Refugee Cash Assistance

Treatment of Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and other Unemployment Insurance for CalWORKs

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding how Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) and other Unemployment Insurance programs are treated for purposes of CalWORKs.  PUC is the additional $300 per week in Unemployment Insurance benefits in the December, 2020 stimulus package.  For CalWORKs, PUC payments are now exempt for both applicants and recipients.  For CalFresh, PUC payments are exempt from consideration as income or resources for nine months following receipt.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which is for self-employed workers and independent contractors, is considered income for CalWORKs applicants and recipients.  Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which is extension benefits after regular Unemployment Insurance or PUA expires, also is considered income for CalWORKs applicants and recipients.

FED-ED is an additional extension of Unemployment Insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment for people who have sufficient earnings.  FED-ED is considered unearned income.  FED-ED benefits are considered income for CalWORKs applicants and recipients.

Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) is an additional $100 per week in Unemployment Insurance for individuals eligible for Unemployment Insurance and who have at least $5,000 in self-employment income.  MEUC will be considered unearned income when it is issued.  MEUC will be considered unearned income.  MEUC benefits will be considered income for CalWORKs applicants and recipients.

Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program follow the same CalWORKs rules for PUC, PUA, PEUC, FED-ED and MEUC.  (ACL 21-22, February 26, 2021.)

COVID-19 third extension of time eligibility for RCA, ECA and TCVAP

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions for an additional extension of time eligibility for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) and Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP).  Effective February 1, 2020, this extension applies to RCA, ECA and TCVAP until April 30, 2021.  This extension is limited to persons whose date of eligibility for benefits is April 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020.

Applicants for RCA, ECA and TCVAP are not required to provide Social Security Numbers.

Verification and documentation requirements are waived for all three programs. Verbal declarations are acceptable verification, including verification of immigration status.

Counties must provide uninterrupted assistance retroactive to February 1, 2021 through April 30, 2021 regardless of whether they received the prior benefits extension.  For benefits recipients who were scheduled to be terminated January 31, 2021, counties must rescind any discontinuances of benefits. Recipients who reached their time limit before August 31, 2020 may reapply for benefits.  Those persons must confirm that they were economically impacted by COVID-19.

People receiving extension benefits must comply with SAR-7 and annual redetermination requirements.

Counties are encouraged to use flexibilities to help client meet employment requirements.  Counties should ensure that all RCA and ECA recipients are enrolled in and referred for employment services and English classes.

TCVAP recipients must provide proof of submission of a T-Visa application within 12 months of the date of application.  Counties should review cases where applicants or recipients are unable to apply for a T-Visa for good cause.  Counties can accept written declarations for verification that an applicant or recipient has applied for a U-Visa.

Counties should disregard certain COVID-19 emergency payments when determining income and assets for applicants impacted by COVID-19.

Counties must notify RCA, ECA and TCVAP recipients receiving extended cash assistance of the time extension and continuance of aid at least 10 days prior to issuing cash payments.  (ACWDL, January 28, 2021.)

Homelessness prevention programs

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The California Department of Social Services has issued information about various homelessness prevention programs.  CalWORKs diversion is a payment to help the family meet a short term need instead of receiving CalWORKs.  A diversion payment can be used to pay overdue rent to help prevent eviction or homelessness.  If a family accepts a diversion payment and needs to reapply for CalWORKs during a period equivalent to the months of aid a diversion payment would cover, the family must repay the diversion grant or those months count toward the CalWORKs time on aid clock.  Diversion recipients who reapply for CalWORKs are eligible for all housing services available to CalWORKs recipients.

Non-Recurring Short-Term Benefits is a lump sum payment to help address a family’s specific crisis or item of need.  Non-Recurring Short-Term Benefits is for a maximum of four months.  Non-Recurring Short-Term Benefits can be used for any accrued debts or liabilities that may be covered including rent.  There is no limit on the amount of benefits that can be provided. Families may provide sworn statements to document their need.  Counties may accept a verbal statement if the applicant is unable to provide a physical or electronic signature.

Family Stabilization provides intensive case management and services to CalWORKs families facing crisis.  Family Stabilization can be used to pay rent owed and provide additional services including case management, referrals to legal services and credit repair to prevent eviction or homelessness.

Permanent Homeless Assistance is available for families that are eligible for, apparently eligible for or receiving CalWORKs and are at risk of eviction or homelessness.  Permanent Homeless Assistance can pay up to two months back rent to prevent eviction once every 12 months with exceptions.  The monthly rent must be less than 80% of the family’s total monthly income.  Note not included in the letter that alternatively permanent homeless assistance can cover security deposit and first and last month rent.

Disaster Homeless Assistance is available for families that become homeless or are at risk of homelessness because of a state or federally declared natural disaster.  Disaster Homeless Assistance can include 16 days temporary homeless assistance or permanent homeless assistance.

Tribal TANF programs can provide eviction and homelessness prevention services.

CalFresh Employment and Training can provide housing stability services for recipients who are at risk of eviction of homelessness.  Federal reimbursement for subsidized housing is limited to no more than two months per year.

Refugee support services can provide emergency assistance, including housing and utility assistance if they experience job disruption, job loss, or other COVID-19 related challenges.

The Bringing Families Home program can pay overdue or ongoing rent for families experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness who are involved with the child welfare system in counties that operate the program.  Bringing Families Home can also provide housing navigation, case management, and coordination with additional necessary services including legal services.

The Home Safe Program provides, in participating counties, assistance to persons involved in the Adult Protective Services system who are at risk of imminent homelessness because of elder or dependent adult abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation.  Home Safe Program assistance includes landlord engagement, case management, legal services, eviction protection, short-term financial assistance, heave cleaning and landlord mediation.  (ACWDL, January 14, 2021.)

COVID-19 not counting new stimulus payments as income for benefits programs

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding treatment of the new individual stimulus payments as income for various benefits programs.

The payments authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 are individual tax rebates.  They are excluded from income in the month received for CalWORKs, CalFresh, Refugee Cash Assistance, and the Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program.  The individual stimulus payments count as a resource after 12 months if they have not been spent.  (ACWDL, December 31, 2020.)

COVID-19 extension of time eligibility for RCA, ECA and TCVAP

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions for an additional extension of time eligibility for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) and Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP).  Effective October 1, 2020, this extension applies to RCA, ECA and TCVAP until January 31, 2021.  This extension is limited to persons whose date of eligibility for benefits is April 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020.

Applicants for RCA, ECA and TCVAP are not required to provide Social Security Numbers.

Verification and documentation requirements are waived for all three programs. Verbal declarations are acceptable verification, including verification of immigration status.

Counties must provide uninterrupted assistance retroactive to October 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021 regardless of whether they received the prior benefits extension.  For benefits recipients for September through December, 2020, counties must rescind any discontinuances of benefits. Recipients who reached their time limit before August, 2020 may reapply for benefits.  Those persons must confirm that they were economically impacted by COVID-19.

People receiving extension benefits must comply with SAR-7 and annual redetermination requirements.

Counties are encouraged to use flexibilities to help client meet employment requirements.  Counties should ensure that all RCA and ECA recipients are enrolled in and referred for employment services and English classes.

TCVAP recipients must provide proof of submission of a T-Visa application within 12 months of the date of application.  Counties should review cases where applicants or recipients are unable to apply for a T-Visa for good cause.  Counties can accept written declarations for verification that an applicant or recipient has applied for a U-Visa.

Counties should disregard certain COVID-19 emergency payments when determining income and assets for applicants impacted by COVID-19.

Counties must notify RCA, ECA and TCVAP recipients receiving extended cash assistance of the time extension and continuance of aid at least 10 days prior to issuing cash payments.  (ACWDL, December 15, 2020.)

Counting homework time for Cell-Ed

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In ACIN I-55-20, summarized here, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) described its partnership with Cell-Ed to provide distance learning for Welfare-to-Work, CalFresh Education and Training, and Refugee Support Services.  People assigned to Welfare-to-Work, CalFresh Education and Training, and Refugee Support Services may also be assigned supervised or unsupervised homework time.  Cell-Ed coursework homework time hours are considered supervised homework time and can be documented by the case manager.

Cell-Ed recommends for every hour spent on the application, three additional hours of are credited for homework time.  This recommendation depends on a client demonstrating satisfactory progress as defined by the educational provider.  (All County Welfare Directors Letter, October 19, 2020.)