time eligibility for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) and Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP).  Effective October 1, 2020, this extension applies to RCA, ECA and TCVAP until January 31, 2021.  This extension is limited to persons whose date of eligibility for benefits is April 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020.

Applicants for RCA, ECA and TCVAP are not required to provide Social Security Numbers.

Verification and documentation requirements are waived for all three programs. Verbal declarations are acceptable verification, including verification of immigration status.

Counties must provide uninterrupted assistance retroactive to October 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021 regardless of whether they received the prior benefits extension.  For benefits recipients for September through December, 2020, counties must rescind any discontinuances of benefits. Recipients who reached their time limit before August, 2020 may reapply for benefits.  Those persons must confirm that they were economically impacted by COVID-19.

People receiving extension benefits must comply with SAR-7 and annual redetermination requirements.

Counties are encouraged to use flexibilities to help client meet employment requirements.  Counties should ensure that all RCA and ECA recipients are enrolled in and referred for employment services and English classes.

TCVAP recipients must provide proof of submission of a T-Visa application within 12 months of the date of application.  Counties should review cases where applicants or recipients are unable to apply for a T-Visa for good cause.  Counties can accept written declarations for verification that an applicant or recipient has applied for a U-Visa.

Counties should disregard certain COVID-19 emergency payments when determining income and assets for applicants impacted by COVID-19.

Counties must notify RCA, ECA and TCVAP recipients receiving extended cash assistance of the time extension and continuance of aid at least 10 days prior to issuing cash payments.  (ACWDL, December 15, 2020.)

COVID-19 emergency procedures for CAPI

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has extended certain COVID-19 emergency procedures for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants.

The CAPI face-to-face interview requirement will continue to be waived through the end of the State of Emergency in California.  Counties must accept CAPI applications by telephone, mail, fax and email.

The waiver of the requirement for CAPI applicants to submit proof of SSI application denial because of immigration status expires on December 31, 2020.  After December 31, 2020, and through the end of the State of Emergency in California, the SSI ineligibility requirement may be met by verification that an SSI application has been filed and is pending final determination.  Counties must get a copy of the application summary letter issued by SSI after the applicant completes a SSI application.  Verbal attestations of having applied for SSI will not longer be acceptable after December 31, 2020.

Counties can check the MEDS system for proof that the CAPI applicant applied for SSI and was denied because of immigration status.  (ACL 20-143, December 18, 2020.)

COVID-19 stage one child care provider subsidy

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Child care providers who were open in July and submitted requests will receive a stipend check.  This includes providers who submitted requests for children who were not in care because of COVID-19.  Stipends are based on the number of children enrolled and the average per child cost based on the Regional Market Rate.  This means that providers in different counties may receive different stipend amounts.

Stipend checks were mailed in November.  A second round of stipends will be mailed after consultation with counties to determine if any providers may have been missed because of late form submission.  In counties that contract Stage One child care through an Alternative Payment Provider (APP), the APP will issue the stipend check with funds from the California Department of Education.  (ACWDL, November 13, 2020.)