CalWORKs

Process for request and approval process for guaranteed income projects operating in multiple counties

Posted on by

The California Department of Social Services has issued a notice describing the process for counties to request an income exemption for people who receive to CalWorks and CalFresh and are also participating in guaranteed income (GI) projects that operate multiple counties. GI projects that operate in multiple counties can request that their participants have the GI payments exempted on a project-by- project basis. The purpose of the policy is to provide a way for counties GI projects to be exempted from CalWorks and CalFresh benefits. 

The organization operating the GI project needs to pick one county to take the lead and submit the following documents: A letter explaining why the organization needs an exemption, a letter of support for the main county, and a letter of support from the other counties in the project. All requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

GI income exemption is granted only if applicants comply with the mandated criteria in the Welfare and Institutions code. If the GI program is operated by a non-government entity, it must coordinate with their local Health and Human Service Agency. CDSS will only accept exemption requestions from county Health and Human Services agency.

For income from GI projects to be exempt for CalFresh purposes, there must be some amount of private funds included in each direct payment to project participants.  (ACIN I-82-22, December 23, 2022.) 

CalWORKS Home Visiting Program re-enrollment

Posted on by

The CalWORKs Home Visiting Program (HVP) pairs participants with a nurse or other trained professional who makes regular home visits to provide guidance, coaching, access to prenatal and postnatal care, and other health and social services.  Individual are eligible for HVP if 1) they are a member of a CalWORKs assistance unit, the parent or caretaker relative in a child- only CalWORKs case, a pregnant person who has applied for CalWORKs within 60 days of reaching the second trimester of pregnancy, or an individual who is apparently eligible for CalWORKS, and 2) The individual is pregnant, or the parent or caretaker relative of a child less than 24 months old at the time of enrolling in the program.

HVP participants may be eligible to re-enroll in HVP if they were unable to complete 24 months of services during their initial enrollment, and: 1) initial enrollment was discontinued because the child was removed from the assistance unit because of death of the child, termination of parental rights, or relinquishment of parental rights, 2) at the time HVP services were discontinued, there were no other eligible children in the assistance unit, 3) the family is now eligible for HVP with a new pregnancy or new eligible child, and 4) the evidence-based model that the county is using allows for participant re-enrollment.

Re-enrolled participants are eligible for services for 24 months, or until the new child turns two years old, whichever is later.  There is no limit on the number of times a participant can re-enroll in HVP.

When the initially eligible child is no longer part of the household, HVP services can continue if the participant has another child(ren) in the home and the evidence-based model allows for continued participation.  Their participation will end when they have received 24 months of services.

A household that is granted re-enrollment or continued enrollment is eligible for the remaining balance of their $1,000 material good fund from their initial enrollment.  (ACL 23-11, February 1, 2023.)

Direct deposit of cash benefits

Posted on by

The California Department of Social Services reminds counties that electronic benefits transfer cardholders can opt-in to receive benefits by direct deposit at any time.  Benefits may be issued by direct deposit for CalWORKs, RCA, CAPI, and Kin-GAP.  Counties must inform recipients and applicants of these programs of the direct deposit option at application and any redetermination.

Delivery of benefits by direct deposit is more secure, and benefits will always arrive on the first of the month.

Demand Deposit Accounts are eligible to receive cash benefits through direct deposit.  (ACIN I-23-23, May 3, 2023.)

CalWORKs Home Visiting Program laptop loaner program

Posted on by

The Laptops 4 Life program provided laptops to CalWORKs Home Visiting Program participants.  Families who received the laptops could keep them.  Participants could request both a smartphone and a laptop if the county or home visiting partner has assessed that the family is in need of both devices for the household. 25 counties participated in the program.  Counties worked with their home visiting partners to determine participants’ need for the devices.

The Laptops 4 Life program is extended to September 29, 2023.  This extension allows CalWORKs home visiting program participants to get a laptop and potentially a smartphone until September 29, 2023.  (ACWDL, November 2, 2022.)

Treatment of Hospital and Skilling Nursing Facility retention pay for various programs

Posted on by

Hospital and Skilled Nursing Facility COVID-19 Worker Retention Pay gives eligible full-time employees a one-time payment of up to $1,500, eligible part-time employees a one-time payment of up to $1,250, and eligible physicians a one-time payment of up to $1,000.

The Clinic Workforce Stabilization Retention Payment Program provides funds to eligible clinics make a one-time retention payment to eligible employees.

For CalWORKs and CalFresh, payments under each of these programs are non-recurring lump sums and are therefore not income.  These payments are considered property in the month of receipt.

These payments are not considered income for Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance, or Trafficking and Crime Victims Protection Act benefits.

For CAPI, these payments are not income and are excluded as a resource. (ACL 23-21, January 31, 2023.)

BenefitsCal Release of Information

Posted on by

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has announced the release of the integrated release of information form for BenefitsCal.

Currently, people can request access to their county welfare department file using the ABCDM 228 form, or an alternative document that identifies the participant releasing the information and the agency institution or provider to whom information is released.

People can grant access to the county welfare department case file information in BenefitsCal using the ABCDM 229 form, which will be integrated into the BenefitsCal portal.  The ABCDM 229 form is the only way for a community based organization (CBO) to access client information on BenefitsCal.  Either the benefits applicant or the CBO can submit ABCDM 229 form by document upload to BenefitsCal.  The ABCDM 229 can also be submitted to the county in a paper format.

With a ABCDM 229 release of information, CBOs can access notice of action, verification requests, benefit award, program status, termination reasons, and upcoming SAR 7 and renewal dates.  CBOs will be able to access information in BenefitsCal for up to 1 year.  However, benefits award, program status, termination reasons and upcoming SAR 7 and renewal due dates will be limited to 60 days of case history.

To have access to BenefitsCal, a CBO must have a formal written agreement with the state or with any county, and have been approved by a county for a CBO account.  After the ABCD 229 is submitted, the county will determine whether the person who signed the form is the primary applicant in the household and whether the data elements in the system align with the information in the form.  If not, the county may contact the applicant to resolve any discrepancies.  If the county cannot resolve the issues, the form will remain pending for up to 365 days.  The county should fix data mismatches can be easily resolved (such as using the name Jim instead of James) without contacting the applicant.

Applicants can revoke a release of information at any time.  CBOs cannot revoke a release of information.

A separate ABCDM 229 is required for each county that a client has a case in (for example if a client moves) and for each CBO that the client authorizes.  (ACL 23-37, May 1, 2023.)