Changes to ABAWD forms

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided information about major changes to the CalFresh Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD). The ABAWD rule limits anyone age 18 to 54 with no children and/or no disabilities to receiving CalFresh for three months every three years unless they are participating in work activities or are exempt.

  • The ABAWD exemption for residing in a household with a member under the age of 18 has changed to an exemption that only applies to parents of or responsible for a child under the age of 14 who is part of the household.
  • Exemptions from the ABAWD rule for individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, and former foster youth have been removed.
  • A new exception has been added for indigenous people members or descendants of federally recognized tribes and/ or persons of Indian descent in urban centers designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and/or an Indian eligible for services provided by the Indian Health Service in California.

CDSS has amended several forms to reflect these changes.  (ACL 25-64, September 18, 2025.)

 

Kin-GAP new income and property provisions

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Assembly Bill (AB) 161 enacts new income and property provisions of the Kinship Guardian Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) Program.

The Kin-Gap program provides funding on behalf of eligible children and nonminors to their relative guardian once dependency or wardship has been terminated in the juvenile court and all other eligibility criteria are met. Kin-GAP no longer has a $10,000 cash savings limit after the initial determination as long as all other eligibility is met.  Now all income or property received by the child or nonminor after Kin-GAP benefits start is disregarded. This change creates more consistency with foster care funding and allows easier transition to guardianship. (ACL 25-35, September 3, 2025.)

CalWORKs Income Reporting Threshold for Fiscal Year 2026

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The California Department of Social Services has issued the new CalWORKs Income Reporting Threshold for Fiscal Year 2026. The new IRT amounts are effective October 1, 2025.  They are in a chart attached to this ACL.  Income over the IRT amount must be reported mid-period, that is, when it occurs between semi-annual reports or annual recertifications.  Income that must be reported is the total combined earned and unearned income of the assistance unit.  The IRT reporting amount is the lower of either of two tiers: 1) 55% of the federal poverty level for a family of 3, plus the amount of income used most recently used to determine the assistance unit’s grant, or 2) 130% of the federal poverty level (which is also the level where a household may become financially ineligible for CalFresh).  Income over the IRT must be reported within 10 days of receipt.

Assistance Units with no income or only unearned income are required to report income changes only if they receive new earned income that, when combined with other earned income, exceeds the IRT.

When income over the IRT is reported to the county, the county must determine if the income is reasonably anticipated to continue.  If it is reasonably anticipated to continue, the county must redetermine the CalWORKs grant amount using the new income amount.  If the grant will be decreased, the county must give timely and adequate notice to decrease the grant at the end of the month.  If the new income amount exceeds 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, the county must discontinue CalWORKs at the end of the month after timely and adequate notice is given.

It is possible that there will be some cases that are over the IRT, but under 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, where the assistance unit will not be eligible for a cash grant.  Those cases will have zero grant, but will be eligible for supportive services and CalWORKs special needs.

Counties must inform recipients of their IRT at application approval, at least once per semi-annual reporting period, and whenever the IRT amount changes.  The IRT level which the recipient was last notified of is used for reporting purposes.

These instructions also apply to Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Act.

The tier one income reporting threshold (55% of the federal poverty level for a family of 3) is $1,222, plus the amount of income used most recently used to determine the assistance unit’s grant.

The tier two income reporting threshold (130% of the Federal Poverty Level) for a CalWORKs assistance unit of 0 or 1 is $1,696, for 2 is $2,292, for 3 is $2,888, for 4 is $3,483, for 5 is $4,079, for 6 is $4,675, for 7 is $5,271, for 8 is $5,867, and add $596 for each additional member. (ACL 25-61, September 5, 2025.)

CalFresh Cost of Living Adjustment for Fiscal Year 2026

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Effective October 1, 2025, the maximum monthly allotment for a one-person household in California is $298, for a two-person household $546, for a three-person household is $785, for a four-person household is $994, for a five-person household is $1,183, for a six-person household is $1,421, for a seven-person household is $1,571, for an eight-person household is $1,789 and add $218 for each additional household member above eight.

HR 1, the federal budget reconciliation bill, mandates that households with nine or more members will receive an additional 22 percent per member and that benefits amounts are now capped for households with 18 or more members.  HR 1 also requires that the Thrifty Food Plan amount (the federal determination of the cost of a nutritious, minimal cost diet that can be prepared at home) cannot be reevaluated until October 1, 2027, and any reevaluation after that must be cost neutral.

The maximum shelter deduction for households without an elderly or disabled household member is increased to $744.

The homeless shelter deduction is increased to $198.99.

The standard deduction is increased to $209 for households of 1-3 people, $223 for households of 4 people, $261 for households of 5 people, and $299 for households of six or more people.

The Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) is increased to $663.  The Limited Utility Allowance (LUA) is increased to $170.  The Telephone Utility Allowance (TUA) is increased to $20.

The resource limit for households subject to it remains at $3,000.  The resource limit for households with a least one household member over age 60 or disabled remains at $4,500.  This is also the threshold for substantial lottery or gambling winnings that must be reported. (ACIN I-46-25, September 3, 2025.)

Emergency Child Care Bridge Program

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The Emergency Child Care Bridge Program is meant to reduce child care barriers for children and parenting youth in the foster care system, their caregiver families, and nonminor dependent parents. The goal is to make sure children can stay in safe and stable homes, avoid unnecessary placement moves, support permanency, increase the ability of child care programs to meet the needs of children in foster care, and maximize funding to support the child care needs for eligible families, and support reunification or permanency.

Families who qualify can:

  • Get temporary financial help to cover child care costs (from birth through age 12, or up to 21 for youth with special needs);
  • Receive support from a child care navigator;
  • Benefit from having more child care providers trained in trauma-informed care.

This program is designed to give foster families immediate child care options during emergencies or placements, while helping them transition into longer-term, stable child care.

The Bridge Program child care subsidy is provided for up to six months. If a long-term child care arrangement is not secured, the county can extend eligibilty for another six months. After 12 months, the subsidy can only continue if there is a compelling reason, such as the family being unable to transition to other child care, or if ending the subsidy would disrupt the child’s stability, permanency plan, or reunification. Any extension beyond 12 months must be documented by the county in its monthly status report, including the reason and duration of the extension.

Counties may determine eligibility for the Bridge Program based on several criteria, all of which are considered equally without priority. Eligible participants include approved resource families, as well as families who have taken in a child under emergency or compelling circumstances while still completing the resource family approval process. Parenting youth in the foster care system and nonminor dependent parents also qualify, along with homes that have received approval through a tribal process.

For fiscal year 2025-26, all counties that want Bridge Program funding must opt in again, even if they previously participated. Once a county opts in, it will stay enrolled unless it formally chooses to opt out.  (CCB 25-14, June 6, 2025.)

IHSS telehealth assessments

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During the COVID-19 emergency, IHSS allowed assessments and reassessments to be completed over the phone or by video to reduce risks. When the emergency ended in February 2023, in-person assessments resumed, but both recipients and counties saw how useful the telehealth option was. To continue offering that flexibility, CDSS worked with partners and received federal approval in May 2024 to permanently allow telehealth reassessments under Medicaid rules. This authority extends to IHSS and related programs. In October 2024, CDSS issued ACL 24-72, which sets out the policy and eligibility criteria for this new option.

To support the change, CDSS is updating systems like CMIPS, the Electronic Services Portal, and the Telephone Timesheet System. A new tool called the Reassessment Workspace was added in CMIPS to help case workers track reassessments, review telehealth eligibility, and gather additional information through online or phone questionnaires.

Counties are required to handle telehealth reassessments the same way they would in person assessments, following ACL 24-72. The recipient must be in their home environment while the reassessment takes place. If staff cannot see the recipient or their home during the call, they must ask detailed questions to collect the same information they would have observed if an in-person assessment had taken place, and record it in the case file.

Counties also have to:

  • Keep case records current so the system can confirm eligibility.
  • Apply the Stable Care Needs criteria outlined in ACL 24-72, or determine if the recipient qualifies for an exception.
  • Place the recipient’s health and safety above all when deciding if a telehealth assessment is appropriate.
  • Ensure forms are properly signed. Electronic signatures are acceptable if e-forms are used, but if not, paper forms must be mailed or delivered for completion.

This option allows eligible recipients to choose telehealth for reassessments, giving them more flexibility while ensuring counties still meet state and federal requirements for accuracy, safety, and program compliance.  (ACL 25-55, July 24, 2025.)