COVID-19

COVID-19 CalFresh emergency allotment for September 2020

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California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for September, 2020.  The emergency allotment will be issued on October 18 to raise each household’s monthly CalFresh allotment to the maximum allowable for the household size.  Per guidance from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), households already receiving the maximum allotment are not eligible to receive an emergency allotment.

Note that the August 2020 emergency allotment will issued on September 13, 2020, not September 12 as previously announced.

Moving forward, emergency allotments may be approved by FNS on a month-to-month basis until the Secretary of Health and Human Services rescinds the public health emergency. (ACWDL, August 24, 2020.)

COVID-19 CalFresh waiver extension and end of CalFresh interview waivers for September 2020

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California had three federal waivers for CalFresh because of COVID-19.  The federal waiver for not conducting CalFresh initial application and recertification interviews has not been extended.  As a result, counties must begin conducting initial application and recertification interviews on September 1, 2020.

The federal waivers for not conducting a face-to-face interview even on request of the applicant, and not requiring specific recording equipment for telephonic signatures are extended until September 30, 2020.  For details about these waivers, see ACWDL April 2, 2020, summarized here, and ACWDL May 28, 2020, summarized here.  (ACWDL, August 19, 2020.)

COVID-19 requesting individual stimulus payment for dependents of benefits receipients and for other non-filers

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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has reopened the non-filer tool for SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement recipients to request the $500 per dependent stimulus payment.  People on  SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement can now request the $500 child stimulus payment using the portal until September 30.  After September 30, 2020, SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement recipients must file a 2020 tax return in 2021 to get the $500 per dependent payment.

In addition, IRS set a deadline of October 15 for people who do not need to a tax return to apply for the stimulus using the portal.  People who do need to file a tax return but do not apply using the portal by October 15 will need to file a 2020 tax return in 2021 to get the stimulus. In addition, SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement recipients who did not automatically receive their stimulus payment need to complete the non-filer tool by October 15 or they will need to file a 2020 tax return in 2021 to get the stimulus.

IRS states it is working to resolve cases where a stimulus payment was taken and applied to their spouse’s past-due child support.  IRS states it will automatically issue the portion of the stimulus payment that was applied to the other spouse’s debt.

IRS has cancelled all checks that were issued to people who died before the receiving the stimulus payment.  Some stimulus payments to spouses of deceased  persons were cancelled.  IRS is working on reissuing payments to surviving spouses of deceased taxpayers who were unable to deposit the initial stimulus payment to the deceased and surviving spouse.  (IR 2020-180, August 14, 2020.)

COVID-19 independent adoptions reinstatement of in person requirements

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Effective immediately, all in person requirements related to adoption specialist visits in the Independent Adoption that were waived in ACL 20-56, summarized here, are reinstated.  Remote visits can only occur if the state, county, or city public health department in the geographical area in which the petitioner(s) resides provides direction to halt in person contact and/or shifts back to Stage 1, the petitioner(s) refuses entry due to their own health and safety concerns related to the risk of COVID-19 infection or the petitioner(s), child, or someone else in the household has been exposed to, is experiencing symptoms of, or has tested positive for, COVID-19.

Other flexibilities in ACL 20-56 can continue for the duration of the Governor’s Declared State of Emergency due to COVID-19, unless a future EO or CDSS guidance ends or modifies it sooner.  (ACL 20-92, August 10, 2020.)

COVID-19 resuming in-person requirements for RFA complaint investigations

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In ACL 20-43, summarized here, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) provided guidance regarding waiver of in-person various requirements for Resource Family Approval (RFA).  In ACL 20-71, summarized here, extended this waiver for investigation of complaints that do not allege serious health and safety risk. In addition, ACL 20-71 authorized other investigation to continue remotely on a case-by-case basis, if the state, county, or local public health department provides direction and/or shifts back to Stage 1, the resource family refuses entry because of their COVID-19 related concerns, or the resource family, child, or someone else in the household is experiencing symptoms of or has tested positive for COVID-19.

CDSS has now extended the waiver in ACL 20-43, as modified in ACL 20-71, for the duration of the Governor’s Declared State of Emergency due to COVID-19, unless further guidance is issued from the Department.  (ACL 20-91, August 7, 2020.)

COVID-19 CalFresh emergency allotment for August 2020

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California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for August, 2020.  The emergency allotment will be issued on September 12 to raise each household’s monthly CalFresh allotment to the maximum allowable for the household size.  Per guidance from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), households already receiving the maximum allotment are not eligible to receive an emergency allotment.

Moving forward, emergency allotments may be approved by FNS on a month-to-month basis until the Secretary of Health and Human Services rescinds the public health emergency. (ACWDL, August 3, 2020.)