CalWORKs MBSAC increase

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has informed counties that the CalWORKs Minimum Basic Standard of Care (MBSAC) will increase by 3.42% effective July 1, 2025. This is an annual cost of living increase. This will increase the MBSAC in Region 1 to $930 for a 1 one-person assistance unit, $1,526 for a two-person assistance unit, $1,892 for a 3 person assistance unit and increasing with increases in assistance unit size. The MBSAC for Region 2 will increase to $882 for a 1 one person assistance unit, $1,449 for a 2 person assistance unit, $1,795 for a 3 person assistance unit and increasing with increases in assistance unit size.

The MBSAC is the maximum income before deductions that a family can have to be eligible for CalWORKs.

The same increase will apply to the MBSAC for Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program. The same increase will apply to the CalWORKs Income in-kind level, which is the maximum amount of in kind income that is counted against the grant. (ACL 25-36, June 10, 2024.)

Increase in CalWORKs vehicle value limit

The California Department of Social Services has informed counties that the vehicle value for the CalWORKs program increases to $33, 499 effective July 1, 2025. This increase also applies to Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance, and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP). The vehicle value is the amount of the value of a vehicle that does not count toward the program resource limit. (ACL 25-37, May 30, 2025.)

Civil rights obligations to people who are deaf or hard of hearing

County Welfare Directors (CWD) are legally required to ensure that communication with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals is just as effective as communication with individuals without disabilities. DHH obligations include applicants for services and their companions, such as family members, friends, or associates. Written notes and lip reading are not effective or reliable forms of communication for most DHH individuals.

To ensure effective communication, CWDs must provide auxiliary aids and services promptly. Examples of aids and services include qualified interpreters, notetakers, captioning, and telecommunications devices. DHH individuals can choose which auxiliary aid or service they prefer.

Documentation of services provided to DHH individuals must be detailed and meet requirements for both language access and disability accommodations. Counties cannot charge for auxiliary aids and services.  CWDs must ensure that DHH individuals can obtain information about the existence of services. Best practices include visible posters informing the right to interpreter and including information about language access on websites or notices.

When an individual with a disability requests specific auxiliary aid or service, the CWD must give primary consideration to that request. CWDs must grant the individual preferred aid unless the preference causes undue administrative burdens, fundamentally alters the service, or an equally effective alternative is available. Denials must be approved by the County Welfare Director or their designee and documented with a written statement explaining the reason for the denial. In all cases, the CWD is responsible for offering effective alternative means of communication. There is no limit on the number of disability requests an individual can submit and no specific timeline for making these requests.

CWDs are required to provide interpreters when requested. Interpreters may include American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, deaf Interpreters, tactile interpreters, or cued-speech transliterators, depending on the individual’s needs. Importantly, CWDs must not require or pressure individuals to bring their own interpreters. Only under minimal circumstances—such as emergencies involving imminent safety threats or when the individual voluntarily chooses to use an accompanying adult—is it acceptable to rely on a non-staff interpreter. Situations where it would be inappropriate for a guardian to provide effective communication include an interview with a child during a Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation. Children should never be used as interpreters except in genuine emergencies when no other options are available.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) encourages CWDs to establish contracts with Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) providers to help the CWD fulfill its obligation to provide timely services. VRI allows remote interpreters to facilitate communication via videoconferencing and can be helpful in situations where in-person interpreters are unavailable. However, VRI is not always suitable for every circumstance, especially when a DHH individual has low vision or when visual cues and body language are crucial for communication. Even when VRI is available, CWDs must prioritize the individual’s preferred communication method.

When communicating by phone, CWDs are required to create accessible telecommunication systems, including Video Relay Services (VRS), Text telephones (TTY), and captioned telephone services. However, telecommunication services are not a substitute for in-person interpreting services and should only be used when effective communication can occur by telephone.

CWD staff who interact with the public must receive civil rights and disability accommodation training upon hire and at least annually thereafter. This includes training in requesting interpreters, use of assistive technologies, and proper documentation procedures. In programs involving home visits, such as Child Welfare or CalWORKs, staff must plan to arrange interpreters or bring necessary tools to ensure effective communication off-site. If an interpreter cannot be secured in advance, visits should be rescheduled, except in programs that involve unannounced visits. In such cases, staff must be trained in obtaining real-time interpreter support.

CWDs must consider the unique needs of DHH children in out-of-home placements. For instance, assisting DHH children with communication through Resource Families and contacting individuals outside the home, such as relatives, social workers, or attorneys. Staff should be aware that family members may not be fluent in (ASL), which may necessitate the use of interpretation during visits. (ACIN I-39-24, September 17, 2024.)

Child Care for CalWORKs Family Reunification cases

CalWORKs Family Reunification benefits are available when: 1) all CalWORKs eligible children are removed from the home and placed in out-of-home care by the Child Welfare Services agency, 2) the family (including at least one adult) was receiving CalWORKs when the children were removed, and 3) the Child Welfare Services agency or court determines and documents in the case plan that CalWORKs cash aid, child care and other services are necessary and a Child Welfare Services case plan is being developed.  The case plan must be developed within 60 days.

Counties and contractors must begin authorizing child care services for resource families, or any other family the child is placed with by court order or Child Welfare Services worker as part of a family reunification plan.  These services are authorized for up to six months, or a period based on the reunification plan or court order, with the possibility of a six month extension for good cause.

For intercounty transfers, the county of jurisdiction provides supervision and arranges services.

Under automation occurs, counties and contractors must create a sec-month child care certificate when the child is authorized for child care.  (CCB 25-08, May 13, 2025.)

Implementation of CalWORKs Homeless Assistance changes

Two changes in the CalWORKs Homeless Assistance program that were delayed pending automation are now implemented.  Effective March 5, 2025, CalWORKs Homeless Assistance eligibility is expanded to include families who receive any eviction notice.  Previously, CalWORKs Homeless Assistance eligibility was limited to families who received a notice to pay rent or quit.

Also effective March 5, 2025, for purposes of Homeless Assistance, domestic violence perpetuated by a roommate that results in homelessness includes domestic violence by a parent or child the family is living with.  This expanded definition applies to the domestic violence exception to the once in a 12 month period rule for Homeless Assistance, and the Expanded Homeless Assistance for Victims of Domestic Abuse.  (ACIN I-15-25, April 27, 2025.)

CalFresh and CalWORKs electronically reported information

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.)