Instruction to CWDs regarding changes in the way federal tax credits and refunds will be treated in the CalWORKs and CalFresh Programs, as a result of passage of H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief Bill. Regulations currently require that income tax refunds be treated as non-recurring lump sum payments and counted as resources in the month received. Effective December 17, 2010, counties must exempt all federal income tax credit and refund payments from resource consideration for CalWORKs and CalFresh applicants and recipients for 12 calendar months starting with the month of receipt of the payment. (It’s already exempted as income). CWDs must also exempt all EITC and Making Work Pay Credit payments as income and resources for 12 calendar months, regardless of whether the HH had been participating in the CalFresh or Food Stamp Programs at the time of receipt. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
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ACL 11-09: Independent Living Program (ILP) For Non-Related Guardianships (1/19/11)
SB 654, added W&IC section 10609.45, effective January 1, 2011. The statute now provides for new ILP eligibility requirements for former dependent children that entered into a non-related legal guardianship on or after the age of eight, who are getting permanent placement services. The law also includes youth in counties operating under the Title IV-E Waiver Capped Allocation Demonstration Project who are placed with a non-related legal guardian, even if they are not receiving permanent placement services. Counties are to use state funds to provide ILP services to youth placed with non-related legal guardians between the ages of 8 and 15 years old. These youth are eligible for federally funded ILP services at ages 18-21 as “former foster youth,” and if they were dependents getting foster care at age 16. [Download]
ACIN I-08-11: Resource Family Recruitment Training And Retention Survey Best Practices (1/21/11)
Examples of best practices submitted by counties in response to the Resource Family Recruitment Training and Retention Survey, and to support Foster Parent Training and Recruitment. [Download]
ACL 11-11: Expansion Of Modified Categorical Eligibility For CalFresh To All Non-Assistance CalFresh (NACF) Households (1/27/11)
On February 1, 2011, Modified Categorical Eligibility (MCE) is expanding to all NACF households! This means that any household (those with children, ABAWD’s and aged/disabled) that got/gets a PUB 275 brochure (or is told where to find it online) can get CalFresh benefits without regard to resources. If the CWD is unable to implement MCE for all NACF applicant households on February 1, 2011, CWDs must restore lost benefits as soon as administratively feasible. [Download]
ACL 11-04: CalWORKs Family Reunification Services – Q & A (1/27/11)
After a CPS removal of children from the home, the parents can continue to get CalWORKs WTW services as part of a Family Reunification (FR) plan, for up to 180 days (with good cause extensions). This letter transmits a series of questions and answers initiated by counties regarding FR services. Parents on sanction or penalty (WTW, school attendance, immunization, etc.) can also be required to have an FR plan, but not those ineligible for CalWORKs (e.g. SSI, timed out, barred nonviolent (drug) felons, etc.) Parents in a voluntary placement can have a voluntary FR plan. Cases that are closed for “no eligible child” can be reopened, without reapplication, as a CalWORKs FR case. Families which have children remaining in the home are not FR cases (as all children must be gone). [Download]
ACL 11-06: Sponsor Deeming, Indigent Noncitizen Determination And Sponsor Income Verification (1/12/11)
The long awaited for clarifying letter on indigent sponsor deeming in CalFresh. FNS clarified that California’s policy was not correct, and the letter rescinds it. Counties cannot request verification of income from the sponsor prior to making the indigency determination, based on income actually received. If the immigrant reports receiving income from the sponsor, but the sponsor won’t verify it, the county is to accept an affidavit. Reviews “opting out” and how to treat immigrants who choose not to apply for themselves, and that there is never deeming to children (and other deeming limits. Counties, when taking action on cases, or at recertification, are to reviews sponsored noncitizens cases to see if they were inappropriately denied an indigent exemption. If so, the county should issue corrective benefits. [Download]