FNS has published proposed regulations, and is soliciting public comments. Although much of the proposed regulations cover defining retailer trafficking, large portions of it apply to collusive practices between retailers and recipients and other “program abuses by client.” The proposed regulations also address mandatory 2008 Farm Bill provisions requiring reciprocal disqualification in SNAP when an individual is disqualified from the FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations). There is even a discussion of purchasing drinks with bottle deposits and keeping the cash for the bottle return. “Nonetheless, clients who intentionally purchased products in containers for purposes of disposing of the products and exchanging the containers for cash are, in effect, trafficking without a complicit retailer.” Comments due on or before August 19, 2011.
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACL 11-42E: Foster Family Home Rate Increase As A Result Of California State Foster Parent Association v. Lightbourne (6/14/11)
Clarification on the start date of the court ordered higher foster care family home rates. On June 9, 2011, the Court found that “effective immediately,” means any check that had not been issued by the date of the May 27, 2011 order shall include the increased rate. Since checks for reimbursement of foster care for the month of May had not yet been issued by May 27th; increased rates apply for the provision of foster care for the entire month of May 2011. Contains a chart of the rates, and notes that a COLA will kick in July 1st. [Download]
ACIN I-35-11: Finding Relatives For Children In Out-Of-Home Placement (6/13/11)
This ACIN is issued to provide counties with information and resources about family finding and engagement activities to help identify, locate and engage appropriate relatives for foster care placements. Funding has been made available to reimburse counties for this work. [Download]
ACL 11-43: Clarification To All County Letter (ACL) 11-36, Suspension Of CalWORKs Cal-Learn Program (6/9/11)
Counties were instructed in ACL 11-36 to use the TEMP 2254 and TEMP 2253 forms to inform teen parents of the new program requirements and to schedule an orientation appointment. This letter clarifies that copies of these forms also must be sent to the head of the AU of which the teen parent is a member, if the teen parent is not the head of the AU. The TEMP 2254 must be sent to the head of the AU before July 1, 2011. The TEMP 2253 must be sent to the head of the AU when the form is sent to the teen parent, prior to the teen parent’s orientation date. [Download]
ACL 11-42: Foster Family Home Rate Increase As A Result Of California State Foster Parent Association v. Lightbourne (5/31/11)
Poor Mr. Lightbourne! Less than one month after being named new the Director, BOOM, he is hit by a court order. (OK, so the case was filed long before.) This ACL announces the new foster family rates. When will they start? Good question. The Court ordered that the new rates be paid with the “next round of checks.” Plaintiffs argue this is 4/8/11, and CDSS argues 5/31/11. Stay tuned! [Download]
ACIN I-34-11: CalWORKs Welfare-To-Work (WTW) County Peer Review (CPR) Pilot Visit Summaries And Statewide Implementation (6/2/11)
This ACIN announces that the last peer review summary has been concluded, all summaries are posted on line, and the suspension of the program until June 2014, due to budget limitations. The fact that the acronym for the County Peer Reviews is CPR is noted, although the jury is out on whether that is sad or funny. [Download]