Refugee Cash Assistance

Benefits extension for Ukranian Humanitarian Parolees

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President Biden’s signing of The Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, expanded resettlement assistance provided by The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to displaced Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians paroled to the U.S. The ORR updated its eligibility criteria and mainstreamed federal benefits for refugees.

The ORR identified 4 categories (A-D) of individuals displaced from Ukraine who are eligible for resettlement assistance and other benefits. Category A includes Ukrainian citizens or nationals paroled into the U.S. by the DHS between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024 (extended from September 30, 2023), for humanitarian reasons. Category B includes non-Ukrainian individuals who last habitually resided in Ukraine and who the DHS has paroled into the U.S. between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024 (extended from September 30, 2023). Category C includes spouses or children of those in categories A or B who were paroled into the U.S. after September 30, 2023. Category D includes parents, legal guardians, or primary caregivers of unaccompanied refugee minors or children from sections A or B, paroled into the U.S. after September 30, 2023.

Eligible Ukrainian parolees who enter the United States with parole between February 24, 2022 – September 30, 2023, date of eligibility is May 21, 2022, or date of parole whichever is later. For those who enter the United States between October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024, their date of eligibility is April 24, 2024. These parolees remain eligible for ORR benefits and services until their terms end or they obtain a different status.

UHPs are exempt from their financial supporter’s income being used to determine eligibility for benefits. UHPs who apply for and receive Temporary Protected Status (TPS) remain eligible for ORR benefits. However, if an individual only has TPS they are not eligible for benefits.

To qualify for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) UHP’s must meet all eligibility requirements. CWDs must determine eligibility by reviewing immigration documents, the date of humanitarian parole, and other program-specific information. UHP applicants are also exempt from certain types of income and resource requirements. Additionally, UHP are not required to provide SSNs but if they choose to do so, they must be notified that providing it is voluntary along with information on how it will be used.

Eligible UHPs can receive federally funded CalWORKs benefits without the five-year restriction on public benefits and should be evaluated for state-funded assistance if necessary. UHPs should provide proof of SSN application within 30 days of applying for benefits. This requirement can be avoided if the county determines that good cause exists. Applicants are also subject to provisions of the Child Support Enforcement Program but can claim good cause if participation is not in the best interest of the child.

UHPs granted parole between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023, became eligible for CalFresh on May 21, 2022. UHPs paroled into the United States between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, become eligible for CalFresh on April 24, 2024, or their date of parole whichever is later. UHPs paroled between October 1, 2023 and April 23, 2024 for the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) if they have parolee status of one year or more.

UHPs who are aged, blind, or disabled and meet income and resource limits may qualify for SSI/SSP through the SSA. Counties should issue RCA benefits until SSI/SSP benefits are granted.  UHPs who qualify are also exempt from employment services.

CWDs are directed to review all denied applications submitted by potential UHPs on or after April 24, 2024, and determine if they are now eligible per the updated policy. If they are found to meet eligibility the CWD must retroactively provide approval for benefits.  (ACWDL, June 28, 2024.)

 

Increase in CalWORKs resource limit

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Effective January 1, 2025, the CalWORKs resource limit for applicants and recipients will increase to $12,137, and to $18,206 for an assistance unit with at least one member who is over 60 or disabled.  This increase also applies to Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance, and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program.

Rules about CalWORKs restricted accounts are unchanged.  (ACL 24-54, August 2, 2024.)

 

EBT card replacement with chip/tap cards

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided information about the replacement of current magnetic stripe EBT cards with chip/tap cards.  The new cards will be for CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Assistance, Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA), Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).  County equipment will be replaced in May, 2024.  New cardstock will be delivered to counties in May, 2024

In Summer, 2024, new chip/tap cards will be mailed to anyone with an active case, that is anyone who has accessed benefits in the last nine months.  The new cards will be mailed in three phases.  The first phase will be combined CalWORKs and CalFresh cases, GA, RCA, TCVAP, CAPI and LIHEAP.  The second phase will be cash-only benefits cases.  The third phase will be CalFresh only cases.

The existing PIN will carry-over to the new chip/tap card.  Cardholders will need to enter the PIN for each transaction with the chip/tap card.

SunBucks and Women, Infants and Children benefits will not be moved to the new chip/tap cards.

Counties should tell cardholders to use their replacement cards as soon as they receive them.  A successful transaction with the new card will activate it.  Cardholders can also activate their new card using the EBT Edge application, or by contacting the EBT customer service center.  Cardholders will have approximately 45 days after they receive their new card before their old magnetic stripe card will be unusable.

CDSS will monitor activation data and do direct outreach to cardholders who receive their new card but do not activate it.

Counties should refer questions to the EBT customer service center.

Any remaining magnetic stripe cards will be deactivated approximately 60 days after mass replacement is completed.  Cardholders who do not receive a new card can ask for their chip/tap card through the EBT Customer Service or the county.

Some retailers may not have equipment to accept chip/tap cards.  In most of those cases, the EBT card will need fall back to a magnetic stripe or manual key-in transaction.

Cardholders who are unhoused can have their replacement cards mailed to the county welfare department.  County welfare departments will get a list of cardholders who use the county welfare department mailing address for triage.  (ACWDL, June 24, 2024.)

This letter is updated by ACWDL December 19, 2024, summarized here.

Increase in CalWORKs vehicle value limit

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The California Department of Social Services has informed counties that the vehicle value for the CalWORKs program increases to $32,968 effective July 1, 2024. This increase also applies to Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance, and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP). The vehicle value is the amount of the value of a vehicle that does not count toward the program resource limit.

The welfare department computer systems will be programmed for the increased vehicle value effective July 1, 2024. (ACL 24-36, May 31, 2024.)

CalWORKs MBSAC increase

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has informed counties that the CalWORKs Minimum Basic Standard of Care (MBSAC) will increase by 4.32% effective July 1, 2024. This is an annual cost of living increase. This will increase the MBSAC in Region 1 to $899 for a 1 one-person assistance unit, $1,476 for a two-person assistance unit, $1,829 for a 3 person assistance unit and increasing with increases in assistance unit size. The MBSAC for Region 2 will increase to $853 for a 1 one person assistance unit, $1,401 for a 2 person assistance unit, $1,736 for a 3 person assistance unit and increasing with increases in assistance unit size.

The MBSAC is the maximum income before deductions that a family can have to be eligible for CalWORKs.

The same increase will apply to the MBSAC for Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program. The same increase will apply to the CalWORKs Income in-kind level, which is the maximum amount of in kind income that is counted against the grant. (ACL 24-37, May 31, 2024.)

Verification and eligibility for public benefits for public interest parolees

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding verification and eligibility for persons paroled into the United States under Immigration and Naturalization Act section 212(d)(5), also known as public interest parolees, when determining eligibility for CalWORKs, CalFresh, California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), and Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA).

When someone entering the United States is granted parole status at a port of entry or District Office, they are given a DT code.

People who are paroled into the United States are eligible for CalWORKs.  In verifying parole status for CalWORKs, counties must accept documentation showing the DT code and the length of parole, and must not ask for additional verification.  Counties can ask for additional verification or run a SAVE match if the length of parole is unclear.  Counties must review CalWORKs applications received after June 30, 2023 and were denied for failure to provide additional verification of parole status, and retroactively approve aid if the family is otherwise eligible.  When the recipient’s parole term expires, counties must evaluate whether the family meets another eligible noncitizen category.

Office of Refugee Resettlement eligible parolees are eligible for RCA or ECA if they meet all other program eligibility requirements.  Any CalWORKs applicant with a DT code who is found ineligible for CalWORKs should be evaluated for RCA and ECA. Counties must review RCA applications received after June 30, 2023 and were denied for failure to provide additional verification of parole status, and retroactively approve aid if the family is otherwise eligible.

To be eligible for CalFresh, a parolee must have a duration of parole into the United States of at least one year, and must have been in the United States for 5 years.

To be eligible for CFAP, a parolee must have a duration of parole into the United States of at least one year.  CFAP does not have the 5 year waiting period requirement. (ACL 24-27, April 24, 2024.)