COVID-19 financial support for at risk families

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided information about financial support for eligible at-risk families with child welfare contact during the COVID-19 state of emergency.  Households are eligible if they meet one of the following criteria with a case open at any time in April, 2020 or a new case opened in May or June, 2020:

  • Households with a Family Maintenance service component without a subsequent entry into Foster Care.
  • Households with an Emergency Response service component without a subsequent entry into Foster Care.
  • Households with a substantiated Emergency Response referral, without an accompanying case opening or entry into Foster Care.
  • Households with an inconclusive Emergency Response referral, without an accompanying case opening or entry into Foster Care, where the Structured Decision Making Risk Assessment was considered high or very high.
  • Probation cases where children or youth were at imminent or serious risk of removal or candidates for foster care.

Eligible households will be issued prepaid cards. The assistance payment will be $200 per month for April, May and June, 2020 or $400 per month for an eligible household with three or more children at risk of entering Foster Care.  Households with cases opened in May will receive the payment for May and June, and households with cases opened in June will receive the payment for June.

These payments will not count as income for CalWORKs or CalFresh.  (ACIN I-44-20, June 1, 2020.)

COVID-19 independent adoptions

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) guidance about independent adoptions during COVID-19.  This guidance is in effect until June 30, 2020.

In person contact with the birth parent must continue.  Alternative communication methods are not allowed.  There must be an evaluation if the birth parent’s history or current condition indicates inability to understand the content, nature and effect of signing an adoption agreement.

An agency representative must witness, in person, the birth parent signing the adoption placement agreement.  An agency representative must also interview, in person, all persons who are consenting to the adoption.  The agency representative must witness the signing of the consent to the adoption in person.

An adoption service provider or representative of the CDSS Regional Office or delegated county agency should not by alternative communication witness or give an interview about the waiver of the right to revoke consent.

The adoption placement and adoption consent form can be filed with the court as soon as it reopens.  If the forms cannot be filed with the court, the prospective adoptive parent can submit a copy of the form with 50 percent of the investigation fee directly to CDSS or the delegated county agency and the agency can begin the investigation.  All mandatory requirements, including criminal background check, are required before the adoption investigation is finalized.

CDSS or the delegated agency can begin the adoption investigation before the investigation fee is paid, but the fee must be collected before the report is submitted to the court.

Home visits and interviews with prospective adoptive parents can occur via videoconference.

For Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children cases, the required study must be done within 60 days and it must be done in person.

The 180 day time period for investigation reports is suspended because of court closures.  The 180 day time period will resume when the state of emergency is lifted.  (ACL 20-56, May 18, 2020.)

COVID-19 extension of CalFresh waivers

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Federal waivers for CalFresh initial application and recertification interviews, requirement to conduct a face-to-face interview and of recording equipment for telephonic signatures have been extended to June 30, 2020.  The interview waiver has been extended to recertifications.  CalFresh recertifications for March, April and May were postponed.  Recertifications with a June submit month will occur and the interview for those recertifications is waived.  Detailed guidance on the waiver is here, summarized here.

In June, counties will begin processing recertifications for Transitional Nutrition Benefits, the program for households that lost CalFresh eligibility because a SSI recipient was added to the household.  A Notice of Recertification for Transitional Nutrition Benefit Program must be received including a signature for the household to continue receiving Transitional Nutrition Benefits.  If the county receives an incomplete recertification form, the county may contact the household to complete the form over the phone.  The county may collect an electronic signature over the phone or document the recipient’s agreement in the case file.  (ACWDL, May 28, 2020.)

COVID-19 personal protective equipment for IHSS providers

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) informs counties that personal protective equipment is being made available to any In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provider who requests it.  Personal protective equipment is available at the Public Authority offices in each county.  Each set of personal protective equipment will include a face mask and a pair of gloves.  (ACL 20-57, May 19, 2020.)

This letter is superceeded by ACL 20-61, June 1, 2020, which adds that personal protective equipment is also available for IHSS recipients.

COVID-19 CalFresh emergency allotment for June 2020

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California has been approved to issue an emergency allotment of CalFresh for June, 2020.  The emergency allotment will be issued on July 12 to raise each household’s monthly CalFresh allotment to the maximum allowable for the household size.  Per guidance from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), households already receiving the maximum allotment are not eligible to receive an emergency allotment.

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. (ACWDL, May 21, 2020.)

COVID-19 immediate and continuous Stage One child care eligibility

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided guidance regarding immediate and continuous Stage One child care eligibility in relation to COVID-19.  Any disruption in child care because of COVID-19 does not change the family’s child care authorization.  All new CalWORKs cases continue to be authorized for 12 months of full time child care even if Welfare-to-Work or other engagement activities are temporarily suspended.

CalWORKs families who were receiving campus child care and are currently in need of Stage One child care because of the closing of campus child care centers are eligible for immediate and continuous Stage One Child care.  (ACWDL, May 11, 2020.)