In All County Welfare Directors Letter May 4, 2020, summarized here, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) implemented extension of child care vouchers under the Foster Care Bridge program that would expire for 60 days because of COVID-19 until June 30, 2020. CDSS has issued instructions extending this authority until August 4, 2020. (All County Welfare Directors Letter, June 19, 2020.)
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
Child Care
Updated child care income eligibility
The California Department of Education (CDE) has release updated income eligibility for state subsidized early learning and care programs. CDE has also released the ranking table to determine a family’s income ranking for purposes of enrollment priorities for state subsidized early learning and care. The new income levels are effective July 1, 2020. (Management Bulletin 20-12, June 16, 2020.)
COVID-19 immediate and continuous Stage One child care eligibility
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided guidance regarding immediate and continuous Stage One child care eligibility in relation to COVID-19. Any disruption in child care because of COVID-19 does not change the family’s child care authorization. All new CalWORKs cases continue to be authorized for 12 months of full time child care even if Welfare-to-Work or other engagement activities are temporarily suspended.
CalWORKs families who were receiving campus child care and are currently in need of Stage One child care because of the closing of campus child care centers are eligible for immediate and continuous Stage One Child care. (ACWDL, May 11, 2020.)
COVID-19 immediate and continuous child care for exempt and sanctioned participants
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided clarifications about immediate and continuous Stage One child care for exempt volunteers and sanctioned welfare-to-work (WTW) participants. General information about immediate and continuous Stage One child care is in ACL 19-99, summarized here.
Clients who are exempt from WTW participation who express an intent to participate in WTW as an exempt volunteer are eligible for immediate and continuous Stage One child care. An exempt individual’s expressed intent to volunteer to participate in WTW is sufficient to establish authorization for immediate and continuous Stage One child care. This indication can be communicated in any manner (for example in writing, verbally, by phone or in person).
Exempt volunteers will need to sign a WTW plan to maintain child care. Exempt volunteers will have 30 days to locate child care, and 30 days to sign a plan. Depending on communication with the client, these 30 day time frames and run concurrently or sequentially.
Exempt volunteers authorized for immediate and continuous Stage One child care who sign a WTW plan will continue to receive child care for 12 months, regardless of their participation status after signing the plan.
Clients who were sanctioned prior to October 1, 2019 or sanctioned clients applying for child care after October 1, 2019 must be authorized to receive immediate and continuous child care upon expressing an intent to cure the sanction to the county. The indication of intent to cure the sanction is sufficient to establish authorization for immediate and continuous Stage One child care. This indication can be communicated in any manner (for example in writing, verbally, by phone or in person).
Sanctioned individuals shall not be required to sign a cure plan prior to receiving immediate and continuous Stage One child care. Exempt volunteers will have 30 days to locate child care, and 30 days to sign a cure plan. Depending on communication with the client, these 30 day time frames and run concurrently or sequentially. For individuals who do not sign a cure plan, child care will be discontinued until the sanction client again indicates an intent to cure the sanction. Sanctioned clients who sign a cure plan will be authorized for immediate and continuous Stage One child care without discontinuance regardless of their participation status after signing the plan. (ACIN I-15-20, May 6, 2020.)
COVID-19 ongoing child care for at-risk populations
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding child care services for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program) and other at-risk populations during the COVID-19 emergency.
Children at-risk should continue to receiving child care at the request of the caregiver or parent even if the caregiver or parent is not employed in a job designated as essential.
If a Bridge Program voucher is scheduled to expire during the emergency period, counties may extend the voucher for 60 days. This flexibility is in place until June 30, 2020 or when the State of Emergency has ended, whichever is earlier. When the family secures a long-term child care placement, the Bridge Program voucher is terminated. (ACWDL, May 4, 2020.)
COVID-19 Trustline registration period
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has extended the period for TrustLine child care registration to 180 days because of COVID-19. Effective April 4, 2020, prospective license- exempt child care providers who are required to be TrustLine registered before child care payments can be made to receive retroactive payment for up to 180 days prior to the date of fingerprinting. (ACWDL, April 23, 2020.)