Well, it’s not October 1, 2006 anymore, it’s November 1, 2006. A few new words, and a few new forms. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACIN I-67-06 – Disaster Food Stamp Program Increased Excess Shelter Deduction (September 11, 2006)
This notice, ironically issued on 9/11, transmits the higher shelter costs (a whopping $17) effective October 1, 2006, as well as a new eligibility/verification chart, income and resource guidelines and disaster verification requirements. [Download]
ACL 06-35 – Quality Assurance/Improvement Monitoring Regulations For The In-Home Supportive Services/Personal Care Services/Independence Plus Waiver Programs (September 1, 2006).
This ACL transmits the regs to implement the SB1104 provisions intended to “improve the quality of IHSS/PCSP need assessments, enhance program integrity, and detect and prevent program fraud and abuse.” Counties must establish a dedicated IHSS Quality Assurance/Improvement function, and to develop policies, procedures, implementation timelines, and instructions under which county QA/QI programs will perform mandated activities regarding IHSS programs. Counties must have a standardized process with regularly scheduled reviews; case samples from all district offices, a needs assessment process; and desk and home-visit reviews. Needless to say, counties also must include procedures for preventing and detecting fraud, including follow-up if fraud is suspected and to collection of overpayments. [Download]
ACIN I-61-06E – Errata: Corrected COLA benefits Tables (September 6, 2006).
Ooops. Here are the correct benefits amounts. [Download]
ACIN I-66-06 – Food Stamp Policy Interpretations and Staff Assignment (September 8, 2006).
Who’s who in the zoo. Did you know there is an “employment, forms, and disaster” unit? The policy interpretations are still limited to counties, after review by the FRAT team (no keg party) for “statewideness.” [Download]
ACL 06-31 – Implementation of Food Stamp Simplification Options (August 16, 2006)
This letter explains the new Food Stamps changes, hitting the street 10/1/06. Changes include: (1) legally obligated child support payments will be an income exclusion rather than as an income deduction (so lowers income prior to gross income test); (2) exclusion of certain restricted accounts as a resource; (3) exclusion of certain types of income that are excluded for CalWORKs; (4) elimination of actual utility costs in lieu of a SUA, but instead there is no prorating of utilities for non-household members; (5) implementation of a Limited Utility Allowance (LUA) for households that do not qualify for the SUA, and, (6) allowance of a Telephone Utility Allowance (TUA) for households not qualified to receive a SUA or LUA.
The letter includes the proposed regulations. All changes will be treated as county-initiated mid-month change for quarterly reporters, except the restricted accounts, which must be reviewed prior to being excluded. [Download]