CalWORKs for disaster victims

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CDSS has issued instructions regarding CalWORKs issues for disaster victims. The instructions reiterate several important facts of the CalWORKs rules as they relate to disasters including: 1) the county must accept statements under penalty of perjury when documents are unavailable because of a disaster, 2) disaster relief payment do not count as income for purposes of CalWORKs, 3) disaster is an exception to the once in a lifetime limit on homeless assistance benefits, 4) disaster victims should be evaluated for immediate need, 5) written statement is sufficient to establish residency and 6) disaster victims should be evaluated for good cause for non-participation in welfare-to-work.

In addition, disaster related issues can be good cause for late filing of semi-annual reports and annual redetermination. For the first month after a report is late, the county must evaluate for good cause for late filing. After the first month, the client must request a good cause evaluation for late filing. ACIN I-85-15 (10/14/15).

Change to Eligibility Period for Presumptive Eligibility (PE) Medi-Cal

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As of December 31, 2014, PE coverage begins on the date of the eligibility determination and ends at the end of the following month if no Medi-Cal application is submitted for full determination.  Previously, presumptive eligibility went back to the first day of the month for a 60-day enrollment period.  There is no change to the end date of eligibility.  DHCS MEDIL I 15-31 (9/24/15)

Making Changes to Beneficiary Information with a Health Plan

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Managed care plans are to contact county office liaisons to provide updated contact information for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.  If the plan has received the beneficiary’s approval, the counties must incorporate these changes immediately.  If the plan does not have the beneficiary’s approval, a county worker must verify the changes before making them.  DHCS ACWDL 15-30 (9/22/15).

Questions and answers regarding OCAT

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CDSS has issued several questions and answers regarding the new Online CalWORKs Appraisal Tool (OCAT) (See ACL 15-43 for background about OCAT). Most importantly, the questions and answers state that an individual cannot be sanctioned for not answering particular OCAT questions. This should include questions about disability and domestic violence. An individual can be sanctioned for refusing to do the OCAT appraisal at all.

In addition, the questions and answers state that an OCAT appraisal can be done by telephone as a reasonable accommodation or when coming to the welfare department would interfere with work or class schedule. ACL 15-69 (9/17/15).

CalFresh student eligibility

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AB 1930 required CDSS to identify and verify participation in programs that are exempt from the rule that students are generally ineligible for CalFresh. CDSS has identified that students enrolled in either a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program or Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) program are eligible for CalFresh. CDSS states it is developing a form to verify enrollment in these programs and is continuing to work on identifying other educational programs that are exempt from the CalFresh student rules. ACL 15-70 (9/17/15).

Medi-Cal backlog cases no longer batched for Accelerated Enrollment

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DHCS has explained that the application batching process that allowed the state to mitigate some of the 2014 application backlog through Accelerated Enrollment (AE) has ended.  DHCS is still required to send Rivera Notices of Inaction when an application is pending for 45 days or more.  DHCS will continue to monitor how many applications remain pending after 45 days, with the possibility that AE batching may resume to help mitigate any further application delays.  DHCS MEDIL I 15-27 (9/18/15).