Just letting the counties know that the state has improved automation to help cut folks off aid (to avoid overpayments). Programming changes made to the Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System (MEDS) will provide an alert 90 days before the 8 months period of eligibility ends for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA) clients. At the end of the 90 days, the system will terminate the aid. Counties must still issue 10-day NOAs. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACWDL 09-27: Medi-Cal for otherwise eligible U.S. Citizen and U.S. National Applicants and new Native American triabal documents acceptable for deficit reduction act authorized under CHIPRA (5/21/09)
This letter lays out some changes CHIPRA makes to Medi-Cal citizenship documentation requirements. The letter goes into detail regarding two changes: 1) During the reasonable opportunity period, while they are obtaining citizenship and identity documentation, otherwise eligible Medi-Cal applicants will be provided full-scope Medi-Cal. 2) There are additional tribal documents that will be accepted as proof of citizenship/ identity. [Download]
ACL 09-22: CalWORKs): Impacts Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act Of 2009 (6/3/09)
The ACL focuses on the impact to the CalWORKs program of four sections of the ARRA: (1) increased Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB) [counts as income]; (2) a one-time payment of $250 to recipients of Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement Benefits, and Veteran Disability Compensation or Pension Benefits [doesn’t count as income, and if kept exempt as resources for 9 months]; (3) a temporary increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) [always was exempt, remains so]; and (4) the Making Work Pay Credit (MWPC) [not income, excluded for 2 months after receipt as resource]. [Download]
ACL 09-26: CalWORKs And Food Stamp: Treatment Of 2010 United States Census Workers’ Income (6/4/09)
It is expected that approximately 17,000 full-time and part-time workers will be hired as census takers in California beginning on April 1, 2009. Most workers will be working from four to ten weeks. While the income is not exempt, it can only be counted (for quarterly reporters) if reasonably anticipated. “The nature of these temporary part-time and full-time jobs is such that the income received will often be difficult to reasonably anticipate.” Any income received mid-quarter that does not exceed the Income Reporting Threshold, does not need to be reported until the next QR7 is due and may not affect the CalWORKs grant, if it is not expected to continue. All these rules also apply to RCA, and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) folks. [Download]
ACL 09-28: Indian Child Welfare Act And Adoptions – Forms, Processes, And Standards (6/4/09)
This letter rescinds ACL No. 06-05, which required the use of certain forms. It also clarifies how the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) requirements and the new Judicial Council forms, ICWA-010(A), ICWA-020, ICWA-030, and ICWA-030(A), impact adoption proceedings. [Download]
ACL 09-18: Revisions To Various Eligibility, Operational, Reporting, And Foster Parent Training Components of Intensive Treatment Foster Care Programs (6/3/009)
This letter is a summary of the new requirements from SB 1380 for intensive treatment foster care (ITFC) (youth who are emotionally disturbed, now to include youth with serious behavioral problems). The bill revises eligibility, operation, reporting, and foster parent training components of the ITFC program and allows flexibility for the use of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) in lieu of ITFC. [Download]