Sets out the foster care benefit rate increases for children in family care mandated by AB 106. This ACL addresses AFDC-FC and Kin-GAP. CDSS is going to issue a separate ACL concerning adoption assistance. Please note: 1. The increases apply to children placed with approved relatives, not just those living with licensed foster parents. Some counties were not applying the increase to children in the care of relatives. This ACL should clarify the situation. 2. The ACL correctly notes that AB 106 did not increase the specialized care increment (SCI.) However the SCI is an amount over and above the basic rate. Therefore children who receive an SCI will get a rate increase. It will just be an increase in the basic rate not the SCI. 3. The effective date of the increase is May 1, 2011, with a COLA that was effective July 1, 2011. Given the release date of the letter, some cases may be owed a retroactive adjustment. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACIN I-55-11: Compilation Of The Annual CalFresh Survey Of Operations And Access – Fiscal Year (FY) 2009-10 (9/16/11)
Read how the state, as a whole, and your individual county, is doing on food benefits access. [Download]
ACL 11-59: CalWORKs): Implementation Of New Aid Codes For Foster Children In The CalWORKs Program (9/6/11)
In the past, foster children placed with relative caretakers who were not eligible for federal foster care benefits, were not identified as foster care cases. This meant that they were put into the CalWORKs-linked Medi-Cal, and required to enroll into a Medi-Cal managed care health plan, in violation of state law. Foster children have the right to choose between fee for service Medi-Cal and a managed care health plan unless they reside or are placed in a county with a County Organized Health System. [Download]
ACL 11-60: Guidance On Implementing The Suspension Of The CalWORKs Cal-Learn Program For FY 2011-12 (9/6/11)
Title speaks for itself, and includes list of forms modified to reflect the CalLearn suspension. Current on-line version is missing the guidance, however, as it does not have the Q & A! [Download]
ACIN I-54-11: CalFresh Outreach (8/31/11)
A reminder of the importance of Outreach, and that counties can use SNAP admin funds to do it. Of interest, an included example is the translation of materials and encouraging counties to continue fostering relations with community organizations. [Download]
ACL 11-58: CalWORKs: Clarifying Guidance For Changes To AB 98 Subsidized Employment Resulting From Senate Bill 72 (8/31/11)
A Q & A letter re: subsidized employment. Of note for advocates: discussion of work study and AB 98 eligibility; analysis of whether current AB 98 or grant-based OJT people can qualify under the new program; and a discussion of 2-parent AB 98 participant issues. [Download]