The latest numbers are out, and effective 10/1/11 (and updated in the Food Stamp Guide). Because of the prior ARRA 13.6% increase, there is no COLA to the allotments. The other standards have changed, though. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
CalFresh / SNAP
ACIN I-55-11: Compilation Of The Annual CalFresh Survey Of Operations And Access – Fiscal Year (FY) 2009-10 (9/16/11)
Read how the state, as a whole, and your individual county, is doing on food benefits access. [Download]
ACIN I-54-11: CalFresh Outreach (8/31/11)
A reminder of the importance of Outreach, and that counties can use SNAP admin funds to do it. Of interest, an included example is the translation of materials and encouraging counties to continue fostering relations with community organizations. [Download]
ACIN I-14-11E and 1-14-11: Application Processing Time Frame Requirements For The CalFresh And CalWORKs Programs (8/16/11)
The first letter clarified regular and emergency processing times; the Errata corrects the Expedited Services/CalFresh information. The notice also reminds counties that staff turnover and loss and workload increases don’t excuse late processing. The Errata focuses on how and when the 3 day time limit for expedited processing starts and by when benefits must issue. [Download]
ACL 11-49: CalFresh Eligibility and Budgeting of Anticipated Unemployment Insurance Income (8/11/2011)
Shedding further light on what CDSS thinks the term “reasonably anticipated” means, this ACL explains when to use expected unemployment benefit income in prospective quarterly budgeting. That income is only “reasonably anticipated” and countable when a CalFresh recipient has (1) been formally notified, in writing, of a pending unemployment insurance benefit award, (2) when that benefit amount is known, and (3) the date of expected receipt is known. It also clarifies that an unemployment benefit award received mid-quarter that was not reasonably anticipated during budgeting will not create an over-issuance. [Download]
ACIN I-46-11: Federal Fiscal Year 2012 Plan Template, Policy Guidelines and Allocations for Counties Participating in the CalFresh Employment and Training Program (8/9/2011)
By September 28 participating counties are required to submit their FFY 2012 plan for CalFresh Employment and Training (E&T) to the state or they risk having their share of E&T funding reallocated among those counties that do submit a plan on time. This notice provides a “how to” guide for counties to develop programs that are consistent with CDSS policies and procedures. [Download]