COVID-19 CalFresh waiver of interview requirements

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is extending waivers of the initial application and recertification interview and face-to-face interview.  These waivers were previously in effect, and are not being reimplemented because of the Continuing Appropriations Act.  These waivers are now in effective until December 31, 2021.

Per previous guidance, counties must waive the requirement for an interview at initial certification and recertification of eligibility for benefits if the county has verified the identity of the applicant and has completed all mandatory verifications.  If an interview cannot be waived, the county may require a telephone interview even if the household requests an in-person interview.  However, counties can only deny a request for a face-to-face interview once the county has confirmed that the household has access to a telephone or the county provides access to a telephone.  Counties must also conduct a face-to-face interview as a reasonable accommodation for a disability.

Federal Quality Control reviews will resume for July, 2021.  Counties can conduct quality control interviews by telephone through December 31, 2021.  (All County Welfare Directors Letter, July 1, 2021.)

Treatment of Golden State Grant payments received by foster care benefits recipients

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The Golden State Grant Payment (GSGP) provides a $600 payment to individuals who received an SSI or SSP payment in March 2021. Payments are being issued via paper checks and were sent weekly from May 24, 2021 through the end of June 2021, based on zip code. For foster care recipients, the GSGP is not counted as income, or against the resource limit for 12 months, and shall not be used to offset the foster care maintenance payment.

When a GSGP for a foster youth is issued to a representative payee, funds should be given directly to the nonminor dependents (NMD) without restriction, unless the NMD has a conservator. For foster youth, funds will be given directly, depending on the age and development of the minor. They do not need to keep a receipt for their purchases, but if the funds go to the resource family, the family must keep an itemized receipt of what was spent.

When the county is the representative payee, funds should be deposited in a no cost, interest bearing account for the use and benefit of the child. The resource family will be informed of the funds. The county must keep an itemized record for the use of funds, and establish a method to disburse the funds upon release from foster care. The county may use these funds for the use and benefit of the child, as determined by the county. The funds may not be used for ordinary care and supervision or other foster-care related costs. (ACL 21-74, June 22, 2021.)

COVID-19 end of foster care flexibilities

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The California Department of Social Services has issued guidance regarding the end of flexibilities in the foster care program because of COVID-19.

Rate flexibility for continued funding of an emergency caregiver pending approval as a Resource Family or Tribally Approved home beyond 365 days expired on July 1, 2021.  The approval to use COVID-19 as a static criteria to issue the Static Rate or Family Only Rate expired on July 1, 2021.  Alternative funding models and individualized rates for children to remain in the least restrictive, most family-like setting possible remain available.

Waiver of the 50 percent investigation fee and the 180 day time frame for court report submission for independent adoptions expired effective July 1, 2021.

Extension of the timeframe for required medical and dental examinations beyond 30 days for children placed out of home expired effective July 1, 2021.  Children placed out of home on or before June 30, 2021 must receive their examinations on or before July 31, 2021.

The option for counties to waive the age limit and length of stay for Transitional Housing Plus expired on July 1, 2021.  The ability for counties to temporarily approve a Supervised Independent Living Placement pending forms submission by the nonminor dependent also expired effective July 1, 2021.  The ability for counties to virtually inspect Supervised Independent Living Placements has not expired.

For Extended Foster Care, the following provisions continue to apply until September 30, 2021: 1) nonminor dependents should continue to get Extended Foster Care placement, services and supports even if they reach age 21, 2) Youth who aged out of case on or after January 27, 2021 may reenter Extended Foster Care even if they have reached age 21, and 3) participation requirements are waived for Extended Foster Care, including nonminor dependents, young people age 21 or older, and yound people who re-enter Extended Foster Care.  (ACL 21-77, June 28, 2021.)

CalFresh state-wide ABAWD waiver

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The federal Food and Nutrition Service has granted California’s request for a state-wide waiver of the CalFresh Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) time limit requirements. The ABAWD waiver is effective from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

Despite the ABAWD waiver, counties must 1) identify ABAWDs, screen for exemptions, and inform clients of ABAWD rules; 2) track and report work registrant, ABAWD and Employment and Training data; and 3) apply sanction requirements for work registrants who voluntarily quit a job of 30 hours or more per week, which provides weekly earnings equal to or greater than federal minimum wage times 30, or who, without good cause, reduce the number of hours worked to less than 30.  Counties cannot impose a sanction if a CalFresh recipient voluntarily quits a job of less than 30 hours per week.

Individuals who were previously discontinued from CalFresh for failure to meet ABAWD requirements and reapply to CalFresh may be approved for benefits if otherwise eligible. CalFresh Employment and Training and voluntary quit sanctions do not stop when the individual moves to a county with an ABAWD time limit waiver.  (ACL 21-67, June 15, 2021.)

Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation

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The Employment Development Department (EDD) began accepting applications for the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) on June 30, 2021.  MEUC pays an extra $100 per week in supplemental unemployment benefits to people who earned both regular wages and more than $5,000 in self-employment wages.

 

Starting June 30, EDD will begin sending text messages and emails to claimants who may qualify for MEUC.  Paper applications will be mailed to people who are not online.  Claimants will have until September 6, 2021 to apply for MEUC. (EDD News Release 21-38, June 25, 2021.)

COVID-19 CalFresh emergency allotment for July, 2021

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California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for July, 2021.  All households will receive at least the maximum CalFresh allotment.  Households eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size are now eligible to receive an emergency allotment of $95 per month. Households who are not eligible to receive the maximum allowable allotment based on household size, but whose emergency allotment would be less than $95 per month to receive the maximum allotment, will receive additional CalFresh benefits to raise their emergency allotment to the new $95 minimum.

The emergency allotment will be issued on August 8, 2021.

Moving forward, emergency allotments may be approved by FNS on a month-to-month basis until the Secretary of Health and Human Services rescinds the public health emergency.  There will be a one-month phase out of emergency allotments after the public health emergency is rescinded.  (ACWDL, June 24, 2021.)