At long last! This ACL implements the settlement in Vu v. CDSS, to provide a total of 12 languages for translation of food stamp information and material. In addition to the 4 languages already translated by the state (Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chinese), the state now will translate everything related to the food stamp program (and CalWORKs forms when they are combined-use forms with Food Stamps) into Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Farsi, Hmong, Korean, Lao, and Tagalog. A reminder that if the county’s automation can’t handle spitting out translated versions, to use a manual process to issue pre-printed paper ones. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
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ACL 07-03: Federal Reauthorization Of TANF (1/12/07)
For the less welfare-nerdy (see ACL 07-05), a summary of the major changes to TANF in light of the federal Deficit Reduction Act and the federal Interim regulations, and California’s response to these changes. And yeah for our clients, this letter also clarifies that despite the changes that have been made to the TANF program at the federal level, the structure of CalWORKs welfare-to-work has not changed. CalWORKs continues to require counties to offer a broad range of employment and education activities, behavioral health services, and other activities necessary to help recipients achieve self-sufficiency. No point summarizing this. Anyone doing CalWORKs work needs to read and memorize this. Pop quiz tomorrow. [Download]
ACL 07-05: County TANF Work Participation Rate Data Reporting (1/17/07)
54 pages of instructions and definitions for counties to do data reporting for the feds. For Uber-welfare nerds who want a handy place for all the federal Welfare to Work defintions, rules on absences from assigned activities, documentation rules, and more. [Download]
ACL 07-02: Duties Of Adoption Service Providers In The Independent Adoptions Program (1/9/07)
Oh those pesky conflicts. This ACL clarifies that, for purposes of a prospective independent adoption, an Adoption Service Provider (ASP) may not both provide the advisement to the birth parent and the preplacement evaluation of the adoptive family. [Download]
ACIN I-01-07: Tribal TANF Questions And Answers (1/9/07)
Info about how Tribal TANF and CalWORKs interact, starting with “how do you start a tribal TANF program?” and going through caseload transfers, “opting out ” of tribal TANF, sanctions (tribal TANF is not required to have or continue CalWORKs sanctions), Welfare to work services, and more. [Download]
ACL 07-04: Changes To CalWORKs Sanction Policies (1/12/07)
The 2nd of two ACL’s describing the end of durational sanctions. This one instructs the counties to follow the instructions for a first sanction that were set out in the original sanction ACL. Recipients can “cure” a sanction whenever they contact the county; the county has 10 days from this contact to develop and get the recipient to sign a “cure” plan. The plan length cannot exceed the original “failure” activity, or 30 days for on-going activities. The sanction ends if the county cannot provide support services. Food Stamps sanctions, which remain 3, 6 and 12 months, end as soon as the CalWORKs sanction is fixed. Includes revised notices and request to cure form. [Download]