CalFresh / SNAP

Income Reporting Threshold for Fiscal Year 2025

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Effective October 1, 2024, a new CalWORKs Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) will be effective.  The new IRT amounts are in a chart attached to this ACL.  Income over the IRT amount must be reported mid-period, that is, when it occurs between semi-annual reports or annual recertifications.  Income that must be reported is the total combined earned and unearned income of the assistance unit.  The IRT reporting amount is 55% of the federal poverty level for a family of 3, plus the amount of income used most recently used to determine the assistance unit’s grant.  Income over the IRT must be reported within 10 days of receipt.

Assistance Units with no income or only unearned income are required to report income changes only if they receive new earned income that, when combined with other earned income, exceeds the IRT.

When income over the IRT is reported to the county, the county must determine if the income is reasonably anticipated to continue.  If it is reasonably anticipated to continue, the county must redetermine the CalWORKs grant amount using the new income amount.  If the grant will be decreased, the county must give timely and adequate notice to decrease the grant at the end of the month.  If the new income amount exceeds 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, the county must discontinue CalWORKs at the end of the month after timely and adequate notice is given.

It is possible that there will be some cases that are over the IRT, but under 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, where the assistance unit will not be eligible for a cash grant.  Those cases will have zero grant, but will be eligible for supportive services and CalWORKs special needs.

Counties must inform recipients of their IRT at application approval, at least once per semi-annual reporting period, and whenever the IRT amount changes.  The IRT level which the recipient was last notified of is used for reporting purposes.

These instructions also apply to Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Act.

The income reporting threshold for a CalWORKs assistance unit of 1 is $1,632, for 2 is $2,215, for 3 is $2,798, for 4 is $3,380, for 5 is $$3,963, for 6 is $4,456, for 7 is $5,129, for 8 is $5,712, and add $583 for each additional member. (ACL 24-63, September 6, 2024.)

CalFresh Cost of Living increase

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Effective October 1, 2024, the maximum monthly allotment for a one-person household in California is $292, for a two-person household $536, for a three-person household is $768, for a four-person household is $975, for a five-person household is $1,158, for a six-person household is $1,390, for a seven-person household is $1,536, for an eight-person household is $1,756 and add $220 for each additional household member above eight.

The maximum shelter deduction for households without an elderly or disabled household member is increased to $712.

The homeless shelter deduction is increased to $190.30.

The standard deduction is increased to $204 for households of 1-3 people, $217 for households of 4 people, $254 for households of 5 people, and $291 for households of six or more people.

The Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) is increased to $645.  The Limited Utility Allowance (LUA) is increased to $166.  The Telephone Utility Allowance (TUA) remains at $19.

The resource limit for households subject to it is increased to $3,000.  The resource limit for households with a least one household member over age 60 or disabled is increased to $4,500.  This is also the threshold for substantial lottery or gambling winnings that must be reported.  (ACIN I-45-24, September 23, 2024.)

CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program annual letter

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The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a program that allows eligible households to use their CalFresh food benefits to purchase prepared meals at approved food establishments. Households that have only adults age 60 and older (and their spouses), people with disabilities (and their spouses), or homeless persons qualify. Both County Welfare Departments (CWD) and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) can administer the program.

Counties have two options for administering the RMP:

  • Under the county administered option, the CWD administers the RMP at the local level.
  • Under the state administered option, CDSS administers the RMP at the state level. The CDSS implements the RMP in all counties not offering the program and assumes administration of the program at the request of CWD’s. CWD’s must inform the CDSS they intent to transition 120 days before the transition date.

Regardless of who has oversight over the RMP, all CWDs must:

  • Certify eligible households have the RMP indicator turned on at application, recertification, periodic report, or any time there is a change in household circumstances.
  • Inform applicants of their eligibility for the RMP at application.
  • Inform RMP eligible households of the names and addresses of RMP restaurant vendors in their county.
  • Enable the county consortia RMP to pull accurate RMP data.

For locally administered RMPs, CWDs must:

  • Conduct outreach to potential restaurant vendors and ensure they are located in eligible service areas.
  • Screen restaurant vendors to ensure they meet program requirements.
  • Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with restaurants outlining the program while providing technical assistance during the application process.
  • Act as a liaison between restaurant vendors and the CDSS.
  • Perform ongoing program monitoring.

Regardless of who has oversight over the RMP, the CDSS will:

  • Maintain a list of RMP restaurant vendors.
  • Act as a liaison between RMP partners and United States Department Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to maintain information sharing.

For state administered RMP’s, CDSS will:

  • Conduct outreach to restaurant vendors and screen vendors to ensure they meet program requirements.
  • Ensure vendors are located in service areas.
  • Act as a liaison between restaurant vendors and FNS.
  • Enter into a Permanent Single Agreement (PSA) outlining the program, while providing technical assistance during and after the vendors application process.
  • Perform ongoing program monitoring.

(ACL 24-58, August 12, 2024.)

Use of CDSS interpreter services and confidentiality agreement form

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued new guidance and instruction regarding county use of the CR 6181 Interpreter Services Statement and Confidentiality Agreement form.  The CR 6181 must be used when individuals with limited English proficiency use their own verbal interpreter, or when deaf and hard of hearing persons use their own sign language interpreter.

The CR 6181 informs people of the possibility of communication errors when they use their own interpreter.  It also informs that their interpreter may need to interpret sensitive and personal information, and the county cannot guarantee that the client provided interpreter will maintain confidentiality.  The CR 6181 does not replace the GEN 1365 Notice of Language Services form.  Counties must not compel, encourage, or require an applicant/recipient to use their own interpreter, or discourage use of a county provided interpreter.

After a county is informed that an applicant/recipient needs an interpreter, the county must offer free county-provided interpretation at each substantive client contact.  When an applicant/recipient decides to use their own interpreter after being offered a free interpreter, counties must use the CR 6181.  The CR 6181 is consent and a release of information which allows the applicant/recipient to use their own interpreter.

The county must not rely on the client-provided interpreter to help the individual understand or complete the CR 6181.  The county must use a county-provided interpreter for questions about the CR 6181 form.  A new CR 6181 form must be completed if the prior CR 6181 is more than one year old, or the applicant/recipient is using a different interpreter.  The county cannot use the applicant/recipient provided interpreter without a completed CR 6181.

For communication by telephone, counties must accept the CR 6181 by telephonic signature or another form of agreement.

Minors can only be used for interpretation temporarily and only until the county provides an interpreter.  Because use of a minor is temporary, a CR 6181 is not needed when a minor acts as an interpreter.

Counties must inform applicants/recipients of their right to free interpretation.  The county cannot conduct substantive, program related  (ACL 24-68, October 17, 2024.)

 

Changes to CalFresh electronic theft policy

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Electronically stolen CalFresh benefits are currently replaced with federal funds.  However, federal funding for this purpose expires on December 20, 2024.  If Congress does not act, replacement for electronically stolen food benefits will be from state funds starting on December 21, 2024.  Current policy about replacing electronically stolen CalFresh benefits will not change.

CalFresh recipients are, and will continue to be, eligible to receive up to two months of replacement food benefits for each countable replacement of electronic theft.  A countable replacement is each overall sequence of electronic theft transactions reported by a recipient on the EBT 2259 form, regardless of the number of transactions involved.

All transactions that occur within 90 days and are listed on the same EBT 2259 form will be considered one countable replacement unless the county suspects, based on the information on the EBT 2259 form, that there were two series of thefts in the 90-day period.  In that case, the county must contact the customer.  Indicators that there are separate incidents of theft include thefts the occurred in different states, thefts that are across multiple months, and thefts in which there are weeks between the dates of the transactions.  In these situations, households cannot be required to submit another EBT 2259 form.  The county worker must document in the case record and inform the household why two countable replacements were issued.

A household cannot receive more than two instances of replacement benefits each federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30).   (ACL 24-62, August 23, 2024 and ACL 24-62E, September 30, 2024.)

Increase in CalFresh Standard Medical Expense Deduction

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California currently has a Standard Medical Expense deduction of $120 per month under a project scheduled to last until September 30, 2025.  This means that households with an elderly or disabled get a standard medical deduction amount of $120 per month if they can verify at least $35 per month of medical expenses.

Effective October 1, 2024, the Standard Medical Expense deduction will increase to $150 per month.  This means that households with an elderly or disabled member and between $35 and $185 of medical expenses per month will get a standard $150 per month deduction.  Households with over $185 in medical expenses will be able to deduct their actual medical expenses.

To pay for this increase in the Standard Medical Expense deduction, the Standard Utility Allowance offset will increase from $3 to $4 per month for all households starting October 1, 2024.

Failure to verify medical expenses is not a basis to deny or discontinue a case.  If a household does not verify medical expenses, they will not get the medical expense deduction.  The county must help applicants and recipients to get verification.

Eligible households must be informed about the new medical expense dedication amount and how to claim the medical expense deduction at both application and recertification. (ACL 24-59, August 16, 2024.)