TMC, which provides an additional six to twelve months of Medi-Cal eligibility to beneficiaries discontinued from the Section 1931(b) program due to earnings from employment, has a new sunset date of December 31, 2010. Counties will continue to do eligibility determinations for TMC until DHCS notifies them that the program has been discontinued. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACL 09-01: New ‘Request For Verification’ Form (CW 2200) For Verifying Eligibility In The CalWORKs And Food Stamp Programs (3/12/09)
Transmits a new, statewide “Request for Verification” form for verifying eligibility. Consistency and efficiency rules! The form informs clients of their rights and responsibilities in regards to verifying their eligibility. It informs clients that they can ask for help if they are having trouble getting verification and that counties can help pay for verification if necessary. It also provides suggested types of acceptable verification and includes a client authorization for release of information so that counties can work directly with a third party to obtain verification when necessary. It will be translated into 17 languages.
This form is not intended to be used to verify hours of participation in work activities. [Download]
ACL 09-09: Relative Caregivers and Permanency Options (2/23/09)
Notice of changes brought about by AB 298 regarding how legal guardianship for a relative is considered as a permanency placement option. 1) a relative caregiver’s preference for legal guardianship over adoption, unrelated to an unwillingness to accept legal or financial responsibility for the child, cannot be the sole basis for recommending the removal of a child from the relative caregiver for adoptive placement; 2) requires that a relative caregiver be given information regarding the options of guardianship and adoption. To “ensure consistency” the state has provided an optional form; 3) changes the order of preference for permanent placement of the child. The the second option, after that of termination of parental rights, is now appointing the relative caretaker the legal guardian; 4) requires the court, under certain circumstances, to not terminate parental rights if the child is living with a relative who is unable or unwilling to adopt the child, unrelated to an unwillingness to accept legal or financial responsibility for the child, but who is willing to be the legal guardian, when removal of the child would be detrimental; 5) changes to the report that the county must prepare. [Download]
ACL 09-14: CalWORKs) Program Immunization Requirements (3/12/09)
Notice that there is a Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine shortage. One year olds will still get their first HiB vaccine, but may have the booster held off. This counts as “unavailable,” and thus meets the “good faith” exception to the immunization requirements for CalWORKs. [Download]
ACWDL 09-12: Bridging performance standards (3/10/09)
This letter clarifies and modifies the Medi-Cal to Healthy Families bridging performance standards originally laid out in ACWDL 07-03. [Download]
ACWDL 09-11: The extension of the Qualifying Individual 1 program sunset date to December 31, 2010 (3/10/09)
The QI1 program is a Medicare savings program that pays the Medicare Part B premium for people under 135% of the FPL. The program’s sunset date has been extended until December 31, 2010. Counties will continue to accept applications until DHCS notifies them that the program has been discontinued. [Download]