ABAWD time limit waiver

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions about waiver of the CalFresh Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependants (ABAWD) time limit. The federal government granted California a waiver of the ABAWD time limit for 55 of 58 counties from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2019.  The time limit requires ABAWDs to participate in work activities or be limited to three months of CalFresh benefits in a 36 month period.

Counties, multi-county regions, areas within a county or an entire state can be approved for a waiver of the ABAWD time limit based on several criteria including a recent 12 month average unemployment rate over ten percent, a recent three-month average unemployment rate over ten percent, a historical seasonal unemployment rate over ten percent, designation as a Labor Surplus Area by the Department of Labor or having a 24-month average unemployment rate that is 20 percent above the national average for the same time period.

The counties that do not qualify for the ABAWD time limit waiver are San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara.

Counties with an ABAWD time limit waiver must continue to report work registrant, ABAWD and Employment and Training date quarterly.  Counties with a waiver of the ABAWD time limit must continue to sanction work registrants who voluntarily quit a job of more than 30 hours per week or that provides weekly earnings greater than federal minimum wage times 30.

Individuals who are discontinued for failure to meet the ABAWD work requirements in the counties that no longer have a waiver and who subsequently reapply for CalFresh in a county that has a waiver can be eligible for CalFresh.  (ACL 18-97, August 27, 2018.)

Study time for SIPS

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions about counting study time for Welfare-to-Work (WTW) participants in a Self-Initiated Program (SIP).  A SIP is an education program that the WTW participant was enrolled in at the time of WTW appraisal and is calculated to lead to employment.

Previously, CDSS’ policy was that unsupervised homework time did not count toward WTW participation for SIPs.  Effective July 1, 2018, homework time can be included as part of a SIP.  Unsupervised homework time for SIPs will be counted in the same manner as for other education programs, which is that countable homework time cannot exceed one hour for each hour of class time.

CDSS also reminds counties that SIP participants are entitled to supportive services like all other WTW participants which includes supportive services for homework time and for distance learning.

SIP participants are subject to the WTW 24 month time limit.  Many SIP participants can meet CalWORKs federal standards through vocational education or concurrent WTW activities.  In that instance, the months do not count toward the 24 month clock.  In addition, satisfactory progress in a SIP can qualify a participant for an extension of the 24 month clock. (ACL 18-115, September 11, 2018.)

Increase in Temporary Homeless Assistance payment amount

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions implementing AB 1811 increase the temporary homeless assistance payment amount.  Temporary homeless assistance pays for up to 16 days of temporary shelter while a family searches for permanent housing.

Effective January 1, 2019, the daily payment rate for temporary homeless assistance will increase to $85 per day for up to a family of four.  Each additional family member will get $15 per day with a maximum for the family of $145 per day.  This increase also applies to homeless assistance for persons fleeing domestic violence and homeless assistance for CalWORKs family reunification cases.  (ACL 18-106, September 12, 2018.)

CalFresh Employment & Training Counties Partnering with Social Enterprises

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance to County Welfare Departments (CWDs) regarding partnering with an employment social enterprise in the development of their county CalFresh Employment and Training (E&T) programs.

The purpose of CalFresh E&T program is to provide CalFresh recipients with resources to increase their employability and earning capacity. E&T programs provide assistance with job search and job search training, workfare, work experience opportunities, education, self-employment training, apprenticeship programs, and on-the-job training as well as supportive services associated with finding employment.

AB 415 authorizes the CDSS to contract directly with entities that provide CalFresh E&T services locally or statewide. CDSS is authorized to receive federal reimbursement on behalf of the entity so long as the entity complies with its contract and meets necessary requirements.  AB 415 also allows E&T-participating counties to contract directly with an employment social enterprise or an intermediary to provide CalFresh E&T services.

Counties that do not provide E&T services directly or contract with an organization to provide services on the county’s behalf can partner with community-based organizations (CBOs), which include social enterprises. Under this “third-party model,” CBOs that incur the cost of providing E&T services with non-federal funding are eligible to receive a 50% reimbursement from the federal government. The purpose of the third-party model is to expand access to E&T services and encourage community investments in employment and training.

An employment social enterprise is a business – a social purpose corporation, benefit corporation, or nonprofit corporation – that, provides employment with on-the-job and life skills training to participants at least 80% of whom face multiple barriers to employment. The enterprises must demonstrate that they meet these requirements.   (ACIN I-34-18, June 11, 2018.)

Transitional Nutrition Benefit Program

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Transitional Nutrition Benefit Program

The California Department of Social Services has issued instructions implementing the Transitional Nutrition Benefit (SNB) Program.  TNB is part of the end of SSI cash-out.  As a result of eligibility of previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients, some households will have their CalFresh terminated.  TNB will provide state-funded nutrition benefits for households that include at least one SSI/SSP recipient and will become ineligible for CalFresh benefits when the SSI/SSP recipient is added to the household. A household that becomes ineligible for CalFresh for any other reason is not eligible for TNB.

TNB eligibility is determined on the effective date of the addition of the SSI/SSP recipient to the CalFresh household.

Households will be certified for TNB for one 12-month period, and then may be recertified for additional six month periods.

Transitional CalFresh recipients may be eligible for TNB if their benefits are terminated by adding a previously excluded SSI/SSP recipient to the household.

Pending CalFresh applications with a beginning date of aid in the month prior to the implementation date of CalFresh eligibility for SSI/SSP recipients can be eligible for TNB.

TNB eligibility will continue as long as the household continues to include at least one of the previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients, the same individual continues to receive SSI/SSP and the household is ineligible for CalFresh.  When TNB is terminated it cannot be reestablished except for when documentation required for redetermination is provided within 30 days of the discontinuance.

Counties are not required to act on information received during the TNB certification period except for the household being granted CalFresh.

Form notices for the TNB program are attached to ACL 18-107.

Because TNB are nutrition benefits, they are not considered income for purposes of other means-tested programs.

TNB are subject to intercounty transfer policies and procedures. (ACL 18-92, July 31, 2018.)

Supplemental Nutrition Benefit Program

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The California Department of Social Services has issued instructions implementing the Supplemental Nutrition Benefit (SNB) Program.  SNB is part of the end of SSI cash-out.  As a result of eligibility of previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients, some households will have their CalFresh reduced.  SNB will provide state-funded nutrition benefits for households that include at least one SSI/SSP recipient and will have their CalFresh benefits reduced when the SSI/SSP recipient is added to the household to compensate for this CalFresh benefit reduction.

SNB eligibility is determined on the effective date of the addition of the SSI/SSP recipient to the CalFresh household.

SNB eligibility will remain linked to the household.  The exception is SNB eligibility transfers to a new household for a domestic violence survivor who creates a separate household.

Transitional CalFresh recipients may be eligibile for SNB if their benefits are reduced by adding a previously excluded SSI/SSP recipient to the household.

Pending CalFresh applications with a beginning date of aid in the month prior to the implementation date of CalFresh eligibility for SSI/SSP recipients can be eligible for SNB.

SNB eligibility will continue as long as the household continues to receive CalFresh and the at least one of the previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients remains in the household.

SNB eligibility will be redetermined at the household’s CalFresh recertification. Counties must give separate notices of action regarding the SNB program.  Form notices for the SNB program are attached to ACL 18-108.

Because SNB are nutrition benefits, they are not considered income for purposes of other means-tested programs. (ACL 18-91, July 31, 2018.)