The California Department of Education (CDE) has release updated income eligibility for state subsidized early learning and care programs. CDE has also released the ranking table to determine a family’s income ranking for purposes of enrollment priorities for state subsidized early learning and care. The new income levels are effective July 1, 2020. (Management Bulletin 20-12, June 16, 2020.)
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
Author: Stephen Goldberg
COVID-19 extension of CalFresh interview waivers
The federal waivers for the CalFresh program for initial application and recertification interview, conducting a face-to-face interview on request of the applicant and required recording equipment for telephonic signatures are extended until July 31. For details about these waivers, see ACWDL April 2, 2020, summarized here, and ACWDL May 28, 2020, summarized here. (ACWDL, June 15, 2020.)
COVID-19 extension of IHSS criminal background check changes
In ACL 20-50, the California Department of Social Services implemented a temporary suspension of the requirement that applicants to be In Home Supportive Services providers be fingerprinted as part of their criminal background check and allowed a name-based check instead. The suspension of the fingerprinting requirement is extended through July 31, 2020.
To remain a provider after July 31, 2020, all providers who were enrolled using a name-based check must complete the regular criminal background check requirements by July 31, 2020, including the fingerprint based background check. (ACL 20-67, June 12, 2020.)
COVID-19 APS protocols
Effective June 22, 2020, county Adult Protective Services (APS) will return to normal protocols for in-person visits and monthly welfare checks. This includes a face-to-face investigation when an elder or dependent adult is in imminent danger, 10-day in-person response to protect the individual’s health and safety, and in-person monitoring visits every 30 days unless a written visitation plan justifies otherwise. Counties must respond in-person to immediate threats such a physical or sexual abuse.
Social workers may ask clients or family members to wear a mask during the visit but cannot require it. Social workers must have protective equipment before going on the in-person visit. Protective equipment should be available from the county Office of Emergency Services.
Counties may continue to conduct investigations and monthly monitoring visits by telephone or videoconference under certain circumstances including: following city or county public health direction, the individual subject to the report refuses in-person entry, someone in the household has been exposed to COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms, or an in-person respond was done and the county determines that additional monthly monitoring visits can be safely done by telephone or videoconference. (ACL 20-66, June 11, 2020.)
COVID-19 extension of RCA, ECA and TCVAP eligibility
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding extension of eligibility for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) until beyond the 8-month time limit until September 30, 2020.
RCA, ECA and TCVAP provide cash benefits to various refugee and immigrant populations for 8 months. The programs generally follow eligibility rules for CalWORKs. Note that applicants and recipients of these programs are not required to provide a Social Security Number.
ECA, RCA and TCVAP are now extended until September 30, 2020 for recipients whose date of eligibility is between April 1, 2019, and February 1, 2020. For recipients who received their either month of benefits in May, 2020 or will reach the 8 month limit between June 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020, benefits will continue until September 30, 2020. For such recipients who reached their 8 month limit or were discontinued because of noncompliance, counties can extend benefits until September 30, 2020 if clients reapply and meet eligibility requirements. Counties are encouraged to contact clients to inform them they may be eligible and can reapply. (ACWDL, June 11, 2020.)
COVID-19 processing IEVS matches
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding processing IEVS matches because of COVID-19. Processing of Recipient-IEVS matches for March, April, and May, 2020 are suspended. Counties must not process Recipient-IEVS matches received during March, April, and May, 2020. Counties have been granted an extension of the IEVS follow-up timeframes.
However, processing continues of matches from the Payment Verification System, which includes information on CalWORKs and CalFresh recipients who receive or are entitled to Social Security, Unemployment Insurance and State Disability Insurance benefits.
Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation all count as income for CalFresh. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation count as income for CalWORKs. Pandemic Unemployment Compensation does not count as income for CalWORKs but counts as income for CalWORKs applicants.
CDSS is working with the Employment Development Department to develop an electronic match for Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
For CalFresh, if a recipient responds to a notice of adverse action with by stating they receive Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, the county must verify receipt of those benefits and take appropriate action.
For CalWORKs, any Unemployment Insurance benefits with be added to other earned income and exceed the Income Reporting Threshold to be considered a missed mandatory report. If the county discovers the recipient may have missed such a report, the county must send the recipient a verification letter to request verification of Unemployment Insurance, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
Beginning June 1, 2020, all IEVS matches will continue except for the Annual IRS Match, which will not resume until 2021.
Cases of suspected fraud must still be referred to Special Investigative Units (SIU) regardless of any temporary waiver periods or restrictions because of COVID-19. SIUs can continue to conduct face-to-face interviews. No application or benefits should be delayed, denied or interrupted without sufficient evidence to take case action. (ACWDL, June 5, 2020.)