A much needed once-over of the MFG rules. The letter notes that counties must provide the CW 2102 MFG informing notice form at application and each subsequent annual redetermination. Failure to issue/get the form signed at an annual redetermination that was at least 10 months prior to the birth of the child renders the MFG rule inapplicable. Prior to applying the rule, the worker is to determine if there was a 2 months or longer break in aid, or the family met another exception. The letter contains several examples, as well as a reminder that counties must provide interpretive services and written translations, as appropriate. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACIN I-26-07: Internal Revenue Service Safeguard Requirements (5/16/07)
Busted. The IRS did an audit in California on the “Federal Tax Information” (FTI) program to match recipients with earnings, and found CA deficient. In addition to sending a Corrective Action Plan to the feds, this letter reminds counties that they (and individual employees) can be subject to fines and prosecution, the obligation to do an annual internal inspection, annual training, and how to deal with subcontractors who may have access to areas in which FTI information is located. More ACL’s to come on this…. [Download]
ACIN I-24-07: Identifying Combat Zones Due To Deployment Of Military Personnel To A Combat Zone (5/11/07)
Good news/bad news. There are more FNS identified combat zones, but here is the list of them, so that the income of people posted to a zone is excluded for the Food Stamps program. [Download]
Errata to ACL 06-34: Correction ACL 06-34, Hourly Task Guidelines Regulations For IHSS/PCSP/IPW Programs (5/4/07)
If you felt attached to Attachment B to ACL 06-34…. get over it! This Errata provides the correct Attachment, which pertains to Annotated Assessment Criteria. The goal was to improve clarity, consistency and correct the listing of specific tasks which require determination of functional ranking. [Download]
ACL 07-14: Changes To Foster Care and Adoption Assistance Program Federal Financial Participation and Rosales (4/27/07)
The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) changed some administrative billing abilities for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, and confirms that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has issued program instructions to carry out the DRA/court reversal of the Rosales case. (The new law disallows federal foster care eligibility based on the home of the relative with whom the foster child is placed, when no eligibility existed in the home of removal.) More notably for advocates, the ACL has provided instructions on the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) eligibility. To be eligible, the foster child must have meet AFDC eligibility criteria (as existed 6/16/96) at the time of the removal from the home. The child must have special needs, was removed from the home pursuant to a judicial determination or got foster care under a Title IV-E voluntary placement, meet the SSI standards prior to adoption OR was in foster care in which the child’s minor parent received IV-E. The letter reminds counties that if the adoption dissolves or the adoptive parents die, the APP can continue in a subsequent adoption. At that point, the county need only confirm that the child still has special needs. [Download]
ACIN I-21-07: CalWORKs: Forms Changes Due To Changes In Homeless Assistance, Food Stamp Utility Allowance Deductions, Racial And Ethnic Data Collection, And Welfare To Work Sanctions (April 26, 2007)
Pretty self-explanatory title. Mostly notable because it impacts the FS calculation, and people should be getting the correct forms. [Download]