Understanding CalWORKs - California Center for Research on ...

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• caring <strong>for</strong> an ill or incapacitated person living in thehome if this care creates a significant barrier to workingor participating in WTW activities;• 60 years or older;• caring <strong>for</strong> a dependent child of the court, or a child atrisk of placement in foster care, if this care creates asignificant barrier to working or participating in WTWactivities; or• victims of domestic abuse who are unable to workor participate in WTW activities due to the abusivesituation.When an individual has been aided as an adult <strong>for</strong> 60months, additional months of aid may be provided to thatadult when all parents, aided stepparents, and/or caretakerrelatives residing in the home of the aided child(ren) meetany of the above extender conditions.SanctionsState law requires counties to sanction individuals <strong>for</strong>noncompliance with specific WTW program requirements.<strong>CalWORKs</strong> families can be sanctioned <strong>for</strong> a variety ofreasons, including failing or refusing to:• sign a WTW Plan;• participate in any assigned program activity;• provide required proof that satisfactory progress isbeing made in any assigned program activity;• accept employment;• continue employment; or• continue employment at the same level of earnings.<strong>CalWORKs</strong> Program Changes in the <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Budget Act of 2009The <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Budget Act of 2009 made significant changes to the <strong>CalWORKs</strong> program, including the elimination ofthe <strong>CalWORKs</strong> cost-of-living (COLA) annual adjustment, which was the only provision to go into effect immediately.The other changes, including new time limits, graduated sanctions, and self-sufficiency reviews, will not be implementeduntil July 1, 2011. CDSS estimates annual savings of $600 million.Elimination of the <strong>CalWORKs</strong> COLAAutomatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) <strong>for</strong> <strong>CalWORKs</strong> grants were eliminated. The COLA was based on the<strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Necessities Index, which reflects weighted average changes in the cost of food, rent, clothing, fuel, utilities,and transportation <strong>for</strong> low-income households.Changes to be Implemented July 1, 2011New State Time LimitsUnder new state time limits, adult <strong>CalWORKs</strong> recipients may receive aid <strong>for</strong> up to 48 cumulative months. In the 49thmonth, the adult portion of the grant will be eliminated and the children will be supported with cash assistance throughthe Safety Net program <strong>for</strong> 12 months.After 12 months, if the adult continues to be eligible, they are added back into the family grant <strong>for</strong> the remaining 12months of his or her 60-month lifetime limit.Graduated SanctionsStricter and graduated sanctions will be applied to families not complying with work requirements <strong>for</strong> most <strong>CalWORKs</strong>cases, including Safety Net and other child-only cases. Moreover, <strong>for</strong> the first time, sanction months will be countedtowards the client’s 60-month lifetime limit; in other words, the clock will keep running during a sanction period.Self-Sufficiency ReviewsCounties will be required to conduct six-month Self-Sufficiency Reviews of families with adults who are not currentlymeeting state work requirements, including child-only families where the adult is not eligible <strong>for</strong> benefits. The reviewswill assess services or resources that might be needed to help adults increase their work participation hours or removebarriers that might prevent them from working or participating in work activities. Failure to participate in the Self-Sufficiency Reviews without good cause will result in a 50 percent decrease in the family’s <strong>CalWORKs</strong> grant.Source: <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Social Services. (2009). 2009-10 budget facts. Sacramento: Author. Retrieved from:http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/entres/pdf/BudgetBlueBook.pdf16 www.ccrwf.org
When a family, without good cause,* does not comply withprogram requirements, the family’s grant is reduced toremove support <strong>for</strong> the noncompliant adult (or adults),leaving a “child-only” grant. <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> law outlines adetailed notice and appeal process that must be followedbe<strong>for</strong>e a sanction is imposed.State law does not establish a set time period <strong>for</strong> sanctionsto be in effect, although there are statutory requirementsthat counties must follow when implementing sanctions.A person who is financially sanctioned may contact thecounty at any time and request their sanction be rescinded(or “cured”), regardless of the number of times they havebeen sanctioned. The grant is only restored when the personcures their sanction.STATE DEPARTMENTSINVOLVED IN <strong>CalWORKs</strong>CDSSThe lead state department <strong>for</strong> the <strong>CalWORKs</strong> programis the <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Social Services (CDSS),which is under the <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Health and Human ServicesAgency (CHHSA).Within CDSS, the Welfare-to-Work Division is responsible<strong>for</strong> setting state policy and administering the <strong>CalWORKs</strong>program through its four branches:• Employment and Eligibility Branch consists of twobureaus: the Employment Bureau and the <strong>CalWORKs</strong>Eligibility Bureau. These Bureaus are responsible <strong>for</strong>policy development, analysis, interpretation, andguidance <strong>for</strong> the <strong>CalWORKs</strong> employment programand <strong>CalWORKs</strong> eligibility requirements.• Food Stamps Branch provides statewide policydirection to counties to administer Food Stamp (nowSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP)benefits, including protocols <strong>for</strong> serving <strong>CalWORKs</strong>clients. The Branch consists of the Food Stamp PolicyBureau, Food Stamp Management Operations Section,and Field Operations Bureau.• Child Care and Refugee Programs Branch includes twobureaus. The Child Care Bureau oversees the localadministration of Stage 1 <strong>CalWORKs</strong> child careservices and coordinates/collaborates with the<strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Education (CDE) on Stage2 and Stage 3 <strong>CalWORKs</strong> child care. The RefugeePrograms Bureau supervises the federally fundedrefugee and repatriation programs and the state-fundedTrafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program,which extends eligibility <strong>for</strong> social services and otherbenefits to non-citizens, including eligible <strong>CalWORKs</strong>clients, who are victims of human trafficking, domesticabuse, and other serious crimes.• Program Integrity Branch directs the Welfare-to-WorkDivision’s fraud prevention and detection activities,develops program technology, and administers thefederal Emergency Food Assistance Program.The Federal Data Reporting and Analysis Bureau is alsowithin CDSS. The Bureau compiles and reports <strong>CalWORKs</strong>work participation rates and other data to the federalDepartment of Health and Human Services.In addition, the Children and Family Services Division inCDSS provides child welfare services to families and childrento prevent and ameliorate child abuse and neglect. Manychildren and parents in the child welfare system also receive<strong>CalWORKs</strong> services.Other DepartmentsOther state departments have a role in providing services tofamilies involved in <strong>CalWORKs</strong>.• The <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Health Care Services(DHCS) administers the Medi-Cal program, whichcovers health care services <strong>for</strong> low-income families,including eligible <strong>CalWORKs</strong> recipients and <strong>for</strong>merrecipients. DHCS also administers the Child Healthand Disability Prevention Program, which provides<strong>CalWORKs</strong> family members under the age of 21 withregular, preventive medical check-ups.• The <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Public Health funds andadministers teen pregnancy prevention programsconsistent with federal TANF goals <strong>for</strong> reducing outof-wedlockpregnancies.• The <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Mental Health and the<strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Alcohol and Drug Programsare responsible <strong>for</strong> the administration and oversight oflocal public service programs to meet the mentalhealth and substance abuse treatment needs of<strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong>ns, including <strong>CalWORKs</strong> families.• The <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong> Department of Child Support Servicesadministers <strong>Cali<strong>for</strong>nia</strong>’s child support program byoverseeing 58 local child support offices. The programlocates non-custodial parents and collects anddistributes support payments owed to custodial parentsand their children.* “Good cause” is a condition or other circumstance that temporarily prevents, or significantly impairs, the recipient’s ability to be regularly employedor to participate in WTW activities. Some examples include lack of necessary supportive services, the applicant or recipient is a victim of domesticabuse, or child care is not reasonably available during the individual’s hours of training or employment.www.ccrwf.org17
Page 2: Kate Karpilow, Ph.D.Executive Direc
Page 7 and 8: Family FormationTANF includes polic
Page 9 and 10: Child-Only CasesChild-only cases ar
Page 11 and 12: THE CALIFORNIAPROGRAMTwo recent wav
Page 13 and 14: Table 2: Region 1 CountiesAlamedaCo
Page 15 and 16: Table 4: Comparison of Federal and
Page 17: • age 60 or older;• disabled;
Page 21 and 22: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIESCounties
Page 23 and 24: local One-Stop employment centers,
Page 25 and 26: Plans include:• activities and se
Page 27 and 28: CalWORKs legislati
Page 30 and 31: Congress under ARRA. In FY 2010-11,
Page 32 and 33: MENTAL HEALTH ANDSUBSTANCE ABUSE SE
Page 34 and 35: PROFILE OF CalWORKs</strong
Page 36 and 37: Other Issues Among CalWORKs
Page 38 and 39: CalWORKs Grant Cut
Page 40 and 41: CHILDREN and SERVICESIncrease in Ch
Page 42 and 43: 13 Ibid.14 Califor<
Page 44: About CCRWFThe Cali

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