CalFresh / SNAP

COVID-19 CalFresh emergency allotment for September, 2022

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California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for September, 2022.  All households will receive at least the maximum CalFresh allotment.  Households eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size are now eligible to receive an emergency allotment of $95 per month. Households who are not eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size, but whose emergency allotment would be less than $95 per month to receive the maximum allotment, will receive additional CalFresh benefits to raise their emergency allotment to the $95 minimum.

The emergency allotment will be issued on October 16, 2022.

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.  There will be a one-month phase out of emergency allotments after the public health emergency is rescinded.  (ACWDL, September 2, 2022.)

Changes to expungement of CalFresh benefits

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The California Department of Social Services has issued instructions regarding changes in expungement of CalFresh benefits.  Currently, CalFresh benefits are expunged from the Electronic Benefits Card when they have been available for 365 days and there has been no activity on the card.  Effective September 2022, the timeframe for expungement of CalFresh benefits from Electronic Benefits Card with no activity is reduced to 9 months.  Household must receive 30 days notice of the first time benefits are expunged.  Subsequent expungements do not require advance notice.

CDSS must verify death matches and give notice prior to expunging benefits because a household member has died.  This allows surviving household members to respond prior to expungement.  If all members of the household have died, CDSS must expunge all benefits.

If the adult household members and Electronic Benefits Transfer cardholder dies and there are children in the home, the benefits remain on the account and the account remains active.  The household must choose a new head of household or the county will choose one for the household.  A new Electronic Benefits Card will be issued to the new head of household.  (ACL 22-62, July 22, 2022.)

COVID-19 CalFresh emergency allotment for August, 2022

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California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for August, 2022.  All households will receive at least the maximum CalFresh allotment.  Households eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size are now eligible to receive an emergency allotment of $95 per month. Households who are not eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size, but whose emergency allotment would be less than $95 per month to receive the maximum allotment, will receive additional CalFresh benefits to raise their emergency allotment to the $95 minimum.

The emergency allotment will be issued on September 4, 2022 for CalSAWS counties and September 10, 2022 for CalWIN counties.

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.  There will be a one-month phase out of emergency allotments after the public health emergency is rescinded.  (ACWDL, August 19, 2022.)

COVID-19 extension of CalFresh waivers

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California has been granted waivers of the initial application and recertification interview (if certain criteria are met); and of the recording requirement for telephonic signatures (if certain criteria are met) because of COVID-19.  These waivers have been extended until September 30, 2022.

In addition, California has been granted a waiver of face-to-face quality control interviews for the period of July 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023.  This waiver allows quality control interviews to be done by telephone.  (ACWDL, June 21, 2022.)

CalFresh ABAWD time limit waiver extension

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The United States Department of Agriculture has extended California’s statewide waiver of the Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) rule until June 30, 2023.  The ABAWD rule limits people who are not disabled and who do not have children to receiving 3 months of CalFresh every 36 months.  California had a statewide waiver of the ABAWD rule. That waiver has not been extended to June 30, 2023.

Regardless of the waiver, counties must continue to identify ABAWDs, screen for exemptions and inform clients of the ABAWD rules.  Counties must also track and report data about work registration, ABAWDs, and Employment and Training.

People previously discontinued from CalFresh for not meeting the ABAWD requirements can reapply and be approved for CalFresh if they are otherwise eligible and they are in a county with an ABAWD waiver (which is the entire state until at least June 30, 2023).  Voluntary quit sanctions do not stop because the recipient moves to another county.  (ACL 22-40, May 20, 2022.)

COVID-19 CalFresh emergency allotment for July, 2022

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California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for July, 2022.  All households will receive at least the maximum CalFresh allotment.  Households eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size are now eligible to receive an emergency allotment of $95 per month. Households who are not eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size, but whose emergency allotment would be less than $95 per month to receive the maximum allotment, will receive additional CalFresh benefits to raise their emergency allotment to the $95 minimum.

The emergency allotment will be issued on August 14, 2022 for CalSAWS counties and August 21, 2022 for CalWIN counties.

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.  There will be a one-month phase out of emergency allotments after the public health emergency is rescinded.  (ACWDL, July 8, 2022.)