capi

ACIN I-26-09: CAPI Payment Standards Effective July 1, 2009 (4/2/09)

Posted on by

A follow up to ACIN I-23-09 (May, 2009 standards). The Dept. of Finance has indicated that the additional 2.3 percent reduction provision will NOT be rescinded. As a result, effective July 1, 2009, the SSI/SSP payment standards will be reduced by 2.3 percent, with a concomitant reduction in the CAPI payment standards. The new CAPI payment standards chart is attached. [Download]

ACIN I-23-09: CAPI Payment Standards Effective May 1, 2009 (3/26/09)

Posted on by

Under the budget bill, SSI payment standards will be reduced back to the December 2008 levels, effective May 1, 2009. As a consequence, the CAPI payment standards will decrease on the same date. This has no affect on 1) presumed maximum value of in-kind support and maintenance; 2) the allowance for ineligible children in deeming situations; 3) the sponsor’s allocation in alien deeming situations; or 4) the allowance for parent(s) in parent-to-child deeming situations. Reminds counties of the policy when one spouse is CAPI and one SSI, and to notify clients. [Download]

ACL 09-05: CalWORKs Information Regarding California Registered Domestic Partners (RDPs) And Same-Sex Spouses (2/27/09)

Posted on by

Policy direction regarding eligibility of same-sex married spouses to the CalWORKs, Food Stamp, and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) programs, and instructions regarding eligibility for Medi-Cal. (DHCS has issued ACWDL 09-03 and ACWDL 09-04 regarding this.) The California RDP is an individual who has a declaration of domestic partnership registered with the California Secretary of State. AB 205 extended these rights and responsibilities to a member of a legal union validly formed in another jurisdiction that is equivalent to a California RDP.

For CalWORKs , RDPs have the same rights and responsibilities as stepparents. Pending judicial resolution, all same-sex marriage licenses issued between June 16, 2008 (when the In re Marriage Cases finding the bar on same-sex marriages unconstitutional became final) and November 4, 2008 (Prop 8 ) are deemed to be valid on the basis of marriage for the purposes of CalWORKs eligibility. Massachusetts and Connecticut also permit same-sex marriages. CalWORKs Stage One child care services does not change – RDPs and same sex spouses are treated as stepparents. The CalWORKs parent will have the option include or exclude the RDP/same-sex spouse in the AU, which could impact the availability of child care in the home. If a RDP/same-sex spouse adopts the eligible child(ren), the RDP/same-sex spouse will be considered a parent and a member of the AU, so the same eligibility requirements for two-parent families will be applied.

No change to the Food Stamp Program, which never cared about this, looking only at the group that purchases/prepares food together.

RCA is the same as CalWORKs.

RDPs/same-sex spouses are not eligible for federal Medi-Cal benefits unless they are a natural or adoptive parent of a child in the AU, the name of both RDPs/same-sex spouse appear on the child’s birth certificate, or they can establish eligibility on their own behalf (e.g. by being aged, blind, disabled, pregnant, etc.) The RDP/same-sex spouse may be eligible for specific state funded Medi-Cal programs because he/she is treated as a spouse under state law. When the RDP/same-sex spouse is not the natural or adoptive parent of a child in the AU, but he/she is eligible for CalWORKs, a separate Medi-Cal determination must be made for that RDP/same-sex spouse and in some instances for the rest of the family. [Download]

ACIN I-98-08: Impact Of The “Extension For Elderly And Disabled Refugees Act” On CAPI (12/23/08

Posted on by

CAPI recipients with a certain immigration status that they may be eligible for an extension of SSI. Under H.R. 2608, refugees and other humanitarian immigrants (asylees, persons granted withholding of deportation or removal, Cuban and Haitian Entrants, Amerasians, and victims of human trafficking) are now potentially eligible for SSI/SSP for at least two additional years. Applicants or recipients may be eligible if they meet certain Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) criteria. They may also be eligible for payment retroactive to October 1, 2008 regardless of when they request reinstatement to SSI/SSP. Counties are required to refer all recipients in the specified statuses to their local SSA office to apply for SSI/SSP. The notice instructs counties to do this even if the recipient does not meet one of the six LPR criteria. SSA has not yet published its final rules, and the state wants the referral in case the may qualify for SSI based on other criteria that has not yet been identified. [Download]