Important changes for Non-Assistance CalFresh folks regarding the CalFresh Employment and Training program (CFET, formerly the FSET program.)  SB 43 adds additional deferral criteria to which all E&T counties must adhere, irrespective of their existing deferral policies.  By mandating additional bases for deferral, more CalFresh recipients will be able to avoid any problems with CFET sanctions (as sanctions are only for mandatory, and not volunteer, CFET folks).  The letter lists all the deferral criteria, as well as the counties that did not qualify for the “work surplus” deferral.  For those counties, the letter lists the cities within the counties which are “work surplus” and thus also must defer non-assistance CalFresh recipients.  Counties that have decided to maintain an all-voluntary CalFresh E&T program will not need to monitor their work surplus status.  Unfortunately, all work registrants who are currently in sanction for noncompliance with E&T, who would otherwise deferred from E&T given the passage of SB 43, must continue in sanction until their minimum durational sanction ends or if they would qualify for an exemption to work registration.  (The deferral is not an exemption that can end a sanction.) [Download]

Information on how to “strengthen federal-state-local collaboration to pre-empt, detect and terminate the trafficking” of SNAP benefits, and a review of referral and investigation requirements, including that fraud requires intent.  Of note: “CWDs should be aware of, and take into consideration, issues such as limited English proficiency, domestic violence, advanced age, and learning and mental health related disabilities that may prevent or limit a recipient from understanding the rules or questions of investigators or being able to participate in the investigation (as might be the case of a domestic violence victim). These considerations should be weighed prior to concluding that there is reasonable suspicion that an intentional act may have occurred. Free translation services must be made available during all fraud investigations when the recipient has indicated to the county a preference for a language other than English. The rights of recipients should be paramount during all investigations.” [Download]

As of 1/1/12, no more finger-imaging for CalFresh applicants and recipients.  This letter discusses the implementation of the changes, in particular the joint CalWORKs/CalFresh applications (CalWORKs will still require a finger-image, but it cannot be a basis for denying or delaying food benefits.)  [Download]

An important ACIN, albeit posted tardily on the DSS website. This Notice reviews mandatory and optional verification requirements for CalFRESH, and includes a handy-dandy chart. [Download]