The California Department of Social Services has clarified requirements about how the County Welfare Departments (CWDs) will accept information for participants of CalWORKs and CalFresh electronically.  Electronically submitted information can include reporting changes, submitting verification, and other information that might affect the participants’ case.

CWDs must accept and process all information submitted by participants by e-mail, fax or the BenefitsCal Portal, even if that information is sent fby email to individual staff, general, shared or unencrypted. CWDs will not be cited in error for confidentiality if the participant has sent an unencrypted email. While all of these will be acceptable forms of information, CDSS says submitting by email may lead to some operational challenges and encourages participants to submit information via the BenefitsCal Portal. Making a BenefitsCal account is encouraged but information may be submitted anonymously without an account. (ACIN I-01-25, January 29, 2025.)

 

The requirement to submit SAR 7s or annual recertifications for CalWORKs and CalFresh has been waived for January, February and March, 2025 because of the Los Angeles wildfires.  The waiver applies to designated zip codes. Recipients will need to complete their next SAR 7 or annual recertification after March 2025 as scheduled.  Recipients who had already completed their January, 2025 SAR 7 or recertification and had been found ineligible for benefits will not be redetermined.  (ACWDL, February 10, 2025.)

Effective January 1, 2025, participants who were members of a CalWORKs family when CalWORKs-eligible children were removed from the home will remain eligible for CalWORKs cash aid, child care and reunification services when: 1) all CalWORKs-eligible children were removed by the county Child Welfare Services (CWS), 2) the AU received CalWORKs cash aid when removed, and 3) the child welfare services agency or court has determined that the services mentioned above are necessary for reunification.

CalWORKs family reunification cash aid is limited to six months.  Other CalWORKs family reunification services can continue after six month with good cause granted by the CWS.

Upon notification that all CalWORKs eligible children have been removed from the home, children are considered temporarily absent for one month. After one month, CalWORKs Family Reunification will take effect if either there is a case plan in effect or under development by the CWS agency that includes providing cash aid, or there is a court order for a case plan that includes providing cash aid.

Pregnant Person Only cases when there is immediate removal of the child upon birth can be eligible for CalWORKs Family Reunification cash aid.

Non-needy caretaker relatives are not eligible for CalWORKs Family Reunification cash aid.

CWS removal of a child is considered an action that is verified upon receipt, which means that it changes CalFresh benefits mid-period.

If CalWORKs is terminated because of removal of the children by CWS, the household can be eligible for Transitional CalFresh.  (ACL 25-05, January 7, 2025.)