CalWORKs

Increase in CalWORKs Maximum Aid Payment

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Effective October 1, 2023, the CalWORKs Maximum Aid Payment (MAP) will increase by 3.6%.  In addition, the 10% MAP increase that was scheduled to end on September 30, 2023 will continue.

The 3.6% increase in the MAP may cause a decrease in CalFresh benefits.  Counties must give written notice of any CalFresh grant decrease because of the MAP increase no later than September 20, 2023.

Counties must send a notice to all CalWORKs recipients informing of the MAP increase and the potential CalFresh decrease no later than September 1, 2023. Counties must also send individualized notices giving each assistance unit information specific to their CalWORKs grant amount.

CDSS has updated the child MAP charts to reflect the October 1, 2023 MAP increase.  The child MAP is used to determine if child support received on behalf of a child is more than the CalWORKs grant amount for that child.  If the child support received on behalf of a child is more than then CalWORKs grant amount for that child, the assistance unit has the option of having that child opt-out of the assistance unit.  The county may add the child back into the grant mid-period if the child support received is no longer greater than the CalWORKs grant amount.  If the child support received remains lower than the CalWORKs grant amount, the county must add the child to the CalWORKs grant at the next semi-annual review or annual recertification.

These changes must be programmed into the CalSAWS computer system no later than October 1, 2023.  If they are not, CalSAWS must provide counties with a manual work-around to ensure that families receive the correct amount of benefits.  (ACL 23-74, August 30, 2023.)

Increase in CalWORKs resource limit

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Effective January 1, 2024, the CalWORKs resource limit for applicants and recipients will increase to $11,634 or $17,452 for assistance units that include at least one member who is age 60 or older, or disabled. This is a 6.85% increase based on the California Necessities Index. This increase also applies to Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance, and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program.  (ACL 23-71, September 1, 2023.)

Providing CalWORKs supportive services via contractors

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WTW participants are eligible to receive supportive services, including child care, transportation, and ancillary expenses.  If supportive services are not provided, the participant has good cause not to participate.

The California Department of Social Services has informed counties that they can allow Welfare-to-Work (WTW) contractors to provide supportive services directly to participants.  These contractors include job search agencies, education agencies, and other entities that provide WTW services. Counties may enter into written agreements or memorandum of understanding to directly provide supportive services to WTW participants.

Counties should continue to process overpayments of supportive services including overpayments of supportive services issued by contractors, without change.  (ACIN I-42-23, August 8, 2023.)

Requirement to use CW 80 Self-Certification Form for Motor Vehicles

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The California Department of Social Services has issued a reminder that counties must use the CW 80 Self-Certification Form for Motor Vehicles for CalWORKs applicants and recipients.  The CW 80 form must be used at application and redetermination instead of the SAWS 2 Plus Appendix E while the SAWS 2 Plus is being updated. The CW 80 must also be used for mid-period reports and at the semi-annual reporting if the recipient is reporting a vehicle.  CDSS is releasing this reminder because file reviews showed that counties were using the SAWS 2 Plus instead of the CW 80.

When the revised SAWS 2 Plus is available, the CW 80 will only be used for mid-period of a vehicle that was not previously reported. (ACIN I-42-23, August 8, 2023.)

Revised WTW 5 form to reflect changed Welfare to Work pregnancy exemption

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Effective January 1, 2022, all pregnant CalWORKs recipients are exempt from Welfare to Work participation.  Pregnancy verification is no longer required prior to granting the Welfare to Work exemption. The exemption may continue for the duration of the pregnancy if medical verification of the pregnancy is provided.  Counties no longer determine whether an individual qualifies for the Welfare to Work pregnancy exemption because it is no longer tied to ability to work because of pregnancy.

The California Department of Social Services WTW 5 Welfare to Work notice has now been updated to reflect the new pregnancy exemption from Welfare to Work.  (ACL 23-61, July 18, 2023.)

End of Homeless Assistance eligibility because of COVID-19

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The California Department of Social Service (CDSS) has informed counties of the end of CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA) eligibility because of COVID-19. In general, families can only receive HA once per year.  However, there is an exception to the once per year limitation because of a disaster.  Effective May 12, 2023, families can no longer receive HA under the disaster exception when homelessness is because of COVID-19.  Families may still be eligible for an HA exception for medically verified mental of physical disability because of COVID.

Going forward, HA applications do not need to be made in person or include a face-to-face interview.  Counties can complete the HA application and have the client sign it electronically.

Counties can continue to accept sworn statements or verbal attestations that HA benefits were properly spent or housing search was done.  Counties can also grant good cause for not providing paper verification.

Counties can record a verbal attestation for the homeless assistance application form when the county cannot get a written or electronic signature.  Counties that cannot record verbal attestation can enter a journal not stating the attestation.

For clients on vendor payments because of fraud or mismanagement, counties can issue HA benefits directly to the EBT card when there is no feasible way to issue a vendor payment.  (ACL 23-56, June 26, 2023.)