CalWORKs

ACL 11-52: FY 2011-12 CalWORKs Child Care Programs – Update to ACL 11-38 re: Family Fees (7/19/11)

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This letter overrides the portions of ACL 11-38 impacted by of the  AB 114 budget bill.  AB 114 reestablished Stage One child care age eligibility for 11 and 12 year olds, to the extent funds are available, returning the program to the same procedures in place prior to the SB 70 budget cuts.  In doing so, it rescinds the first priority for enrollment (or wait lists) for a before or after school program, putting back in place the preferred placement rule.

AB 114 also eliminated the 10% family fees, but maintained lowering of the income eligibility limit to 70 percent of the State Median Income. Therefore, the family fee schedule will only be adjusted to incorporate the lower income eligibility limit.  AB 114 also lowered the CDE contract reductions from 15% to 11% for CalWORKs Stage Three and other CDE child care programs. These reductions do not affect CalWORKs
Stage One or CalWORKs Stage Two contracts.

CWDs must send an informing notice (suggested language provided) to CalWORKs Stage One Child Care clients regarding 11-12 year old changes. [Download]

 

ACL 11-47: CalWORKs Treatment of Adoption Assistance Program Payments (7/21/11)

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As a result of the Cadaret lawsuit, this ACL was issued to remind counties that Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) payments made to families applying for or receiving CalWORKs are to exempt as income.  Although “effectively immediately,” this instruction is based on a 1990 federal clarification that was implemented through ACL 90-101.  Additionally, if a CWD becomes aware of any cases in which AAP payments incorrectly included AAP as income when determining eligibility for an applicant or when calculating a cash grant for a recipient, the CWD must take corrective action to reevaluate the eligibility and recalculate prior cash grants excluding the AAP payment, and restore any lost benefits. [Download]

ACL 11-50: CalWORKs: Repeal Of The New Incremental Grant Reductions For Certain Child-Only Cases And Repeal Of The Expansion Of The Short-Term Changes (7/15/11)

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Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead! Thanks to the budget bill, the SB 72 provisions to cut most child only grants was repealed.  All notices are to be rescinded and any households affected given a supplemental payment.  Although the CalWORKs budget will be recalculated, there will be no change (or overissuance) in CalFresh, due to the budgeting rules. The budget bill also did away with the county option to provide off-the-clock exemptions of caretakers of 24-35 months children.  (The 12-23 month exemption remains in place.) [Download]

ACL 11-34: CalWORKs Short-Term Changes Extension And Expansion Implementation Guidelines/Repeal Of Prior Policies-CalWORKs Long-Term Reforms (4/8/11)

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The young child exemptions are continued; the long term “reforms” are repealed. In addition, counties have the option to extend the young child exemption to the adult caring for a 24-35 month old child.  Additionally, counties can continue to force exemptions for “no funding for support services.”  [Download]

ACL 11-32: CalWORKs Changes To Subsidized Employment (4/6/11)

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The one silver lining in the budget cuts: This letter implements the changes to AB 98, which created CalWORKs subsidized jobs. The budget bill expanded the eligible population, increased the duration of qualifying job placements, and increased the maximum amount of funding. The new eligibles are those on sanction and who have timed out.  The jobs are generally capped out at 6 months, but there is an option to extend them to 12 months total. Counties can also provide additional services, including case management, supportive services, or mental health and substance abuse services, under their job retention services plan. [Download]