The letter provides the 2008-2009 Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) chart ….effective 10/1/08. It also reviews the IRT rules and informing notice requirements. The IRT rules also apply to the Refugee Cash Assistance and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Programs. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
refugees
ACL 08-35: Eligibility For Iraqis/Afghans With Special Immigrant Visas And Information On Newly Arriving Iraqi Refugees (8/1/08)
Information on benefits for Iraqi and Afghans who worked as translators or interpreters and given Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), or admitted as refugees. A 2007 law allows Iraqis/Afghans with SIVs to get federally-funded refugee benefits and services, for a maximum of six months from the date of entry to the U.S. (2007 and 2008, only, 500 visas/yr.) A 2008 law provides that Iraqis (not Afghanis) can get 8 months of aid (5 years of visas, at 5,000/yr.) Benefits and employment services are the same as other refugee programs. Spouses and children also get the refugee benefits/services, as otherwise eligible. So, RCA for singles, and CalWORKs for families, Food Stamps for both. The letter includes a list of acceptable documentation.
California state law provides state-funded CalWORKs and CFAP/food stamps to PRUCOL immigrants. Iraqi/Afghan special immigrants are considered PRUCOL, and are eligible for state-only benefits after their respective federal eligibility periods (six or eight months) elapse.
Counties that “discover or become aware” that they denied CalWORKs or Food Stamps to any Iraqi and/or Afghan with a SIVs after December 26, 2007 and prior to the date of this letter must reconsider those denials, and issue retros, if otherwise eligible. And just to spin your head, information on SIV immigrants who adjust their status (before or after getting the SIV) and how it impacts benefits – but don’t worry, there’s a handy chart to boot!
SIV immigrants are in addition to an estimated 1400-1500 refugees/asylees from these countries expected to resettle in California. They are eligible for benefits for the regular period of time. [Download]
ACIN I-78-06: County Refugee Program Guidelines (10/19/06)
The State Refugee Program Bureau (RPB) has issued new Program Guidelines for the different Refugee work programs. Parts of the letter and Guidelines apply to all counties, and part to the 12 “impacted” counties. Information about refugee services plans, approvable work and training, and more. The Guidelines themselves are located elsewhere on the RPB site. [Download]
ACL 05-18 – COLA for the MAP and MBSAC for CalWORKs and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Programs (July 22, 2005)
Silver lining to the budget bad news. Although it suspended the COLA for two years, since the was not approved as of July 1, 2005, the COLA went through for July. CalWORKs and RCA folks will get a one-time corrective underpayment “as soon as administratively possible.” The Food Stamp Program will treat this payment as a resource. [Download]
ACL 05-08 – Expansion of Eligibility for Relatives of Victims of Trafficking (April 1, 2005)
The categories eligible under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act have been expanded. They now include the spouse, children, victim’s parents, and single minor siblings if the victim was under 21 at the time the T Visa application is filed. If the noncitizen trafficking victim is 21 years of age or older on the date the T Visa is filed, only the victim’s spouse and children will get derivative eligibility. Family members of trafficking victims get Derivative T Visas, and are also eligible for benefits and services to the same extent as refugees under MPP 63-405.112. [Download]
ACIN I-88-04 – Treatment of Reception and Placement Cash Provided to Refugees in the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and CalWORKs Programs (December 29, 2004)
No change in policy, just a friendly reminder to counties that funds paid to refugees for “reception” (no, not the party kind) and placement is not counted as income to the Refugee Cash Assistance and CalWORKs programs. These funds are counted as property for CalWORKs but not RCA. If a family is ineligible for CalWORKs because of this rule, counties are required to assist them through RCA. [Download]