Comments are due by July 30, 2012, on an option to impose controls on EBT card replacements and modifying the definition of trafficking to include buying/selling EBT cards.   [Download]

A reminder to counties that organizations interested in becoming CalFresh homeless meal providers must be certified by the county in which the prospective homeless meal provider is located .  Includes a template for certification and a link to more information about the program. Homeless individuals are certified as separate households and meal providers for the homeless are prohibited from acting as the Authorized Representative for homeless recipients. [Download]

A correction to ACL 11-72, which gave incorrect information about the sanction applied when a household member(s) refuses to cooperate in a QC review. The ACL should have stated that if an existing CalFresh household contains a household member(s) who refuses to cooperate, the entire household will be discontinued from the CalFresh Program, not just the individual.  If the person who didn’t cooperate moves to a new CalFresh household, the full-household sanction would apply to the new household, but the old household’s members, if they had not been part of the non-cooperation could then be aided.  [Download]

 

Clarification of the original letter to help counties (a) simplify their verification policies where appropriate, (b) improve the timeliness of the
application process; and (c) improve customer service.  And a reminder that, in general, counties should verify only the mandatory eligibility factors for CalFresh unless it is for the purpose of maximizing benefits.   Corrections have to do with self-employment income for students, anticipated work study work as a student exemption, and other evidence of rehab to cure a CalFresh drug disqualification. [Download]

 

Since June 1, 2009 counties have had the option of waiving the face-to-face interview at initial application and/or at recertification without having to document whether a hardship exists.  The USDA found that waiving the face-to-face interview has not negatively affected payment error rates, is beneficial for CalFresh applicants and recipients, and provides administrative relief for county staff.

Offering the option of a telephone interview in lieu of a face-to-face interview will now be required at intake and recertification.  (The majority of counties are doing this already, but any not must do so no later than July 1, 2012.) [Download]

 

California once again qualifies for an ABAWD waiver.  Effective October 1, 2012, the ABAWD waiver will continue for all counties within California except for those counties that decline to participate. [Download]