DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE

Transcription

1 County of Santa Barbara DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09 DIVERSION SERVICES Number: CW AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CPS Reviewed: No known impact CalWIN Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes CalWORKs Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Clerical Support Reviewed: No known impact Document Imaging Reviewed: No known impact Fiscal Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Food Stamps Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Foster Care Reviewed: No known impact General Relief Reviewed: No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes IHSS Reviewed: No known impact Medi-Cal Reviewed: No known impact Reception Reviewed: No known impact Staff Development Reviewed: Incorporate in training module Stockroom Reviewed: No known impact Systems Reviewed: No known impact Systems Operations (SOU) Reviewed: No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: CalWORKs; Special Programs PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: ACL 97-68, ACL 99-90, ACL 00-48, Policy Interpretation response issue date May 4, 2009, MPP DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 1 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

2 BACKGROUND AB 1542 added section to the Welfare and Institution Code (WIC) which mandated that each county have a Diversion program for applicants and that applicants also be notified of the availability of this Diversion program prior to approval of their CalWORKs application. The Diversion program allows the CalWORKs applicant to move toward self-sufficiency by offering the applicant the option of receiving a one-time lump sum cash payment/service. The purpose of the diversion payment is to divert the family from having to rely upon monthly cash assistance through CalWORKs. The Diversion program was implemented in California effective January 1, This Administrative Directive (AD) has been updated to include CalWIN instructions and provide updated information received from the State regarding eligibility of diversion payments to timed out or undocumented adults. POLICY All CalWORKs applicants will be informed of the availability of the Diversion program. The SAWS 1 Coversheet and the SAWS 1 inform applicants of the Diversion Program. Also, during the Intake interview the applicant and the Eligibility Worker (EW) will review the E-29 (One-time Payment) form and can discuss eligibility for diversion services. An applicant for CalWORKs may either participate in the Diversion Services program or decline participation and receive aid under CalWORKs, if otherwise eligible. Per State Policy Interpretation response issued on May 4, 2009, a county may grant a diversion payment to a household where the only adult in the home is timed out or undocumented if the family meets the apparently eligible requirements for CalWORKs. The applicant is the person or family applying for aid, so the adult can be excluded from an otherwise eligible assistance unit and the family would still be eligible for a diversion payment. PROCEDURES The applicant must attend the CalWORKs Orientation and attend the face-to-face interview with the Intake EW. To be eligible for the Diversion program, the applicant must be apparently eligible for CalWORKs. Apparent eligibility means that the information provided on the Statement of Facts and information otherwise available to the county indicates that the applicant would be eligible for aid if the information on the Statement of Facts were verified. The applicant needs to provide the following information: Social Security number verification of applicant, Alien registration card or citizenship verification, Car registration, Income expected in month of application, and Verification of residency. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 2 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

3 The EW determines if the applicant could avoid the need for extended cash assistance if the applicant received a lump sum diversion payment. The worker will review the information provided by the applicant on the E-29 (One-time Payment) form, the Statement of Facts, and through the Intake interview. The EW must document what criteria they used and for what the applicant intends to use the payment. Special Note: Just because the applicant checks the E-29 (One-time Payment) that they do not want a one time payment, the EW still needs to analyze the applicant s situation. The applicant may still be a suitable candidate for a Diversion payment. Positive considerations to be reviewed: The need is for unforeseen, substantial or work related expenses. Family demonstrates a high level of self-sufficiency already. Applicant has good problem solving ability. Applicant has a well defined support system in place. Applicant has a consistent employment history shown by such factors as overall employment appropriate to applicant s age, length of time on each job reflecting stability, regular pattern of work history with few gaps, gaps covered primarily without applying for cash aid frequently. There is a likelihood that the applicant will find immediate full-time employment supported by applicant s strengths and skills in area of high demand with existing job opportunities. Overall likelihood that the applicant will become self-sufficient in the immediate future. Available income or soon to be available income will meet the family s need on an ongoing basis and there is lack of barriers to becoming self-sufficient. Applicant appears job ready in dress, attitude, manner, and skill level. Applicant has a history of stable housing. Applicant has adequate child care arrangements and plan for backup care for sick child. Some situations are possible indicators that a diversion payment is inappropriate. In a twoparent household, one parent could provide the needed stability to qualify for the diversion payment. The parent has no work history and/or marketable skills. The parent requires an extended period of schooling before they can achieve selfsufficiency. The parent has a history of multiple job changes in short period of time. The parent applies and reapplies for public assistance in a short period of time, demonstrating repeated financial crises. The parent is experiencing a basic need crisis that cannot be resolved immediately; i.e., temporary or no housing, transportation, child care, no support system. The parent is experiencing mental health or medical difficulties, is a substance abuser, or has other chronic problems that cannot be immediately resolved. The parent has a history of continual injury or illness. Sometimes this can be someone with a disabling medical problem or there may be some underlying issue. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 3 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

4 The family history indicates previous failure to utilize the diversion program according to a prior agreement and plan. If the applicant states that they want a diversion payment and the analysis shows that they are not a suitable candidate for diversion, the EW will need to explain why they are not eligible. Case comments must be entered being specific regarding the denial and the reasons used to deny the diversion payment. The EW will continue regular processing of the cash assistance application for CalWORKs. Applicant Option When an applicant has been determined to be potentially eligible to CalWORKs and to be a suitable candidate for diversion services, the EW will inform the applicant of this decision. An applicant may either choose to participate in the diversion program or decline and receive aid under CalWORKs if otherwise eligible. If the applicant chooses to participate in the diversion program: The EW will review the options on early reapplication with the applicant (i.e., recoupment of the diversion payment from the CalWORKs grant; or, count entire diversion period toward 60-month time limit); The EW and the applicant will complete the Diversion Agreement form, D-1 (hard copy) or CSF 21 (CalWIN), that includes a statement that the CalWORKs application will be denied; The EW and the applicant will complete the Self-Sufficiency Plan, D-2 (hard copy) or CSF 21 (CalWIN); The EW will complete the Diversion Evaluation form (D-3 hard copy); The EW and the applicant will complete the CW 88 Diversion Services Agreement. The EW will enter case comments regarding the offer of the diversion payment, the amount of the payment and the applicant s decision. If the applicant declines to participate in the Diversion program: The EW should request that the applicant complete a declaration that they refuse the Diversion payment. The EW continues regular processing of the cash assistance application for CalWORKs. Diversion Payment The maximum amount of a diversion payment, per episode, will be the reasonable and necessary costs up to $2,000 unless approved by a supervisor. The diversion payment may be for a single need or for a combination of needs. The application for CalWORKs will be denied once the diversion payment is issued. Diversion Period The diversion period shall be determined by dividing the value of the diversion service by the appropriate maximum aid payment (MAP) level for the apparently eligible AU at the time of the initial application. Partial months are not counted when determining the diversion period. The value of noncash services shall be determined by using the fair market value (Section ) of the services. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 4 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

5 Reapplication for CalWORKs The beginning date of aid rules apply when the individual makes a new reapplication for aid under CalWORKs after receiving diversion. If the individual reapplies for CalWORKs within the diversion period and is determined eligible for CalWORKs, then the individual has the option in choosing to allow the county to either: Have the diversion payment recouped from the CalWORKs cash aid and count no months toward the 60-month time limit, or; Count the entire diversion payment toward the 60-month time limit and do not repay the value of the diversion. If the individual opts to have the diversion payment counted, all the months in the diversion period should be counted. Example: A single mother with two children received a diversion payment of $2,375 for significant car repairs. After two months, the mother returns to apply for CalWORKs. With a MAP at the time of the initial application of $565, her diversion period is considered four months ($2,375 divided by $565 = 4.2 months) since any fraction of a month is not counted. Additionally, since she returned within this four-month diversion period, she has the option to either repay the $2,375 by grant reduction and have no months count against her 60-month time limit, or count the entire four months against her 60-month time limit with no repayment of the diversion. If this individual had returned after the four-month diversion period ended, then only one month would be counted against the 60-month time limit, and no repayment would be required. Note: If the individual reapplies for CalWORKs after the diversion period has ended and is determined eligible for aid, then only one month of the diversion period shall count toward the 60-month time limit. Potential Eligibility for Other Programs Receiving a diversion payment does not affect the applicant s ability to receive Medi-Cal, Food Stamps, and child care assistance if otherwise eligible for these programs. Regular time frames for these programs continue to exist including Expedited Service for Food Stamps. CalWORKs lump sum diversion payments are treated as a resource for Food Stamps. Diversion payments are not considered as income for Medi-Cal. Any child support collected by the applicant or recovered by the county shall not be used to offset the diversion payment. CalWORKs/TANF TIME ON AID Once the diversion payment is made, there are differences in tracking the TANF and the CalWORKs 60-month time limits. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 5 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

6 CalWORKs 60-Month Time Limit For CalWORKs, the month in which the diversion is made, counts as a month toward the CalWORKs 60-month time limit. If the recipient applies for cash aid during the diversion period and is determined eligible, the recipient shall have the option to: Have the diversion payment recouped from the CalWORKs cash aid; or Count the diversion payment toward the CalWORKs 60-month time limit. If the individual opts to have the diversion payment counted, all the months in the diversion period should be counted. The number of months counted toward the 60-month time limit is calculated by dividing the total diversion payment by the MAP for the apparently eligible AU at the time the diversion payment was made. The month(s) resulting from this calculation, less any partial month, is (are) counted toward the 60-month limit. Do not count the initial month twice. Example: A recipient with a Region 1 (Non-Exempt MAP of $561) received a lump sum diversion payment in the amount of $1,800 in March. The recipient returns to the county in May (within the diversion period), is determined eligible for CalWORKs cash aid, and opts not to have the $1,800 diversion payment recouped from the CalWORKs cash aid. The diversion payment equates to 3.2 months of aid. The partial month is dropped, and the recipient has a total of three months (March, April, and May) counted toward the 60-month time limit. Note: Any cash aid payments provided during the diversion period, as a result of returning to cash aid, are counted toward the CalWORKs 60-month time limits. TANF 60-Month Time Limit Diversion is treated differently for the TANF 60-month time limit. The main difference is that a diversion payment does not count toward the TANF time limit unless the payment meets the definition of TANF assistance in the federal regulations; then, it will count as one month toward the TANF 60-month time limit. It is anticipated that most (if not all) CalWORKs diversion payments will be excluded from the TANF definition of assistance. The federal regulation defines assistance as benefits to meet such ongoing basic needs as food, clothing, shelter, utilities, household goods, personal care items, and general incidental expenses. In federal regulations the definition of assistance excludes non-recurrent, short-term benefits, that: Are designed to deal with a specific crisis situation or episode of need; Are not intended to meet recurrent or ongoing needs; DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 6 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

7 And will not provide for needs that extend over four months. The four-month limitation does not restrict the amount of past debts or liabilities (such as overdue rent) that may be provided. It merely places a four-month limitation on the period of time for which future needs can be addressed by a single, non-recurrent, short-term benefit in order to exclude the diversion from the definition of assistance. (State law allows a county to provide a lump sum diversion service that addresses more than four months of needs.) For purposes of the federal four-month limitation, the number of months of needs is not based on the MAP for the AU in the CalWORKs program. A month of needs defined by TANF (for rent, car repairs, or utility bills, for example) is not limited to a monetary amount. The amount may be above or below the MAP amount. The federal definition of assistance also excludes supportive services such as: Child care and transportation, to employed families. Supportive services for families that were recently employed, during temporary periods of unemployment, in order to enable them to maintain continuity in their service arrangements. If the TANF-funded supportive services are provided to an unemployed family and also do not meet the exclusion above for non-recurrent, short-term benefits, then it is considered assistance and counts toward the federal TANF time limit. Note: Any cash aid payment provided during the period that the individual returns to cash aid will be considered assistance and counted toward the TANF 60-month time limit. The following examples demonstrate how a diversion payment is applied toward the CalWORKs and TANF 60-month time limits. Example 1: Diversion service for AU of 3, mother is employed: Payment is for car repairs. The intended purpose of the car is for transportation, thus, the applicant can continue working at her present job. Her job duties for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation include weekly visits to clients homes. Diversion period: For the CalWORKs diversion period calculation, the Diversion amount of $2, is divided by $694 (MAP for AU of 3) = 3 months. February, March, and April constitute the three-month diversion period. CalWORKs 60-Month Time Limit: The month of February is counted toward the CalWORKs 60-month time limit. If the individual reapplies for cash aid during the DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 7 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

8 diversion period (February through April), and chooses to have the diversion payment count toward the time limit, then the three months are counted toward the CalWORKs 60-month time limit. TANF 60-Month Time Limit: The diversion payment is not counted toward the TANF 60-month time limit because it does not meet the federal definition of assistance. Because it is not assistance, no month of aid is counted toward the TANF time limit. Any cash aid payments provided if a recipient returns to aid are counted toward both the TANF and CalWORKs 60-month time limits. Example 2: Diversion service for AU of 2, parent is employed: Payment is for truck payments and future monthly utility bills. The intended purpose is to pay off the balance of the accrued truck payment to prevent repossession by the creditor and to assist with the utility bills for the following five months. The truck is needed for transportation to work. The monthly utility bills equal $350.00/month for a total of $1,750.00, and the accrued debt for this truck is $1, Diversion period: For the CalWORKs diversion period calculation, the total diversion amount of $3, is divided by $ (MAP for AU of 2) = 5.3 months. February, March, April, May, and June constitute the five-month period. CalWORKs 60-Month Time Limit: The month of February is counted toward the CalWORKs 60-month time limit. If the individual reapplies for cash aid during the diversion period (February through June), and chooses to have the diversion payment count toward the time limit, then the five months are counted toward the CalWORKs 60- month time limit. (Partial months for diversion services do not count toward the CalWORKs time limit.) TANF 60-Month Time Limit: The diversion service amount for the utility bills is for future needs beyond the four months and is not excluded from the federal TANF definition of assistance. Therefore, the payment for the utilities is considered assistance and counts toward the TANF 60-month time limit. The month of February is counted toward the individual s TANF 60-month time limit. The past debt for this truck is excluded from the federal TANF definition of assistance and is not counted toward the TANF time limit. Any cash aid payments provided, if the recipient returns to aid, are counted toward both the TANF and CalWORKs 60-month time limits. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 8 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

9 DEFINITION OF ASSISTANCE TO SPECIFY THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH BENEFITS RECEIVED ARE COUNTED TOWARD THE 60-MONTH TIME LIMIT TANF (Federal) CLOCK Definition of Assistance Definition of assistance for purposes of the 60-month time limit includes: Cash payments, Vouchers, Other forms of benefits designed to meet a family s ongoing basic needs (i.e., for food, clothing, shelter, utilities, household goods, personal care items, and general incidental expenses.) Supportive services such as transportation and child care provided to families who are not employed. Excludes: Non-recurring, short-term benefits that: o Are designed to deal with a specific crisis situation or episode of need; o Are not intended to meet recurrent ongoing needs; o Will not extend beyond four months. Work subsidies (i.e., payments to employers or third parties to help cover the costs of employee wages, benefits, supervision, and training, such as CalWORKs Grant Based OJT or WTW grant subsidized community services.) Supportive services such as child care and transportation provided to families who are employed. For the WTW Grant Program, supportive services provided to families whether or not they are employed. Refundable earned income tax credits. Contributions to, and distributions from, Individual Development Accounts. Services such as counseling, case management, peer support, child care information and referral, transitional services, job retention, job advancement, and other employment-related services that do not provide basic income support. Transportation benefits provided under a Job Access or Reverse Commute project pursuant to Section 404(k) of the Social Security Act to an individual who is not otherwise receiving assistance. CalWORKs (State) CLOCK Definition of Assistance Definition of assistance for purposes of the 60-month time limit includes: Cash aid Special needs payments Vouchers. Excludes: Case management, Child care Other supportive services. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 9 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

10 CLIENT CORRESPONDENCE M81-215A M81-215B M81-215D M81-215E CW Denial Diversion Payment Provided CW Denial Diversion Services Provided CW Change Diversion Repayment Stops Diversion Payment/Services Deducted from 60 Month Time Limit M81-215F CW After Diversion One Month Deducted from 60 Month Time Limit ATTACHMENTS Attachment A - CalWIN Information on Processing a Diversion Payment Attachment B - Diversion Questions and Answers DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 10 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

11 Attachment A CalWIN Information on Processing a Diversion Payment Instruction on processing a CalWORKs Diversion Payment is in the CalWIN OLUM, Process a CalWORKs Diversion Payment. After Data Collection, if EDBC determines that a client is apparently eligible for CalWORKs, a window will be added to the Wrap Up queue to process the Diversion options prior to Authorization of the case. You will be able to enter the needed dollar amounts, indicate the Diversion condition, and enter the date the client signed the Diversion form. When you complete the required information you can initiate an automated calculation of the Diversion period. 1. Initiate the Wrap Up Queue and proceed through the Wrap Up windows until the Display CalWORKs Diversion window appears. 2. The Payment Month defaults to the month of the application; select another if appropriate. 3. Skip the Diversion Signed Date field. You will complete the Diversion Signed Date field after you have completed the information on the window, printed the CW 88, and have the client complete and sign the form. 4. Select the Diversion Condition from the drop down field. 5. Enter the needed dollar amounts in the relevant fields in the "Diversion Need Amount" group box. 6. Indicate whether or not this assistance provides for needs that extend over four months. 7. Click [Calculate Diversion Period]. CalWIN calculates the diversion period and displays the dates in the "Diversion Period" group box. Note: CalWIN uses the total dollar amount entered in the Diversion Need Amount group box fields divided by MAP for the apparently eligible members of the AU at the time of the initial application to calculate the Diversion Period. 8. Click [Print CW88] to locally print the diversion form for the client to complete and sign. 9. Indicate if the client has completed the CW 88 and enter the date the form was signed by the client in the Diversion Signed Date field. Note: Failure to complete and sign the CW 88, will result in a Pending eligibility status for the Diversion program. 10. Click [Process Diversion]. The Run EDBC window appears. 11. Complete the Run EDBC procedure. Display Eligibility Summary window appears. 12. Initiate Wrap Up, review results, and authorize the benefits. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 11 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

12 DIVERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Attachment B 1. Is the Diversion program mandatory in all counties? Yes. All counties must have a Diversion program. 2. Is the Diversion program separate from the CalWORKs program? Yes. Once an applicant has opted for the Diversion program, the CalWORKs application will be denied. 3. Is a recipient of the Diversion program eligible for child care? Generally, AB 1542 allows recipients of aid under Chapter 2, which includes CalWORKs and Diversion programs, to receive child care. A Diversion recipient is eligible for Stage III child care. If there are no Stage III slots available, a Diversion recipient may be served in Stage II child care. 4. Are recipients of the Diversion program categorically linked to Medi-Cal? No. However, the counties should follow the existing procedures to make the Medi-Cal eligibility determinations and process the Medi-Cal application. 5. When is the beginning date of aid for Diversion recipients who return for aid? If the Diversion recipient returns, the normal beginning date of aid rules apply, either the date of the new application or the day the applicant meets all CalWORKs program eligibility requirements, which ever is later. 6. How does the recoupment of the original Diversion payment work? Example: A single mother with two children received a Diversion payment of $2,375 for significant car repairs. After two months, the women returns to apply for CalWORKS with the intention of receiving cash aid assistance. With a MAP at the time of the application of $545, her diversion period is considered 4 months since any fraction of a whole number resulting from this computation is not counted. Additionally, since she returned within this 4 month period, she has the option to either repay the $2,375 by grant reductions as determined by the county or count the four months against her 60-month time limit. If this woman had returned after the four-month diversion period, then only one month would be counted against the 60-month time limit, and no repayment would be required. 7. For Diversion recipients who return and apply for CalWORKs assistance, do we consider them a new applicant or a restoration case? This person is considered a new applicant for aid, and the regular rules apply regarding applications and the beginning date of aid. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 12 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

13 8. Can we count Diversion payments/services toward the work participation rate? At this time, Diversion payments/services cannot be counted toward the work participation rate since they are not TANF assistance payments by definition 9. Does the receipt of diversion assistance always result in at least one month counted against the 60-month time limit? Yes. The month in which the diversion payment is made does count against the 60-month limit. If the individual does not return to receive aid within the diversion period, only this month will count. If the individual returns to receive aid within the diversion period, his/her California time clock should be adjusted as follows: If the individual has the diversion payment recouped from the grant, no months shall be counted. If the individual opts to have the diversion payment counted, all of the months in the diversion period should be counted. 10. How is diversion counted toward the clocks? Diversion payments count toward the California 60-month limit in the month in which the payment was made. If the individual does not return to receive aid within the diversion period, only this month will count. If the individual returns to receive aid within the diversion period, his/her California time clock should be adjusted as follows: If the individual has the diversion payment recouped from the grant, no months shall be counted. If the individual opts to have the diversion payment counted, all of the months in the diversion period should be counted. DSS AD Identifier: CW Page 13 of 13 Implementation Date: 1/1/98 Revised Date: 10/27/09

14 County of Santa Barbara DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: Implementation Date: August 1, 2009 CalWORKs Temporary Exemptions Due to Short Term Budget Strategies FY Revised Date: June 1, 2011 Number: CW AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CWS Reviewed: No known impact CalWIN Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes CalWORKs Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Clerical Support Reviewed: No known impact Document Imaging Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Fiscal Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Food Stamps Reviewed: No known impact Foster Care Reviewed: No known impact General Relief Reviewed: No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes IHSS Reviewed: No known impact Medi-Cal Reviewed: No known impact Reception Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Staff Development Reviewed: Incorporate in training module Stockroom Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Systems Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Systems Operations (SOU) Reviewed: No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: Post on Intranet under CalWORKs Exemptions and Welfare to Work PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: All County Letters (ACL) 09-46, 02-33, 03-59, and ACIN I Assembly Bill (AB) X4 4 (Chap. 4, Statutes of the Fourth Extraordinary Session of 2009) Sections (amended) and of the Welfare & Institutions Code (WIC) WTW AD Senate Bill (SB) 72 (Chap. 8, Statutes of 2011) DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 1 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

15 BACKGROUND On July 28, 2009, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a package of bills with solutions designed to close California s budget shortfall. These solutions included spending cuts totaling $376 million statewide to the CalWORKs single allocation, with the effect to be felt in Welfare to Work (WTW) and Stage 1 Child Care programs. The budget agreement included significant policy changes to CalWORKs, scheduled to take effect in 2011; these changes will not be addressed in this Administrative Directive (AD). The budget agreement enacted by Assembly Bill (AB) X4 4 provided several temporary policy changes to be implemented effective August 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011, for an immediate cost savings to the state. These temporary policy changes are outlined in this AD along with implementation instructions. On March 24, 2011, Senate Bill (SB) 72 (Chapter 8, Statutes of 2011) was signed into law by Governor Brown. SB 72 effects a number of changes to CalWORKs including reduction of the CalWORKs time limit from 60 months to 48 months; however, this AD will only address the repeal of the long-term reforms enacted by AB X4 4 and the extension of the CalWORKs short-term exemptions. In mid-may 2011, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) completed a mass mailing (Temp 2251) to all CalWORKs recipients informing them of all changes related to SB72, including extension of the short-term exemptions. In analyzing how to best implement the temporary policy changes, it was discovered that our county did not previously implement the use of a required state form and the accompanying required determination notice per instructions released in ACL Upon release of this AD, the use of the CalWORKs Time Limit and Welfare-to-Work Participation Exemption Request Form (TEMP CW 2186A) and the CalWORKs and Welfare-to-Work Time Limit Exemption Determination (CW 2186B) will be required as part of the applicant intake process and recipient redetermination process. POLICY AB X4 4 amended WIC Section to establish a new short-term CalWORKs time limit exemption through June 30, 2011; SB 72 extends the short-term time limit exemption through June 30,2012. The new short-term exemption specifically applies to applicant and recipient parents and caretaker relatives with primary responsibility for the care of one child between the ages of 12 and 23 months, and those with two or more children under the age of six. It is our current county policy to allow exemption from WTW for the parent or relative caregiver with primary responsibility for the care of a child up to 12 months of age (first exemption) or up to 12 weeks of age (subsequent exemption) under MPP , and this policy remains in effect. Please note that the exemption for care of a child up to 12 weeks or 12 months does NOT stop the CalWORKs clock do not follow the BENDS instructions outlined in this AD for those exemptions. Applicants and recipients who meet the new short-term exemption criteria will not be required to participate in WTW and will have their CalWORKs 48-month time clock stopped for as long as they continue to meet the exemption criteria, or through June 30, 2012, whichever comes first. Months in which the short-term exemption is applied shall not count against the CalWORKs clock, pursuant to Section WIC. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 2 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

16 For individuals in a two-parent assistance unit, one parent or caretaker relative must be granted exemption based on the care of a child (MPP Section ). The participating individual is required to fulfill the 35-hour participation requirement for a two-parent household during the other individual s exempt period. Once the exemption ends, if one parent is fulfilling the 35-hour participation requirement, the other parent may opt out of participating in WTW. The short-term exemption does not apply to pregnant or parenting teens under the age of 20 who have not earned a high school diploma. The state has directed that for purposes of the short-term exemption, the exemption will automatically cure a sanction. If a sanctioned client meets the short-term exemption criteria, the client must be considered to have cured the sanction by becoming exempt and must be added back to the assistance unit in accordance with WTW AD If a client who met the short-term exemption criteria was in sanction status prior to 8/1/09, the client should be considered to have cured their sanction and added back to the assistance unit effective 8/1/09. If the client did not meet the new criteria and was sanctioned on or after 8/1/09, but subsequently meets the short-term exemption criteria, the client s sanction may be cured and the client added back to the assistance unit effective the first of the month following the date the short-term exemption criteria was met. Ad Hoc report DSS032 includes individuals sanctioned under 90 days, and must be reviewed to identify individuals who may be able to cure a sanction by requesting the short-term exemption. Ad Hoc report DSS113 captures individuals who are in the noncompliance process and must be reviewed to identify individuals who can be given good cause for noncompliance due to meeting the short-term exemption criteria. All CalWORKs cases granted back to the beginning date of aid of August 1, 2009 must be reviewed to determine whether the CalWORKs parent or relative caretaker qualifies in the short-term exempt category. An Ad Hoc report will be provided to CalWORKs Supervisors by mid-december for use in identifying individuals who would have qualified for the short-term exemption as of August 1 st. A mass mailing was completed by our CalWIN vendor before mid-december 2009 to provide CalWORKs households with children under the age of seven with an Informing Notice in English and Spanish (Attachment 1) and the CalWORKs Time Limit and Welfare to Work Participation Exemption Request Form (TEMP CW 2186A) form (Attachment 2). We must also implement the immediate use of two required forms that allow CalWORKs applicants and recipients to request exemption from WTW. The CalWORKs Time Limit and Welfare to Work Participation Exemption Request Form (TEMP CW 2186A) must be included in the CalWORKs application process as well as the CalWORKs redetermination (RRR) process. The CalWORKs and Welfare to Work Time Limit Exemption Determination (CW 2186B)(Attachment 3) is required to formally respond to the TEMP CW 2186A request form within 15 calendar days of receipt of verbal or written request for exemption. These forms will be used to identify those individuals who meet the newly-defined exempt definition, and to inform them of the determination regarding the request. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 3 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

17 Our county will continue to allow exempt CalWORKs recipients to voluntarily participate in the WTW Program; further, we will not discontinue WTW services for those participants already engaged in WTW activities who now meet the new exempt criteria. PROCEDURES CalWORKs Applicants Implementation: At the time of the interactive Data Collection appointment, every CalWORKs adult applicant must be provided with the CalWORKs Time Limit and Welfare to Work Participation Exemption Request Form (TEMP CW 2186A). The TEMP CW 2186A contains specific wording regarding the new exempt category and is not available in the CalWIN Client Correspondence system at this time. This form is available at the State internet forms site. Shelf stock has been requested for each district office. This form must be provided to all applicant adults, not only those who may meet the new exemption criteria. The TEMP CW 2186A must be retained in the CalWORKs e-file along with all other Application with Verifications documents. The assigned Intake Eligibility Worker (EW) must respond to the TEMP CW 2186A request form by issuing the CalWORKs and Welfare to Work Time Limit Exemption Determination (CW 2186B) NOA to approve or deny the exemption within 15 calendar days of request. This NOA is available in CalWIN Client Correspondence under Print a NOA Manually. The CW 2186B NOA can be completed and printed immediately or completed and mailed through the CalWIN batch process. There is no need to scan this NOA into the CalWORKs e-file since a copy is retained in the CalWIN Client Correspondence subsystem. CalWORKs adults who meet the new exempt criteria of one child from 12 through 23 months of age, or at least two children who are under six years of age will need to have a manual exemption entered into CalWIN to override the EDBC-determined exemption results and to appropriately interface with WDTIP to stop the CalWORKs Time on Aid Clock. Follow BENDS 5215 (Attachment 4) for correct sequence of steps. If additional verification from the applicant is needed to determine whether an exemption can be applied, the Intake EW must provide the required verification forms and allow the applicant a reasonable amount of time to provide the verification. If the CalWORKs case is granted before receipt of a pending verification, the case can be assigned to CalWORKs Ongoing, and the assigned Ongoing EW will be responsible for follow up by completing and sending the CW 2186B NOA. The specified time limit of 15 calendar days to respond to the exemption request form may be extended if additional information is required from the individual and Case Comments reflect this extension. CalWORKs Recipients Implementation: An Informing Notice has been created and will be mailed by the CalWIN vendor with the TEMP CW 2186A to all recipient CalWORKs households identified for potential eligibility to the new temporary exemption. Each CalWORKs Unit Supervisor will receive an Ad Hoc Report no later than mid- December to use for identifying households potentially qualifying for the new exemption DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 4 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

18 criteria, and those currently exempt due to a child under 12 months or 12 weeks. This Ad Hoc will identify all households who were mailed an Informing Notice. When completed TEMP CW 2186A forms are returned, the assigned EW must respond to the form using the CW 2186B Determination Form within 15 calendar days of receipt of the request. The CW 2186B is available in CalWIN Client Correspondence under Print a NOA Manually. CalWORKs Recipients Ongoing Process: Providing the TEMP CW 2186A is required at the time of CalWORKs Redetermination (RRR), and must be provided to all adult recipients in the assistance unit along with the RRR packet. When the EW or CES is aware that a CalWORKs adult who is required to participate in WTW may meet an exemption (any exemption not only the short-term exemption) the EW or CES must provide the individual with the TEMP CW 2186A request form. The EW must follow up to respond to requested exemptions by either approving or denying the request within 15 calendar days of receipt of request by using the CW 2186B Determination Form, available in CalWIN Client Correspondence under Print a NOA Manually. TIME ON AID (WDTIP) The short-term exemption stops the CalWORKs 48-month time clock. BENDS 5215 provides a workaround that allows CalWIN to interface with WDTIP to correctly stop the CalWORKs 48-month time clock, but uses an existing WDTIP Program Exception Reason Code (caring for ill/incap). A new WDTIP Program Exception and Exception Reason code has been created for the new exemption but CalWIN will not be able to interface with these codes until some time in the future. It is an option to create a Special Indicator in order to track the short-term exemption for future reference in reconciling TOA records. Refer to BENDS 5215 instructions. A new Notice of Action for use when making adjustments to the time on aid (TOA) clocks due to the new limit exemptions is available on the state forms website. TEMP M40-107a explains the change in the exemptions rules and provides information regarding remaining time on aid. All other existing notice requirements related to TOA remain in place in accordance with MPP Section (a)(4). FORMS CalWORKs Time Limit and Welfare to Work Participation Exemption Request Form (TEMP CW 2186A). This is a temporary revision of the existing CW 2186A request form that includes the new exemption criteria. This form will be used exclusively through June 30, 2012 for all exemption requests. This NOA has been updated to reflect the new 48-month CalWORKs time limit. Available at state forms website. CalWORKs and Welfare to Work Time Limit Exemption Determination (CW 2186B). This is the required NOA with Fair Hearing instructions that must be used to inform the recipient that their request for exemption was approved or denied. This NOA DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 5 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

19 has been updated to reflect the new 48-month CalWORKs time limit. Available at state forms website. ATTACHMENTS 1. Informing Notice (two-sided) English and Spanish 2. CalWORKs Time Limit and Welfare to Work Participation Exemption Request Form (TEMP CW 2186A) 3. CalWORKs and Welfare to Work Time Limit Exemption Determination (CW 2186B) 4. BENDS Questions and Answers (based on county specific questions and ACIN I-60-10). DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 6 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

20 Attachment 1 IMPORTANT NOTICE About CalWORKs Exemptions If you are a CalWORKs parent or caretaker relative who is responsible for caring for: one child who is newborn to 23 months of age OR two (or more) children who are under 6 years of age You may be exempt from participating in the Welfare to Work (WTW) Program. This exemption stops your CalWORKs 60- month time limit clock for as long as you meet the exemption, or through June 30, 2011 (whichever comes first). If you think that you meet the new rules for these exemptions, fill out the enclosed Request Form (TEMP CW 2186A) and return to your CalWORKs or WTW worker. If you have questions about this form, contact your county worker. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 7 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

21 AVISO IMPORTAMTE Sobre las Exenciones en el Programa de Asistencia Monetaria (CalWORKs) Si usted es padre o madre de familia que recibe beneficios de Asistencia Monetaria (CalWORKs) o pariente quien es responsable del cuidado de: un niño recién nacido a 23 meses de edad O dos (o más) niños menores de 6 años de edad Usted puede se excluido de participar en el programa de "Transición de Asistencia Publica Hacia el Trabajo" (Welfare to Work). Esta exención detiene el reloj del límite de tiempo de 60 meses siempre y cuando cumpla con los requisitos de la exención, o hasta el 30 de Junio del año 2011 (lo que ocurra primero). Si usted piensa que cumple con las nuevas normas para este tipo de exención, rellene el formulario adjunto (TEMP CW 2186A) y regréselo a su trabajador/a de de Asistencia Monetaria (CalWORKs) o de Transición de Asistencia Publica Hacia el Trabajo (WTW). Si tiene preguntas sobre este formulario, comuníquese con su trabajador/a. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 8 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

22 DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 9 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

23 DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 10 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

24 DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 11 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

25 DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 12 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

26 Attachment 4 BENDS #5215 Title: Users Affected: Effective Dates: New Temporary WTW Exemptions Eligibility Workers and Career Employment Specialists August 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 (or later) Reference: CW AD and All County Letter (ACL) Description: Two short term reforms were signed into statute (AB X4 4) effective July 28, Parent or other relative who has primary responsibility for providing care for one child 12 to 23 months of age, or two (or more) children under age six are exempt from WTW participation. This exemption stops the CalWORKs 60-month clock. 2. Good Cause due to lack of supportive services available from the county. This is a Good Cause reason that stops the CalWORKs 60- month clock. Santa Barbara County is not using this Good Cause reason. Both of these short term reforms will become inoperative on July 1, 2011 unless extended by the California legislature. This BENDS document will provide the basic steps required to enter the new exemption to correctly interface with WDTIP to stop the CalWORKs 60-month clock. Refer to CW AD regarding the policy for applying either the temporary exemption. Section 1 provides instructions for entering the new exemption for participants who choose not to volunteer for WTW. Section 2 provides instructions for entering the new exemption for participants who volunteer to participant in WTW (Exempt Volunteers). DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 13 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

27 SECTION 1: Participants Who Meet New Exemption--NOT Volunteering for WTW Step 1. EW or CES Action Navigating to Participant record Click Employment Services Participation on the Navigate CalWIN window. Double-click the Employment Services heading in the Action group box. Select the Display Case Employment Services Participation window from the expanded tree view in the Action group box. Enter the participant s case number and click [Open]. The Maintain Individual s Employment Services Participation window appears displaying all Employment Services programs for which the participant was evaluated. Double-click on the appropriate row to select the program you wish to up date. The Maintain Employment Services Participation window appears with the Registration tab displayed. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 14 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

28 EW or CES NOTE: If the individual is currently Exempt (for reasons other than the new temporary WTW exemption reasons) and the CalWORKs clock is not ticking, the current Exempt reason does not need to be updated or changed. To add one of the new WTW Exemption reasons go to Step 5 to add additional exemption reason(s). DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 15 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

29 2. EW or CES To End and Add a Registration Status of Exempt Highlight the line of the registration status that is ending. Enter the End Date. Click the Add icon to add a record Complete the Status Program: select Exempt Enter the Begin Date for the manual exemption (This is the date the Exemption will begin) Complete the Participation : select Mandatory Click the Save icon 3. EW or CES Message Code 374 The current registration status requires a reason will display Click OK. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 16 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

30 4. EW or CES Entering a reason for exemption The Maintain Registration Status Reason Box will appear. Select: Exempt Caregiver of Ill or Incapacitated Household member. This must be the first Exemption reason for the participant in order to stop the CalWORKs clock. SAVE. A second exemption reason will be entered to track that this is actually the new temporary exemption reason, after this first reason is entered and saved. Enter a Review Date and/or End Date:. In general: Enter the beginning date of Exemption reason on the Begin Date. Enter the date the exemption reason needs to be reviewed on the Review field (usually the 1 st day of the month the exemption is to expire) Enter the date the exemption reason is to end in the End Date field (last day of the month) Click the Save icon Close this window DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 17 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

31 5. EW or CES Adding the second exemption reason for the participant From the Maintain Registration Status Reason window. The Exempt Caregiver of Ill or Incapacitated Household member will be displayed. Click on the Add icon to add another record on this window. Reason: select the second reason. The correct exemption reason to select is: Manual Exemption: Child 12 to 23 months or 2 children under 6 Begin Date: date exemption reason to begin-this will be the same begin date as entered for Exempt Caregiver of Ill or Incapacitated Household member Enter Review Date and enter End Date. EW Reminder: Once the manual exemption reasons are entered and saved in the ES Subsystem, EDBC will be triggered to run in batch. The EW must be notified to take action to run EDBC online or set up Batch run because each month that the exemption is applied must be re-evaluated by entering Y to Evaluate Benefit Discrepancy for CalWORKs. This is a necessary step in order for the CalWORKs Time Clock to untick automatically for exempt months. Completing this step correctly will help avoid manually adjusting Time Clocks in the future! DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 18 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

32 6. CES The Display Timeline Manager Messages may display. Click OK. 7. EW or CES Entering Case Comments Click on the Case Comments icon Enter the appropriate reason(s) why meeting the new WTW exemption. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 19 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

33 8. EW 8-A EW Reminder: Once the manual exemption reasons are entered and saved in the ES Subsystem, EDBC will be triggered to run in batch. The EW must be notified to take action to run EDBC online or set up the Batch run correctly-- each month of the exemption must be re-evaluated by entering Y to Evaluate Benefit Discrepancy for CalWORKs. This is a necessary step in order for the CalWORKs Time Clock to untick automatically for exempt months. Completing this step correctly will help avoid manually adjusting Time Clocks in the future! Wrap-Up results If NO is clicked when asked Do you want to Save changes? Reminder note: When reviewing Display Employment Services Exemption Results Message code 1 will appear asking user Do you want to Save changes? Remember that you are seeing the pending system-determined exemption reasons NOT the manual exemptions you just entered. Click NO. This is to prevent CalWIN from overriding the exemptions you just entered. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 20 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

34 8-B EW Wrap-Up results If YES is clicked when asked Do you want to Save changes? Reminder note: When reviewing Display Employment Services Exemption Results Message code 1 will appear asking user Do you want to Save changes? Message Code 583 will appear. Click NO user will be returned to the Display Employment Services Exemption Results window and Message Code 1: Do you want to Save changes? will pop-up again. The user can select No at this time and the manually entered exemptions will be preserved. If the results are saved, or the user clicks on YES the manual exemptions just entered will not update the Individual Time Clock for the individual to be non-ticking. Also the Maintain Employment Services Participation window will automatically updated to end-date the Exempt Status and enter a new Registered-Mandatory status. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 21 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

35 10. EW Special Note Regarding Display Employability Summary window. It is recommended this window be completed only when the participant truly meets the exemption of caring for an ill or incapacitated household member, or other exemption as captured on this window. This true for those cases that do not meet the new WTW exemption, but actually meet the original exemption their data would be preserved and accurate. Counties will have the ability to run ad-hoc reports to capture cases that truly meet the exemption of caregiver for ill or incapacitated household member. They will also be able to generate reports for those cases that have the two manual exemption reasons entered for tracking and follow-up work. 11. EW or CES Client Correspondence Review the NOAs and/or other correspondence produced by CalWIN for accuracy. The new manual exemption reasons are not set to trigger any special correspondence or notices. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 22 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

36 SECTION 2: Exempt Participants Who Volunteer to Participate in WTW Step 1. CES Action Navigating to Participant record Click Employment Services Participation on the Navigate CalWIN window. Double-click the Employment Services heading in the Action group box. Select the Display Case Employment Services Participation window from the expanded tree view in the Action group box. Enter the participant s case number and click [Open]. The Maintain Individual s Employment Services Participation window appears displaying all Employment Services programs for which the participant was evaluated. Double-click on the appropriate row to select the program you wish to up date. The Maintain Employment Services Participation window appears with the Registration tab displayed. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 23 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

37 2. CES Add new record by clicking on the Add icon Enter Registered for Program Status Enter Begin Date of Volunteer status Select Voluntary for Participation and SAVE IMPORTANT NOTE: Registering a volunteer will require re-entry of the Exempt status line as shown below, in order to keep the CalWORKs 60 month clock unticked. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 24 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

38 3-A. CES Adding Voluntary Registered status and the Mandatory Exemption status at the same time: Enter an End Date for the Registered Mandatory record. Click on the add icon. Select Exempt for Program Status. Enter the Begin Date, ensuring this date is the same Begin Date as the Registered-Voluntary record just entered. See Step 2 above. For Participation select Mandatory. SAVE. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 25 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

39 3-B. CES and EW Problems with Concurrent Statuses: When there are two open-ended statuses (Exempt-Mandatory and Registered-Voluntary), CalWIN only recognize the exemption to correctly untick the CalWORKs clock when it is entered LAST. Problems occur when entering the Registered-Voluntary status after the Exempt- Mandatory status. To remedy this, it is necessary to enter an End Date for the first Exempt status before the Registered-Voluntary status, and re-enter the Exempt status again with a Begin Date that is one day after the Registered- Voluntary status. Once this remedy is applied, EDBC must be run by the EW with every exempt month re-evaluated for CalWORKs in order to untick the CalWORKs clock. 4. CES Note: The correct Registration status for an exempt volunteer participant is indicated by 2 records with open End Dates: Registered Voluntary And Exempt Mandatory DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 26 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

40 CalWORKs Temporary Exemptions Due to Short Term Budget Strategies FY 09/10 Attachment 5 Questions & Answers (Based on county-specific questions and ACIN I-60-10) 1. Is the EW required to complete the Employability Summary window or the Disability/Medical Conditions window in Data Collection for the new exemption? Answer There is no need to enter information into either window for the temporary exemption. 2. The AD (BENDS 5215) instructions state that when the manual exemption reasons are entered and saved, EDBC will be triggered to run in Batch and that the EW needs to enter a Y to re-evaluate months affected by new exemption so the CalWORKs clock will untick. We don t have the capacity to enter Y for those months when EDBC runs in Batch. Answer An EW does have the ability to re-evaluate affected months (see How-To section for screen shots) for a case set to run in Batch if they know changes have been made by the CES. Due to quarterly reporting and RRR timeframes, however, it may not reasonable to expect the EW to update CalWIN the same day the CES enters new exemption reasons. If the EW does not enter Y to re-evaluate the months affected by the exemption entries on the same day, EDBC will run in Batch and default to N for past months and the CalWORKs clock will not untick. The burden is then on the EW to remember to run EDBC and re-evaluate all months affected by the exemption at whatever future time they are working on the case (processing QR or RRR). The main problem with waiting is the Time on Aid complications the new exemption saves months on the CalWORKs clock so we run the risk of clients erroneously timing out because the CalWORKs clock is incorrect. 3. Does the 60-month CalWORKS clock tick when a parent who is exempt due to the new temporary exemptions chooses to volunteer for WTW? Answer No, the 60-month time clock does not tick when an exempt client chooses to volunteer. 4. Case scenario: Two parent household with two children under 6. One parent is participating in WTW and the other parent is sanctioned. Does one parent qualify for the exemption? If so, how do we determine which parent to exempt? Answer The parent who has primary responsibility for personally providing care is the parent who will be exempt. If it is the sanctioned parent, per the state, the sanction is cured and the exemption applied to that parent. If it is the participating parent, they receive the exemption and the sanctioned parent remains sanctioned. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 27 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

41 5. How would the new temporary exemption criteria apply to a family in a two-parents AU when the parents are both contributing to the 35-hour requirement? Answer One parent must receive the exemption and have their CalWORKs 60-month clock stopped. The parent can volunteer and continue to contribute towards the 35-hour participation requirement. If the exempt parent chooses not to volunteer then the nonexempt parent will be responsible for meeting the 35-hour requirement. 6. Can both parents in a two-parent AU be exempt? What about when one parent is a Cal Learn participant and the other parent is a mandatory WTW registrant? Answer It is possible for both parents in an AU to be exempt, however, only one parent can qualify for the new temporary exemption based on being primary caretaker of the young child(ren). The other parent may have their own exemption based on disability. Cal Learn parents are excused from WTW participation, so if the family qualified for the new temporary exemption it must be granted to the WTW registered parent; there is no 35-hour work requirement for the AU until one of the parents no longer qualifies for their exemption. 7. Can one parent in a two-parent AU receive the new temporary exemption while the other parent is exempt due to care of an ill or incapacitated household member? Answer If one parent is exempt due to verified care of an ill or incapacitated household member which also verified that caretaking responsibilities impair their ability to provide adequate care for their own child(ren), then the other parent can be granted the temporary exemption. 8. What about stepparents or Registered Domestic Partners (RDPs)? Are they part of the AU and if so, can they receive the new temporary exemption? Answer For WTW purposes, stepparents and RDPs do not count in the AU and are not mandatory WTW participants, therefore, not eligible to the temporary exemption. If the RDP (or samesex spouse) has not adopted the child(ren), he or she is treated as a stepparent. The family is considered a single-parent AU with a 32-hour work requirement. 9. The new exemption and Good Cause criteria are confusing, especially when it comes to parents with children under 1 year old. Why aren t we giving the new clock-stopping Good Cause to everyone with kids under 24 months to simplify things? Answer The new exemption is not an option for counties it is a mandate from the State. We don t have the authority to opt not to apply the new exemption. The state has clarified that Good Cause Due to Lack of Supportive Services cannot be applied to someone who is already exempt therefore, we cannot use Good Cause to stop the CalWORKs clock for those parents with children under 12 months old. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 28 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

42 10. The CalWORKs clock is still ticking even though all entries have been made in the correct order (see How-To section for correct order of entries). Answer We have an outstanding help ticket with the Project regarding this issue. We have seen a number of cases that have exemption entries in the correct order, EDBC run online and all affected months re-evaluated, and the CalWORKs clock correctly stopping and then resuming in a future month. Staff will be informed once this issue is resolved. We are also developing and Ad Hoc report for use by supervisors to identify cases eligible to the new exemption. This report will allow supervisors to identify cases with improper exemption entries and time clock problems. 11. Is completion of the TEMP CW2186A required for a parent to receive the new exemption? Is a verbal request required? Answer The county is required to provide the form to clients, but clients are not required to complete it this is stated on the form. We apply the exemption when we become aware that a client is eligible to the exemption, and we apply it retroactively to cover all time they would have been eligible to the new exemption (not earlier than 8/1/09). 12. The AD states that the new exemption cures an existing sanction. Should we resolve noncompliance with good cause for someone who now meets the exemption criteria? Answer Yes. The state is clear the new exemption cures a sanction, so non-compliance would be resolved with good cause. 13. Case scenario: A sanctioned parent with two children under 6 but one is an SSI child, excluded from the AU. Does this parent qualify for new exemption and sanction cure? Answer Yes. All biological or adopted children in the household, including MFG, can be counted to qualify for the exemption. 14. Case scenario: A single mom with a child who is 1-1/2 (and used 12 month exemption) and now has a baby how much exemption time does she get? Answer Exempt for two children under 6 years old. 15. Case scenario: Two parent household dad is undocumented and mom is WTW sanctioned. They have a four year old and an infant. How do we apply the exemption to this family do we consider the dad s availability for the kids and not cure mom s sanction? Answer The parent who has primary responsibility for the care of the children receives the exemption. An undocumented parent is not considered in the AU therefore not considered as exempt, so the mom is offered the exemption (which would cure the sanction). DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 29 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

43 16. Case scenario: Two parent household unmarried couple with two children in common and mom s child from previous relationship. Common children aren t aided due to dad s full time employment. Mom received exemption for child less than 12 months of age for her own aided child. Is this mom entitled to new exemption? Answer If she has primary responsibility for the care of her children, even unaided ones, and she has one between the months or two under six, then yes. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 30 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

44 How-To Screen Shots How to Re-Evaluate Months for EDBC Batch Run: DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 31 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

45 DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 32 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

46 Things to Know About the Exemption Process The Employment Services subsystem maintains and tracks the exemption status for every participant and for every program. The initial determination of exemption from Employment Services programs is made by the EDBC subsystem based on program regulations and information gathered through the Data Collection process. CalWIN allows an authorized worker to override the exemption determination made in the EDBC process this can be done in the Wrap Up process or directly in the ES Subsystem. When a manual registration status is present in the ES Subsystem, a warning message will generate when a user attempts to save EDBC-determined results that are different from the manual registration status. Selecting YES may or may not result in Message Code 191. If there is a manual Exempt (Mandatory) status only, then CalWIN will override the status to add the status of Registered with the current date you will see Message Code 191 and be required to rerun EDBC because this constitutes a change to Case Data. If there is a manual Exempt (Mandatory) status and a manual Registered (Volunteer) status, you will not receive Message Code 191 and can proceed to authorize your case. This is because CalWIN sees that the individual is already Registered (even though it is a Voluntary status). DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 33 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

47 When you choose to override a manual exemption, CalWIN will add the Registered status to the ES Subsystem and this can create a contiguous date problem. Whenever you see an End Date that precedes a Begin Date, you can assume that overriding a manual status caused the problem. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 34 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

48 Correct Order of Entries for Exempt Volunteers to WTW When registering an exempt person as a volunteer for WTW, there is a specific order that entries must be made in order to tell CalWIN that the volunteer participant is still exempt. This is very important in order to ensure that the TANF and CalWORKs time clocks are updated correctly. The last status entered must be the Exempt (Mandatory) status this is how CalWIN knows what to do about the Time On Aid clocks. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 35 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

49 The Correct Order of Exemption Reason Entries If You Need To Correct Order Of Registration Entries: How To Delete Statuses DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 36 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

50 DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 37 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

51 Registered (Voluntary) history verifies that entry was made BEFORE the Exempt (Mandatory) entry. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 38 of 38 Implementation Date: 8/1/2009, 7/26/2010 Revised Date: 6/1/2011

52 County of Santa Barbara DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Resource Support Team Referral Process Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11 Number: AD WTW DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CWS Reviewed: No known impact CalWIN Reviewed: No known impact CalWORKs Incorporate into current RST Business Process Clerical Support Reviewed: No known impact Document Imaging Reviewed: No known impact Fiscal Reviewed: No known impact Food Stamps Reviewed: No known impact Foster Care Reviewed: No known impact General Relief Reviewed: No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Reviewed: No known impact IHSS Reviewed: No known impact Medi-Cal Reviewed: No known impact Reception Reviewed: No known impact Staff Development Reviewed: No known impact Stockroom Reviewed: No known impact Systems Reviewed: No known impact Systems Operations (SOU) Reviewed: No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: CalWORKs, WTW PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 1 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

53 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The County of Santa Barbara Departments of Social Services (DSS) and Alcohol, Drug & Mental Health Services (ADMHS) staff, who work jointly with California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Act (CalWORKs) recipients, agree with and will strive to adhere to the following principles and practices: To deliver the most effective services in a coordinated and cooperative approach with both departments working in a collaborative manner. To develop a program that serves the diverse CalWORKs populations. To co-locate staff enabling a seamless service delivery system and reducing the time between the two agencies. To engage non-responsive participants through a community outreach program. To develop a strengths-based rather than a deficits-based approach enhancing the participant s self-esteem and assisting the client in developing a career goal. To primarily focus our efforts on work as employment is essential in moving the participant toward self-sufficiency. PROCEDURES The following provides guidelines for referral of Welfare to Work (WTW) participants to the ADMHS CalWORKs Resource Support Team (RST). Referral to the RST for identification of barriers posed by (but not limited to) Mental Health issues, Substance Abuse, Learning Disability (AD 02-01) and/or Domestic Abuse (AD 01-08) may occur during CalWORKs initial Intake, Self-Sufficiency participation, or when identified by the Career Employment Specialist (CES). Additionally, the WTW participant can self-refer to the RST during the course of her/his participation in the CalWORKs Program. RST is available for immediate crisis intervention. In all cases, when an individual is in the office (during an interview with CalWORKs or contracted staff) and a referral need is identified, CalWORKs or contracted staff should call the RST and schedule an interview appointment with RST while the individual is in the office. Ensure that the E-75 Program Information form is reviewed and signed by the individual. If RST staff is not available, contact ACCESS at DSS Eligibility Procedures An Eligibility Worker (EW) may identify an individual who appears to have an emotional disorder, substance abuse problem and/or domestic abuse issue that would impair the participant s ability to attend or successfully complete any program component. When this occurs the EW shall: Intake Review the appraisal forms and, after ensuring that the participant has signed a Program Information Form (E-75, Attachment A), complete sections I and II of the Internal Referral Form (E-74, Attachment B). The original Internal Referral Form shall be sent to the appropriate RST staff member. The EW will suspend referral to Employment Services and refer the applicant to the CalWORKs RST. In addition the EW will: 1. Complete WTW Referral (E-37, Attachment C) and notify the WTW supervisor that the client was referred to the CalWORKs RST. (The WTW supervisor will assign the case to a CES, ideally within one day after the referral is received and will inform the RST which CES received the case). DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 2 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

54 2. The RST will follow-up the referral within 5 days of receipt of referral with the Internal Referral Form (E-74, Attachment B) and inform the CES of the outcome of the initial contact. 3. After meeting with the participant the RST will determine whether the participant is able to attend or continue attending Job Club and notify the CES. 4. All information and feedback from the RST shall be filed in the WTW Confidential folder in DocStar. Eligibility staff should attempt to expedite the approval for cash assistance since only recipients may be referred into the provider network. Referral for Mental Health Services will be on hold until CalWORKs is granted. Alcohol and Substance abuse referrals will be made to a Medi-Cal Provider. Ongoing (Mandatory Recipients) The EW shall complete sections I and II of the Internal Referral Form and send the original copy to the appropriate RST. In addition the EW will: 1. Complete WTW referral (E-37, Attachment C) and notify the assigned CES that the client was referred to the CalWORKs RST. 2. File all information and feedback from the RST in DocSTAR, WTW Confidential folder. IMPORTANT: If at any time the client s cash assistance is discontinued, the CES will notify the RST via the CalWORKs Status Update form (E-73, Attachment D) Referral of Exempt CalWORKs Clients Participants who are exempt from WTW participation, but who present to the CalWORKs Eligibility staff with potential Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Domestic Abuse, or Learning Disability issues and who express interest in treatment services may be referred to RST Staff for evaluation and referral to existing resources. Unless exempt individuals volunteer for WTW, CalWORKs may not fund services for them. The RST will conduct an assessment and serve as a referral source, but will neither authorize services nor approve them for reimbursement under CalWORKs. At any time an individual who is exempt from participation may volunteer in the WTW program to access RST services. The CES shall contact the EW to request that the EW register the client as a volunteer for WTW. The participant may also self-refer to the RST. In both cases the RST will contact the CES to confirm that the participant is being seen by the RST. Self-Referred Individual A CalWORKs client may self-refer to the RST at any time. Reasons for self-referral, may include but are not limited to the following: loss of an exemption currently exempt in the Cal-Learn program DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 3 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

55 If the CalWORKs client indicates to either the RST or CES that s/he would like to participate in the WTW program, an shall be sent to the EW indicating that the individual has requested RST services. Once this request is made, the EW shall: Complete WTW Referral (E-37, Attachment C) and notify the CES that the client was referred to the CalWORKs RST. The case shall be assigned to a CES no later than the day after the referral is received. The RST will follow-up within 5 days of receipt of referral with the Internal Referral Form (E-74, Attachment B) informing the CES of the outcome of the initial contact. All information and feedback received from the RST shall be filed in DocStar in the WTW Confidential folder. If the EW receives a request from the client by telephone, the EW shall: Complete the WTW Referral (E-37, Attachment C) and forward it to RST with a copy to the assigned CES Send to the client the Program Information Form (E-75) Contracted Staff If a participant is experiencing difficulty attending and/or participating in Orientation, Appraisal or Job Club due to Mental Health, Alcohol and/or Substance Abuse, or Domestic abuse, a referral shall be made to the assigned CES (or Intake EW if no CES yet assigned). 1. If appropriate, Job Club participation shall be suspended and the participant shall be advised that s/he is being referred to their assigned CES for review of their current situation. 2. Contracted staff will complete the Program Information Form (E-75) and forward to the CES or Intake EW (if no assigned CES) and send the completed Orientation/Appraisal folder to the WTW unit for CES assignment. If the CES determines that Job Club participation will not likely to lead to employment or would not be beneficial, the participant would not be required to continue in Job Club. The participant would, however, have the option to continue in Job Club. 3. If appropriate the CES will follow established procedures for referral to RST. 4. If appropriate, RST will follow-up the referral with the Internal Referral Form (E-74, Attachment B) informing the CES of the outcomes and initial contact information. Career Employment Specialists (CES) The CES will refer participants to the RST when a concern exists that mental health, emotional issues, substance abuse, learning disabilities and/or domestic abuse may interfere with the participant s ability to obtain or retain employment. If the client self-refers to the RST, that staff member will contact the EW or CES. While the RST can assess barriers to employment, no provider network services can be delivered to address those barriers unless the participant is registered in the WTW program by DSS staff. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 4 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

56 The participant shall be asked to sign a Program Information Form (E-75, Attachment A). The CES will consult with the RST for any input in development of the WTW plan. If the participant has selfinitiated a treatment program prior to WTW referral, complete the Internal Referral form (E-74, Attachment B), noting that the participant is in a self-initiated treatment program. The RST will contact the treatment provider and explain the benefits of the RST/CalWORKs program. A participant may not participate in Mental Health, Substance Abuse and/or Domestic Abuse treatment longer than six months without concurrently participating in other WTW activities. The CES and the participant, in consultation with the RST, will determine appropriate WTW activities. Unless the participant signs an appropriate release, discussions between the CES and RST shall be limited to the participant s ability to actively participate in the WTW program and hours of participation in RST assessment/intervention services. The CES will contact RST for an update of the participants treatment progress. The CES will contact the RST via the CalWORKs status update form (E-73) when the CW s/wtw case is closed. Assessment Procedures (RST) For all referred participants, RST will assess the extent to which the participant is currently capable of employment and under what treatment and work conditions the participant would be capable of employment. The CES and RST will collaboratively develop WTW plans that incorporate the results of the RST assessment and will include appropriate employment accommodations or restrictions, supportive services and treatment services. Joint case staffing with CES and RST is encouraged. Time spent in RST service plan will count toward hours of participation in WTW activities. A participant may not participate in Mental Health, Substance Abuse and/or Domestic Abuse treatment for longer than six months without concurrently participating in other WTW activities. The CES and the participant, in consultation with the RST, will determine appropriate WTW activities. When a mandatory WTW participant is assigned to RST services and does not wish to continue, the CES in consultation with the RST will discuss necessary amendments to the client s WTW plan. This may include the assignment of additional WTW activities to meet the 32/35-hour participation requirement. If the participant is out of compliance with the amended WTW plan, the CES will initiate the NONC process. In addition the RST will: Attempt to contact the participant (three times by phone and/or mail. If the participant does not respond after the 3 rd attempt, the RST will notify the appropriate referring source. Complete RST assessment and define the barriers faced by the WTW participant. Review educational/vocational abilities, physical health status, substance abuse history, and mental health functioning identified by referring party. RST will identify barriers in the following areas: Relation to self/others, Impulsive/Addictive Behaviors and Psychosis. Discuss the client s need for any supportive services. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 5 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

57 Link the participant to a Community-Based Provider for assistance in coping with barriers to employment due to mental health, substance abuse, learning disabilities and/or domestic abuse issues. Complete the authorization for treatment services for Community-Based Providers. Providers will notify the RST of initial attendance. The CES shall work with the RST in resolving any noncompliance issues with the participant. WTW Plan The CES will develop a participant s WTW plan based on the RST assessment and recommendations. The WTW plan shall include appropriate employment accommodations or restrictions, supportive services, treatment recommendations and assignment to a treatment program, if appropriate, releases signed by the participant. If none of the preceding conditions are applicable, the WTW plan will simply include the hours specified in the RST service plan as part of the participant s required 32 hours of participation. CalWIN Entries (CES) To track a participant who has been referred to the RST, and after consultation with the RST, the CES will assign the following CalWIN Activity codes: MEN for Mental Health Assessment, Treatment, and Counseling SUB for Substance Abuse Assessment, Treatment, and Counseling MAS for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Assessment, Treatment and Counseling. DOM for Domestic Abuse Assessment, Treatment, and Counseling NOTE: Instructions on assigning a CalWIN WTW activity code are located in the Procedural Help (OLUM) under the title of Assign Activities. Refusal by Participant to Accept Referral/Treatment (All CalWORKs Staff & Contracted Staff) Participants may choose to decline participation in screening, clinical assessment and treatment. If they do, they will be expected to fully participate in WTW activities without benefit of intervention. All staff shall communicate clearly, and in a non-judgmental manner, the benefits of accepting treatment and potential consequences if they are unable to comply with program requirements. If, in the future, program participation appears to be negatively impacted by mental health, substance abuse, domestic abuse or learning disabilities, a participant shall again be offered the opportunity to be referred to the RST for assessment and a possible referral for treatment prior to imposing a sanction for noncompliance. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 6 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

58 Santa Barbara County ATTACHMENT A Department of Social Services Resource Support Team / ADMHS CalWORKs Program PROGRAM INFORMATION The CalWORKs Resource Support Team (RST) is designed to guide county residents receiving public assistance through what may be a difficult time in their lives. We seek to help participants identify and understand problem issues that might create barriers to employment. Some of the many issues we can help you with include stress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, domestic abuse and family communication. The Departments of Social Services and Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services are working together to make this program available to you and other interested CalWORKs participants. Your signature below gives these two departments permission to share limited information regarding your interest in or participation with the Resource Support Team, communication with RST is voluntary on your part. Any sharing of information is intended strictly to help us best serve you. If you are unclear about any of this, please request additional information from your Welfare-to-Work case manager. I have read and understand the above information. CalWORKs Participant Date DSS Worker Date DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 7 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

59 Attachment B Resource Support Team / ADMHS CalWORKs Program Internal Referral Form I. Date of referral Referral made by: Phone: Participant s name: Age: Primary language: Address: Cell phone: Best time to call: Ok to leave message: Last 4 digits of SS#: Phone: DSS Case Manager: Phone: Linkages WREP Self-referral Family II. Area of concern/presenting problem (brief explanation): III. Appointment: Date: Day: Time: Location: IV. Report to Case Manager: Unable to contact No show Unwilling to participate Referral for assessment No obstacles observed Other Outcome: RST Contact: Phone: Date sent to DSS: E-74 (1/01) white - RST Yellow DSS WTW Case File DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 8 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

60 Santa Barbara County WTW REFERRAL Department of Social Services ATTACHMENT C Participant Name: CalWIN Case Number: CalWORKs staff making referral: CES: Date: Worker Phone: I am referring this individual to you for the following reason(s): Domestic violence situation Mental Health Addiction/substance abuse issue Working now and needs more hours to continue receiving assistance Illiterate with very low reading and writing capability Needs a SIP evaluation Other: E-37 (8/10) Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services WTW REFERRAL Participant Name: CalWIN Case Number: CalWORKs staff making referral: CES: Date: Worker Phone: I am referring this individual to you for the following reason(s): Domestic violence situation Mental Health Addiction/substance abuse issue Working now and needs more hours to continue receiving assistance Illiterate with very low reading and writing capability Needs a SIP evaluation Other: E-37 (8/10) DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 9 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

61 Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services Attachment D Resource Support Team / ADMHS CalWORKs Program CALWORKS STATUS UPDATE Name: Case #: Date: Wkr# CalWORKs granted CalWORKs denied CalWORKs discontinued Date Date Date Comments E-73 (8/10) Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services Resource Support Team / ADMHS CalWORKs Program CALWORKS STATUS UPDATE Name: Case #: Date: Wrk# CalWORKs granted CalWORKs denied CalWORKs discontinued Date Date Date Comments E-73 (8/10) DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 10 of 10 Implementation Date: 3/30/01 Revised Date: 4/30/01, 2/22/11

62 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: CalWORKs WTW Good Cause, Compliance, and Sanction Procedures Including Two-Parent Sanction Procedures Date: 02/20/2006 Number: WTW CW AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CPS No known impact CalWIN Incorporate into business processes CalWORKs Incorporate into business processes Clerical Support No known impact Fiscal Incorporate into business processes Food Stamps Incorporate into business processes Foster Care No known impact General Relief No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Incorporate into business processes IHSS No known impact Medi-Cal Incorporate into business processes Reception No known impact Staff Development Incorporate into training module Stock Room Incorporate into business processes Systems Incorporate into business processes Systems Operations (SOU) No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: Post on Intranet under CalWORKs-WTW Replaces WTW AD Obsoletes Business Processes 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 15.5 Retire BENDS 2389 and BENDS 2865 PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: ACL 03-59, ACL 04-47, ACL DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 1 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

63 BACKGROUND The purpose of this administrative directive is to provide guidance regarding policy as well as CalWIN instructions to WTW staff regarding good cause determination, compliance, and sanction processes for the CalWORKs WTW program. Also addressed in this administrative directive are the forms required for these processes, as well as how sanction procedures apply to a two-parent assistance unit (AU), for which the basis for aid is unemployment, hereafter referred to as a two-parent AU. POLICY Non-Participation In California, adult cash aid recipients, unless exempt, must participate in CalWORKs WTW activities and meet program requirements as a condition for receiving aid. An adult cash aid recipient who is exempt may volunteer to participate in CalWORKs WTW activities but receipt of aid is not conditional upon their participation. A CalWORKs WTW sanction occurs when a nonexempt recipient is removed from the assistance unit (AU) for failing or refusing, without good cause, to comply with WTW participation requirements. A volunteer participant who fails or refuses, without good cause, to comply with their WTW plan will not be allowed to participate in the WTW program as a volunteer until the participation problem is rectified. Failing or refusing to comply with program requirements means failing or refusing to: Sign a WTW plan Participate in any assigned WTW program activity, including a self-initiated program (SIP) Provide required proof of satisfactory progress in any assigned activity, including a SIP Accept employment Continue employment Continue employment at the same level of earnings The complexities related to two-parent sanctions stem from the additional steps that the county must take to properly inform, notify, and schedule the second parent to participate in the WTW program when the first parent is not meeting program requirements. Additionally, in some twoparent AU cases, the sanction process will significantly impact the number of hours in which the adults must participate to cure their respective sanctions and have their aid restored. Notification of Impending Sanction 1. Upon determination by the WTW case manager that an individual has failed or refused to comply with program requirements, the WTW case manager shall send the individual the NA 840, Notice of Sanction discontinuing the individual from cash aid effective no earlier than 30 calendar days from the date of notice issuance. The WTW 27, Request for Good Cause Determination is a required form and must be sent with the NA In a two-parent AU, when one parent has failed to comply with program requirements and the NA 840 is sent, the WTW 4, Notice to Other Parent must be sent to the second DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 2 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

64 parent. The WTW 4 notifies the second parent that he or she will be required to participate (or increase participation) in the WTW program (unless exempt or meeting good cause criteria) to avoid his or her own sanction. If the second parent refuses to participate, or stops participating without good cause, the NA 845, To Keep Your Cash Aid From Being Lowered will be sent. The NA 845 provides the same information as the NA 840 but also informs the second parent about how the first parent can restore his or her aid. 3. The notice shall inform the individual that a sanction will be imposed if the individual fails to either attend a scheduled appointment or contact the WTW case manager by phone within the 20 calendar days of the notice issuance date and fails to do one of the following: Provide information that leads the WTW case manager to a finding of good cause for the individual's refusal or failure to comply with program requirement Agree to a Compliance Plan to correct the failure or refusal to comply Cause Determination The WTW case manager shall give the individual an opportunity to demonstrate that there was good cause for the failure or refusal to comply with program requirements. 1. The WTW case manager shall schedule a cause determination appointment within 20 calendar days of the issuance date of the NA 840 during which each individual who has failed or refused to comply with program requirements has an opportunity to demonstrate that he or she had good cause for that refusal or failure. This may be done by appointment or over the telephone. 2. The individual shall be allowed to reschedule the cause determination appointment one time within the 20 calendar day period. Additional rescheduling must be permitted if the recipient has good cause for not attending the appointment. 3. In determining whether good cause exists for a refusal or failure to comply with the program requirements, the WTW case manager must take into consideration whether the participant has a mental disability that caused or substantially contributed to the refusal or failure to comply with the program requirements. This determination must be made, when appropriate, in consultation with the county mental health department. 4. If the recipient fails to attend the appointment or fails to contact the WTW case manager to establish good cause over the telephone, and/or fails to contact the case manager by the end of the 20 calendar day period to establish good cause, the case manager must attempt to contact the recipient by telephone at the time of, or after, the appointment to establish a finding of good cause or no good cause for failure to comply with WTW requirements. DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 3 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

65 5. If the WTW case manager is able to determine good cause by contacting the recipient or evaluating the information provided on the WTW 27, no sanction shall be imposed and the recipient shall be referred back to the activity assigned prior to the time that the recipient did not participate. 6. If the WTW case manager makes a determination of no good cause based on contact with the recipient or by evaluating information provided on the WTW 27, the case manager shall follow compliance plan procedures. In situations where a recipient has claimed good cause within the 20 day compliance period, the case manager must also issue the NA 840A, Determination of Good Cause/No Good Cause after the case manager has made a determination of good cause or no good cause. 7. If the WTW case manager is not able to make contact with the recipient by telephone and the recipient fails to contact the case manager within the 20 calendar day compliance period, or timely contact is made but no good cause is found and the recipient refuses to enter into a compliance plan, the case manager must impose a sanction. Good Cause No sanctions shall be applied for failure or refusal to comply with program requirements if the individual meets any of the criteria for Good Cause or Exemption. WTW case manager must excuse a recipient from participation in WTW activities for good cause when there is a condition or other circumstance that temporarily prevents, or significantly impairs, the recipient's ability to be regularly employed or to participate in WTW activities. Once the case manager determines that good cause exists for a recipient's failure to comply, and those circumstances continue to prevent the recipient from participating in a required activity, the WTW case manager must take steps to remove any barriers preventing full WTW participation. When good cause is established, the WTW case manager must review the continuing validity of the good cause determination, as necessary, but at least every three months. In addition, the recipient must cooperate with the WTW case manager and provide information, including written documentation when required, to complete the good cause review. All good cause determinations must be made on a case-by-case basis. WTW case manager should also review good cause conditions that are anticipated to last more than 30 days to determine if a WTW exemption applies. Examples of good cause for not participating in WTW activities include, but are not limited to the following: Lack of necessary supportive services DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 4 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

66 An applicant or recipient who is a victim of domestic abuse Licensed or license-exempt child care is not reasonably available during the individual's hours of training or employment, including commuting times, or arrangements have broken down Suitable special needs child care is not available for children with identified special needs including, but not limited to, disability or chronic illness The WTW case manager cannot sanction recipients for failing or refusing to comply with program requirements when their employment, activity, or other training for employment: Discriminates on the basis of age, sex, religion, national origin, or physical or mental incapacity Exceeds the daily or weekly hours of work customary to the occupation Requires travel to and from the employment/activity that exceeds a total of two hours, exclusive of the item necessary to transport family members to a school or place providing care Violates applicable health and safety standards Does not provide workers' compensation insurance Interrupts an approved education or job training program in progress (except work experience or community service), which would otherwise lead to employment with sufficient income to be self-supporting Violates the terms of the individual's union membership Compliance Compliance is the step of the sanction process in which a recipient, whom the WTW case manager determined did not have good cause, is given the opportunity to correct a noncompliance problem before a sanction is imposed. The WTW case manager will use the WTW 32, Welfare to Work Compliance Plan to inform the recipient of the steps he or she must take to comply with program requirements to avoid a sanction. 1. To correct the problem and avoid a sanction, the recipient must meet with or contact by telephone, the case manager and agree to enter into a compliance plan within the 20 day compliance period, and then subsequently complete the plan as required. 2. If the recipient attends the meeting or calls his or her WTW case manager as requested, and the case manager requires additional information or time to review good cause information, or the case manager is unable to propose a specific compliance plan during the 20 day period, the case manager shall not impose a sanction until it concludes that no good cause exists and the recipient fails to agree to enter into a compliance plan. 3. If the recipient agrees to enter into a compliance plan and subsequently completes it, a sanction shall not be imposed and the event shall not count as an instance of noncompliance (see Example 1). Example 1: A recipient contacts her case manager within the 20 day period indicated in the NA 840 sanction notice and presents information regarding good cause that requires additional verification. The case manager cannot impose a sanction pending the DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 5 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

67 verification. The recipient turns in the verification within the time period indicated in writing by the case manager, but by the time the case manage receives and reviews it, it is beyond the 20 day period. The case manager finds no good cause and advises the recipient that she must enter into a compliance plan to avoid a sanction. If she agrees to enter into a compliance plan, and NA 840A is mailed stating that no good cause was found but because the recipient agreed to a compliance plan, her aid will not be reduced. 4. In lieu of a face-to-face meeting, the WTW case manager may develop the compliance plan with the recipient over the telephone and transmit the plan via mail. In this situation, the case manager must: Develop the compliance plan Inform the recipient of his or her compliance requirements (assigned activity, provider location, starting and ending date of participation etc.) Mail two copies of the plan to the recipient (one to sign and return, and one to keep for his or her records), along with a self-addressed stamped envelope 5. If the recipient fails to sign and return the compliance plan to the WTW case manager, postmarked no later than the return date indicated on the compliance plan (the return date must be at least 10 calendar days from the date the case manager mails the compliance plan), or the recipient fails to participate as instructed by the WTW case manager (whether by verbal agreement over the phone and/or as noted in the plan), the compliance process has failed and the recipient shall be sanctioned. 6. A recipient is considered to have complied with program requirements by satisfactorily performing the activity he or she previously refused to perform, or another appropriate activity agreed upon by the WTW case manager and recipient, as specified in the compliance plan, until completed or up to a maximum of 60 calendar days from the date the recipient begins the activity, whichever is less (see Examples 2 and 3). Example 2: A recipient fails to show up and enroll in a three-month computer training class without good cause. After receiving the NA 840, the recipient contacts the WTW case manager on March 1, which is within the 20 day compliance period, and agrees to sign a compliance plan. The previous computer class has closed and the WTW case manager cannot locate another class, or other appropriate activity, that begins before April 15. For the purpose of compliance, the case manager will assign the recipient to the new computer class, or other appropriate activity, from April 15 through June 13 (60 calendar days from the date the activity begins). When the recipient participates in the assignment through June 13, as required, the WTW case manager shall not impose a sanction. Example 3: A recipient is assigned to a six-month community service program scheduled for December through May. During the first month he missed seven days and was found to have violated the program's attendance requirements without good cause. After receiving the NA 840, the recipient contacts the WTW case manager within the 20 day compliance period, and agrees to sign a compliance plan. The recipient signs the compliance plan on February 1 and the case manager reassigns him to the community service program to participate for 60 calendar days, from February 15 through April 17. DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 6 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

68 After the recipient has successfully completed his assignment, he has met compliance requirements and the instance of noncompliance will not be counted. NOTE: The assignments in Example 2 and Example 3 can continue beyond June 13 and April 17, respectively. However, even though the recipients remain assigned to the same activity as in the compliance period, any subsequent participation problem occurring after compliance requirements have been met are subject to a new sanction process. 7. The WTW case manager must amend the participant s activity assignment to communicate any changes in their WTW requirements (including participation timeframes for the remainder of the assignment) and supportive services needs, once the compliance plan is no longer in effect. 8. Once a recipient successfully meets compliance requirements in regard to a specific participation problem, that problem shall not be counted as an instance of noncompliance. 9. To meet compliance requirements, the WTW case manager may not require the recipient to participate for a period of time that exceeds the length of the original activity that brought about the instance of noncompliance (see Example 4), although the recipient may be required to remain in the same activity as their continuing WTW activity, once the compliance period is complete. Example 4: A recipient fails to show up at a one day CalWORKs orientation and appraisal, without good cause. After receiving the NA 840, she contacts the WTW case manager within the 20 day compliance period and signs a compliance plan on March 1. The recipient is assigned to attend the next orientation/appraisal on March 8. On March 8, the recipient completes orientation and appraisal, therefore meeting program requirements and completing the compliance process. By satisfactorily completing the compliance process, the recipient shall not be sanctioned and her failure to participate shall not be counted as an instance of noncompliance. As noted above, the case manager may not require the recipient to participate for a period of time that exceeds the length of the original activity that brought about the instance of nonparticipation. Therefore, the WTW case manager may not require the recipient in this example to also attend another activity, such as job search, before determining that she has completed the compliance process. 10. At any time during the compliance process, if a recipient fails to participate, without good cause, he or she shall be sanctioned. In such a situation, no further compliance procedures are applicable; the WTW case manager must issue the NA 817, Changing Your Cash Aid, which is used to notify an individual who has agreed to sign a compliance plan, but then fails to meet the terms of the plan, that the sanction will be imposed. When the second parent has agreed to a compliance plan and subsequently fails to participate as required by the plan, he or she shall be sanctioned and the WTW case manager will issue the NA 816, Sanction of Second Parent After Failed Compliance Plan. DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 7 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

69 11. After the recipient has completed their compliance plan, whether pre- or postassessment, any new assignment must be provided in writing. This includes assignments that are the same as those in which the individual participated to fulfill compliance requirements. Sanctions WTW cannot sanction individuals for assignments not provided in writing. For post-assessment recipients who remain in the same activity as during the compliance period, the WTW case manager must amend the WTW Plan if appropriate and generate the WTW 2 (refer to Amend Employment Plan in OLUM), to communicate any changes in their WTW participation requirements after the compliance period has ended (for example, changes to the beginning and ending dates of the activity, the days and hours of participation, and the necessary supportive services to be provided). Include any additional information or services that will assist recipients in successfully completing their assignments. WTW case managers are reminded that for limited-english proficient individuals, appropriate translations or interpretive services must be provided. 1. A WTW case manager must impose a financial sanction when a nonexempt WTW recipient fails or refuses to comply with program requirements, without good cause, and efforts to resolve the participation problem through the compliance process have failed. To avoid a sanction, the recipient must agree to enter into a compliance plan within the 20 day period and subsequently complete the plan as required. In a two-parent AU, once a sanction is imposed on the first parent, the second parent (unless exempt or meets good cause criteria see note) must begin or increase hours of participation in the WTW program to avoid his/her own sanction. Note: The second parent cannot be exempted for caring for a child under 12 weeks/12 months, or for caring for incapacitated household member if the first parent refuses to participate in WTW; the first parent is considered to be available to provide the care. Participation by the second parent to comply with participation requirements after receiving the WTW 4 does not cure the sanction imposed upon the first parent. A sanction will result in a reduction to the family's grant by removing the noncompliant individual from the AU until the noncompliant individual performs the activity he or she previously refused to perform, or other appropriate activity. 2. When an individual does not agree to sign a compliance plan within the compliance period, he or she must meet the requirements to cure a sanction even if the participation problem can be corrected prior to the imposition of the actual financial sanction. DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 8 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

70 Note: AB1808 ended WTW durational sanctions effective July 12, 2006 and therefore removed the need to identify whether an instance of sanction is counted, for purposes of determining the level of sanction to be imposed. See Stopping (Curing) Sanctions section. 3. The financial sanction is effective the first day of the first payment month that the sanctioned individual s needs are removed from the grant following timely and adequate notification. 4. If an individual appeals his or her sanction through the State hearing process in a timely manner, the sanction cannot be imposed until a hearing decision sustaining the proposed sanction is issued. In these cases, cash aid and necessary child care only will be paid as long as the individual is otherwise eligible, pending the hearing decision. If the sanction action is sustained, aid will be discontinued effective the end of the month in which the hearing decision is received. Benefits that are issued pending the hearing decision are not considered an overpayment. If the decision is made in favor of the participant, WTW must reimburse any necessary transportation and/or work or training related expenses that were paid out of pocket or incurred by the participant pending the hearing decision. Terminating supportive services requires a separate notice of action. Stopping (Curing) Sanctions/Aid Restoration 1. To stop (cure) a sanction, the individual must: Contact the WTW office to request assistance in curing the sanction, either verbally or by completing the WTW 31, Request To Stop Welfare to Work Sanction. Comply with WTW requirements to sign the WTW 29, Plan To Stop a Welfare to Work Sanction, referred to as the curing plan, either at a scheduled meeting with a WTW case manager, or by mail Satisfactorily perform the activity specified in the curing plan until completed, or up to a maximum of 30 calendar days (whichever is shorter), from the date the curing plan is signed Example 5: An individual failed to participate in a three month community service assignment. To cure, she would normally be scheduled to participate for 30 days of community service from the date she signed the curing plan, however, the WTW case manager is not able to place the individual in the community service activity until 10 days after the plan is signed. The individual is, therefore, only required to participate for 20 calendar days to cure the sanction. 2. The date an individual contacts the WTW office to request assistance in curing a WTW sanction is significant in determining when to restore cash aid following successful completion of the cure process. Cash aid will be restored on the first day of the month following the date the individual contacts the WTW office to request assistance in curing. See examples: DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 9 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

71 Example 6: An individual who was sanctioned for failing to attend orientation contacts the WTW case manager on July 14 and indicates he wishes to cure the sanction. The individual signs a curing plan on July 17 and attends orientation on July 23 as required by the plan. On August 1 cash aid is restored. Example 7: An individual contacts the WTW office on July 14 and indicates she wishes to cure the sanction. The individual signs a curing plan on July 17 which specifies she must participate in two weeks of job search/job club beginning on July 23. She successfully completes the required activity on August 5 to cure the sanction. On August 1 cash aid is restored. 3. In a two-parent AU, each parent must cure his or her own sanction as described and applicable to an individual in order to have their portion of the cash aid grant restored. PROCEDURES If each parent was supposed to be participating in 35 hours per week but failed to do so without good cause and was subsequently sanctioned, then each parent must meet the 35 hour requirement to cure their own sanction. If the second parent is complying with WTW program requirements after the first parent is sanctioned and the first parent successfully cures their sanction, then one parent has the option of stopping or reducing hours or participation without being subject to sanction, if one parent meets the 35 hour per week requirement. Initiate the Non-Compliance A participant who refuses or fails to participate in the WTW program is considered to be in noncompliance. Noncompliance includes refusal or failure to: Sign a WTW plan Participate in their assigned activity Make satisfactory progress in their assigned activity Accept employment, or continue employment at same level of earnings To initiate the noncompliance process in CalWIN, follow OLUM procedural help topic, Initiate Noncompliance. This process involves: Adding the noncompliant activity status in CalWIN Entering noncompliance discovery date, noncompliance date, deadline date, noncompliance reasons Scheduling the cause determination appointment Entering [Y] in applies to 2 nd parent [Y/N] field if this is a two-parent family. This action triggers the WTW 4, Notice to Other Parent. NA 840, Sanction of Mandatory Participant notice of action is generated and required to inform the client of the following: o There is a problem with their participation o A cause determination appointment has been scheduled o Their cash aid will be lowered including the amount and effective date unless good cause is claimed and granted or a compliance plan is agreed to DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 10 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

72 o Another notice is not required before the cash grant is lowered to impose the sanction WTW 27, Request for Good Cause Determination, is generated and a required form; check for manual or NOA variables needed, complete and mail to the non-compliant individual Cause Determination Appointment The purpose of the cause determination appointment is to determine whether there was a good reason for the participant s non-participation, and to establish the next steps. If it is determined that the participant had good cause, take the appropriate action which may include: Rescheduling in the currently assigned activity Assignment to an alternate activity Determining whether the participant meets exemption criteria If it is determined that the participant did not have good cause, proceed to the next step in the process, which may include: Development of a compliance plan Initiation of a WTW sanction Refer to CalWIN OLUM procedure, Record Cause Determination Outcome, for instructions regarding CalWIN entries. 1. Client shows to cause determination appointment and Good Cause is found: Assign/schedule participant to appropriate activity Review supportive services needs Record cause determination contact and outcome NA 840A, Determination of Good Cause/No Good Cause will be generated and sent to client 2. Client shows to cause determination appointment, No Good Cause is found, and client agrees to a compliance plan: Record cause determination contact and outcome Record compliance plan (refer to OLUM procedure, Develop Compliance Plan) WTW 32, Compliance Plan, will be generated for client signature Provide the client with a copy of the signed plan Assign/schedule client to appropriate activity Review supportive services needs 3. Client shows to cause determination appointment, No Good Cause is found, and client refuses to sign a compliance plan: Record cause determination contact and outcome DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 11 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

73 NA 840A, Determination of Good Cause/No Good Cause, will be generated and sent to the client Initiate the WTW sanction by recording in the Employment Services subsystem (refer to OLUM procedure, Initiate Sanction) 4. Client does not show to the cause determination appointment: Case manager attempts telephone contact and if contact is made, proceed to determine whether good cause exists for the non-participation o If good cause is found, follow step 1 o If no good cause is found, follow step 2 or 3, depending on client cooperation The cause determination appointment may be rescheduled within the 20 day compliance period (if good cause cannot be determined by telephone contact) If the case manager is unable to reach the client by telephone, enter a Case Comment in CalWIN to document the telephone contact attempt or reason why it wasn t done Initiate the sanction process as soon as the 20 day compliance period ends (refer to OLUM procedure, Initiate Sanction) 5. Client does not show for cause determination appointment but returns the WTW 27, Request for Good Cause Determination Case manager reviews to see if good cause can be found based on information provided and if so, follow step 1 If there is not enough information to determine good cause, reschedule cause determination appointment within 20 day compliance period If cause determination appointment cannot be scheduled within 20 day compliance period and there is not enough information on WTW 27 to determine good cause, no good cause will be found; proceed in applying sanction (step 3). The Compliance Plan When a client has failed to comply with program requirements without good cause, a compliance plan will be developed to include: Purpose/goal of the compliance plan Action that caused noncompliance and the cause determination results Participant s responsibilities Plan start date and length Activity schedule, location, and hours requirements Supportive services required Learning disabilities screening must be offered to clients who meet criteria Refer to CalWIN OLUM procedure, Develop Compliance Plan, for instructions regarding CalWIN entries. Print and review the WTW 32, WTW Compliance Plan with the client and obtain signatures. Provide the client with a copy of the signed plan. The compliance plan status is pending in DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 12 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

74 CalWIN until it is updated with signature dates and saved; the plan status then changes to active. 1. Once the client fulfills the terms of the compliance plan, the instance of noncompliance is complete and the compliance plan must be updated to show the plan status as complete. 2. If the client fails to complete the compliance plan, determine whether there was good cause: If the client had good cause for failing to fulfill terms of compliance plan, take the appropriate action based on client s situation: o Reschedule to another session of assigned activity o Assign and schedule to a different activity o Update compliance plan o Determine if an exemption is appropriate If the client did not have good cause for failing to fulfill terms of compliance plan, proceed with process to sanction the client (refer to OLUM procedure, Initiate WTW Sanction) Any time during the compliance process, when a client fails to participate without good cause, the sanction will be initiated. The case manager must issue the NA 817, Sanction of Participant after Failed Compliance Plan. In cases where the second parent agrees to a compliance plan and subsequently fails to participate as required by the plan, the case manager must issue the NA 816, Sanction of Second Parent after Failed Compliance Plan. Initiate the Sanction The case manager will initiate the WTW sanction after determining one of the following: Client has no good cause and refuses to sign a compliance plan Client is a no show for the cause determination appointment, telephone contact is not made, and the WTW 27 Request for Good Cause Determination is not returned by the client Client returns the WTW 27 Request for Good Cause Determination but no good cause is determined by the case manager Client fails to fulfill the terms of the compliance plan and does not have good cause 1. The case manager will notify the assigned Eligibility Worker (EW) to impose the financial sanction; this can be done by or by sending a User to User or Case to Case alert. The following information must be given to the EW: Individual s name and SSN Action Type sanction Program CalWORKS Type Welfare to Work Discovery Date DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 13 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

75 2. Once the sanction has been imposed, the case manager will add a new registration status of sanction to the Employment Services subsystem. Refer to OLUM procedure, Update Employment Services Registration Status for help with this step. 3. The Employment Services subsystem tracks noncompliance and sanction actions. The financial sanction is imposed upon the CalWORKs grant through entries made in the Data Collection subsystem by the EW, when EDBC is run on the case. Curing the Sanction Once the sanction has been imposed, even if the financial sanction has not yet been applied, there is a process for the client to follow in order to cure the WTW sanction. When the client contacts the WTW office to request assistance in curing their sanction: 1. The client will be scheduled for the next available WTW orientation session (per district office procedure) 2. The client will meet with a case manager to develop a plan to cure the sanction. 3. The case manager will update the client s status in the Employment Services subsystem to curing sanction (refer to OLUM procedure Curing WTW Sanction). 4. The WTW 29, Plan to Stop Welfare to Work Sanction will be generated when the cure plan is entered in CalWIN. Remember to assign and schedule the appropriate activity related to the cure plan. Obtain the client s signature and provide the client with a copy of the plan. The cure plan status is pending in CalWIN until it is updated with signature dates and saved; the plan status then changes to active. 5. Once the client has successfully completed the assigned activity the sanction may be cured. The case manager will notify the assigned EW (by or by sending a User to User or Case to Case alert) of the sanction cure by providing the following information to the EW: Individual s name and SSN Sanction End Date Cure Contact Date (date of client contact regarding WTW sanction cure) Date client is to be restored to grant (first of month following cure contact date) FORMS 1. NA 840, Sanction of Mandatory Participant Required Notice of Action to notify recipient of participation problem and what must be done to avoid sanction Serves as the only required sanction notice Generated automatically in CalWIN as a result of initiating noncompliance 2. NA 840A, Determination of Good Cause/No Good Cause Required Notice of Action to notify recipient of good cause determination Triggered by noncompliance outcome entry in CalWIN DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 14 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

76 Generated automatically in CalWIN 3. NA 841, Suspension of Volunteer/Good Cause/Compliance Notice Generated when WTW volunteer is noncompliant 4. NA 845, Removal of the Second Parent s Needs/Compliance Plan Provides same information as NA 840 but informs the second parent about how the first parent can restore his or her aid Generated automatically in CalWIN as a result of initiating noncompliance 5. NA 816, Lowering Cash Aid Generated when second parent agrees to a compliance plan and then subsequently fails to participate as required by the plan, without good cause Notifies the second parent that their sanction will be imposed 6. NA 817, Changing Your Cash Aid Generated when an individual agrees to a compliance plan and then subsequently fails to participate as required by the plan, without good cause Notifies the individual that their sanction will be imposed 7. NA 818, Suspension of Volunteer After Failed Compliance Plan Generated when WTW volunteer agrees to a compliance plan and then subsequently fails to participate as required, without good cause Notifies the individual that they may no longer participate in WTW 8. WTW 4, Notice to Other Parent Required notice for two-parent AUs when one parent who agreed to participate is in noncompliance Generated automatically in CalWIN 9. WTW 26, Good Cause Determination Guidelines Recommended form outlining examples of Good Cause for use by the worker in determining whether Good Cause exists. This form is not sent to the recipient Generated automatically in CalWIN when noncompliance is initiated 10. WTW 27, Request for Good Cause Determination Required form that is generated with the NA 840 or NA 845 Not required to be completed or returned by participant Does not replace face to face or phone interview to discuss non-participation Used in conjunction with all other available information to make a good cause determination 11. WTW 29, Plan To Stop A Welfare To Work Sanction Generated by CalWIN when the curing plan is entered Does not replace the WTW 2 Provide the client with a copy once signed; retain original in WTW case record DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 15 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

77 12. WTW 31, Request To Stop A Welfare To Work Sanction Recommended form; generated along with NA 816 or NA 817 Provides information to client regarding steps to cure their sanction Individual may also request verbally to stop their sanction 13. WTW 32, Welfare to Work Compliance Plan Generated by CalWIN when the compliance plan is entered Does not replace the WTW 2 Provide the client with a copy once signed; retain original in WTW case record DSS AD Identifier: WTW CW AD Page 16 of 16 Implementation Date: 02/20/2006 Revised: 12/10/2007

78 County of Santa Barbara DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: Implementation Date: 10/01/08 Revised Date: 4/10/09 TANF Final Rule Changes to Work Verification Plan (WVP) Number: WTW AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CPS Reviewed: No known impact CalWIN Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes CalWORKs Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Clerical Support Reviewed: No known impact Document Imaging Reviewed: No known impact Fiscal Reviewed: No known impact Food Stamps Reviewed: No known impact Foster Care Reviewed: No known impact General Relief Reviewed: No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes IHSS Reviewed: No known impact Medi-Cal Reviewed: No known impact Reception Reviewed: No known impact Staff Development Reviewed: Incorporate in training module Stockroom Reviewed: No known impact Systems Reviewed: No known impact Systems Operations (SOU) Reviewed: No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: Post on Intranet under CalWORKs-Welfare to Work Section PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: All County Letters (ACL) 09-07, 07-03, 07-05, 08-07, 08-08, Code of Federal Regulations 45 Parts and 265 E2Lite Handbook (posted on Intranet) WTW Administrative Directives (AD) 07-05, DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 1 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

79 BACKGROUND The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 reauthorized the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program through fiscal year The overall structure of the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Welfare to Work (WTW) program did not change with TANF Reauthorization, with the exception of the elimination of durational WTW sanctions (see WTW AD 06-01). The federal work participation rate (WPR) requirements established by TANF Reauthorization enlarged the scope of participants included in the calculation of the WPR, but did not alter the requirement that states are required to meet to avoid fiscal penalties 50 percent for All Families (includes two-parent families) and 90 percent for Two-Parent Families. The DRA required the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to issue an interim Final Rule that defined federally-countable activities and established documentation and verification requirements for activities that may count toward the WPR requirements. The TANF interim Final Rule was issued on June 29, 2006, requiring states to develop and submit a work verification plan (WVP) that addressed definitions of federally-countable work activities, procedures for verification of participation hours, and definition of a work-eligible individual. California s WVP was finalized September 25, The TANF Final Rule was published on February 5, 2008, and became effective October 1, 2008, and contains some changes to definitions and restructured procedures for documentation and verification requirements. California revised its WVP to integrate the changes outlined in the TANF Final Rule. This Administrative Directive outlines federal data reporting terms and definitions, federallycountable activities, and documentation and verification required for WPR reporting. The E2Lite Handbook was updated in October 2008 to incorporate the federal changes. POLICY AND PROCEDURES Work-Eligible Individual is the term that defines who is counted in the federal WPR. The majority of CalWORKs recipients are considered work-eligible, with the exception of certain individuals. The following adults are considered work-eligible: Aided CalWORKs adult even if exempt from WTW participation Minor child head-of-household and minor parent spouse of head-of-household Non-recipient parent of CalWORKs aided child, defined as: o Drug Felon and/or Fleeing Felon parent o CalWORKs Timed Out parent o WTW sanctioned parent DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 2 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

80 The following individuals are not considered work-eligible: Parent who provides care for a disabled family member living in the home Non-citizen who is ineligible to receive assistance due to immigration status Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient Supplemental Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipient Non-needy relative (NNR) An individual in a family receiving Maintenance of Effort-funded (MOE) assistance under an approved Tribal TANF program Documentation, Supervision and Verification Requirements Federal rules require reporting, documentation, and verification of actual hours of participation. Weekly hours of participation are determined by dividing the verified monthly activity hours by 4.33 (the average number of weeks per month). Projection of participation hours is permitted when hours are reported and verified with the QR7 that meet federal requirements of 20, 30, or 35 hours per week. The hours may be projected as participation for the months attributed to the eligibility determination for the same period of time. Example: pay stubs provided with June QR7 are used to prospectively budget the CalWORKs grant for August, September and October; work hours can be counted for those months for WPR purposes. If a change in work hours is reported mid-quarter, the average weekly projected hours must be recalculated for purposes of WPR. Paid Activities include unsubsidized employment (JOB, SLF); subsidized private sector employment (WST); subsidized public sector employment (WST); on-the-job training (OJT). For WPR purposes, calculate self-employment work hours by using gross income less business expenses to determine net income. Net income is then divided by the federal minimum wage to determine actual hours of work. Federal minimum wage effective July 24, 2008 is $6.55 per hour, and will be increased to $7.25 effective July 24, Acceptable evidence of paid activities includes pay stubs, employer-produced or verified documents that support the individual s work hours, third-party sources of employment information such as the National Directory of New Hire listing and IEVS system matches, and The Work Number (see FS AD 03-02). The county worker can verify employment hours by phone with the employer, but a detailed CalWIN Case Comment must be entered to document the verified work hours, the employer name, and the name of the person verifying the employment hours. Daily supervision of unpaid activities is defined as supervision determined appropriate and provided by the training or service provider at the same level as other trainees or employees of the organization. The Final Rule clarifies that supervision does not necessarily mean inperson contact. For example, classes in a community college would generally meet the daily supervision requirement because the instructor is in the class whenever it meets. Monthly documentation of continued progress in unpaid activities is required and must be maintained in the case file. The TANF Final Rule allows one hour of unsupervised study time for each hour of class time to be counted toward WPR for any student in vocational education (including SIP students). DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 3 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

81 Verification from the educational program indicating the amount of homework required must be maintained in the case file a course syllabus that includes homework requirements or a statement from the course instructor are examples of appropriate verification for unsupervised study time. Federal (WPR) requirements regarding study time are different that CalWORKs rules refer to WTW AD regarding our county policy for CalWORKs study time. Job Search/Job Readiness Time Limits Job search and job readiness activities are limited to six weeks per year, and no more than four consecutive weeks. The TANF Final Rule translated the six-week limit into an hourly limit, and also clarified that the four- and six-week limits apply to the preceding 12-month period and not to the federal fiscal year. The preceding 12-month period is defined as the current month of reporting data and the 11 previous months; this method was effective October 1, 2008 with the slate wiped clean on that date. For purposes of the four consecutive week limit, any hours in a week count as one full week whether actual participation is one hour or 30 hours during the week, one full week is counted toward the four consecutive week limit. A new provision allows once per preceding 12 month period, a work eligible individual may be credited with a full week of participation based on the average participation hours during three or four days in the week. For example, if a work eligible individual participated in an average of six hours per day in Job Club for three days in the week, six hours per day can be assumed for the other two days in the week, for a weekly total of 30 hours. Since the 30 hours count as actual hours toward WPR, the 30 hours would be counted toward the six-week hourly time limit as well. The six-week limit is converted to hours based on the participant s federal hours per week requirement. For example, a single custodial parent with a child under six is required to participate 20 hours per week, so the six week hourly limit is 120 hours; all other participants are required to participate 30 hours per week, so their hourly limit is 180 hours. This method operates as an accrual system when a participant reaches 20 hours (single custodial parent with child under six) or 30 hours (all others), a week toward that participant s six-week limit is used up regardless of how many calendar weeks in which participation occurred. The job search/job readiness time limits are applied to each individual parent in a two parent family the time limit for each work eligible parent accrues separately, and the hours cannot be combined to allow one parent to participate beyond 180 hours (six weeks) in the preceding 12- month period. For WPR purposes, there must be a break of at least seven consecutive days between every four consecutive weeks in order to count additional job search/job readiness activities towards the WPR. For example, a participant completes four consecutive weeks of Job Club and is immediately assigned to complete two more weeks of Unsupervised Job Club the seven days immediately following completion of Job Club cannot be counted toward WPR, even though CalWORKs rules do not preclude assigning additional weeks of job search activity following four consecutive weeks. The six-week limit on job search/job readiness activities can be extended to 12 weeks in the preceding 12 month period for WPR purposes if California s unemployment rate is at least 50 percent greater than the unemployment rate of the United States, or if California is determined to be a needy state by federal definition. This determination is made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and ACF, and is determined retroactively. There is no regulatory limit to job DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 4 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

82 search/job readiness for CalWORKs, but it is our policy to follow the federal guidelines in accordance with WPR requirements. Depending on the economic climate, in anticipation of needy state determination, job search/job readiness activities may be extended up to 12 weeks total in the preceding 12 month period with the understanding that needy state status must be verified before additional job search/job readiness hours can be counted for WPR. The WTW Department Business Specialist (Program Analyst) will provide guidance in this situation. Excused Absences The excused absence policy only applies to unpaid activities. Participants in paid activities will be credited participation hours for paid absences and holidays. Excused absences are countable on an hourly basis. Up to 80 hours of excused absences (in addition to ten state holidays) in the preceding 12-month period is countable for WPR. The following ten state holidays are allowed as excused absences: New Year s Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day President s Day (Washington s Birthday) Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day after Thanksgiving Christmas Day In addition, 80 hours of excused absences, not more than 16 hours per month, may be counted in the preceding 12-month period. Verification of excused absences must be documented in the case file. Excused absence reasons include (but are not limited to): semester breaks planned work shutdowns school appointments medical appointments for self or dependents caseworker appointments child care breakdown child illness family problems such as domestic violence, housing issues, transportation breakdown Definitions of Federally-Countable Activities Unsubsidized employment (JOB, SLF): Unsubsidized employment means paid employment in the public or private sector that is not subsidized by TANF or any other public program; the determination of whether employment is subsidized or not depends on whether the employer (not the recipient) receives a subsidy. Employers who claim a tax credit for hiring economically DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 5 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

83 disadvantaged workers are not subsidized by TANF or another public program. Unsubsidized employment includes self-employment, which may include, but is not limited to, domestic work and child care providers. Subsidized private sector employment (WST): Subsidized employment means employment in the private sector for which the employer receives a subsidy from TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing a recipient. Subsidized employment is distinguished from work experience in that the participant in subsidized employment is paid wages and receives the same benefits as an employee with no subsidy who performs similar work. Subsidized employment does not include on-the-job training programs. Subsidized employment includes: work study activities TANF funds that would otherwise be paid as assistance, paid to the employer or to a third-party contractor. An example would be a temporary staffing agency which serves as the employer of record and is paid a fee to cover salary, expenses and success in placing employees supported work for individuals with disabilities in an integrated setting Subsidized public sector employment (WST): Same as above except in the public sector. Work Experience (WEX): Work experience means a work activity that provides an individual with an opportunity to acquire the general skills, training, knowledge, and work habits necessary to obtain employment. The purpose of work experience is to improve the employability of those who cannot find unsubsidized employment. This activity must be supervised by an employer, work site sponsor, or other responsible person on an ongoing basis no less frequently than daily. Daily supervision is defined in this AD under Documentation, Supervision, and Verification Requirements. In addition, work experience means welfare-to-work training activity in the public or private sector, nonprofit, and community- or faith-based setting, under the close supervision of the activity provider that helps provide basic job skills, enhance existing job skills in a position related to the participant s experience, or provides a needed community service that shall lead to unsubsidized employment. This activity may also include hours of mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence treatment if it meets a common-sense definition of work experience. For example, if an individual is in a residential treatment program and is required to work in the kitchen or doing other duties as part of his or her treatment, those unpaid hours could be counted as work experience. The remaining treatment hours could be counted as job search/job readiness. On-the-Job training (OJT): On-the-Job Training means training in the public or private sector that is given to a paid employee while he or she is engaged in productive work, and that provides knowledge and skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the job. Onthe-job training must be supervised by an employer, work site sponsor, or other responsible party on an ongoing basis no less frequently than daily. Daily supervision is defined in this AD under Documentation, Supervision, and Verification Requirements. For on-the-job training activities, the employer is subsidized to offset training costs. Supported work may be counted as on-the-job training if it includes significant training in the skills and DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 6 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

84 knowledge essential to job performance. On-the-job training may also include orientation and classroom instruction required by the recipient s employer and/or case manager. In some instances, training (e.g., tax preparation) or continuing education (e.g., nursing) is a necessary and regular element of employment. On-the-job training may include participation in these types of activities only when the individual is paid. Activities such as unpaid training, education, or job preparation can be counted under other work activities. Job Search and Job Search Readiness Assistance (JCL, SUS, UJS, ORE, APR, ASM): These activities are limited to no more than four consecutive weeks and up to six weeks total in the preceding 12-month period. Please see Job Search/Job Readiness Time Limits section of this AD. Job search is an activity in which the participant s principal activity is to seek employment. Job search includes looking for suitable job openings, making contact with potential employers, applying for vacancies, and interviewing for jobs. Job readiness assistance is an activity that provides a participant with training to learn basic job seeking and interviewing skills, to understand employer expectations, and to learn skills designed to enhance an individual s ability to move toward self-sufficiency. For federal data reporting purposes, job search and job readiness assistance also comprises the following activities: a) Job Club services that prepare an individual to obtain or retain employment, such as preparing a resume or job application, interviewing skills, instruction in work place expectations, and life skills training. Job search/job readiness may include time spent online to complete tasks such as job search, submitting resumes, and completing employment applications; time spent engaged in distance learning activities. Drug testing for a specific job classification, and taking tests to qualify for specialized certificates may be included in job search/job readiness. Reasonable transportation time between job interviews (excluding transportation to the first and from the last interview) can be counted toward job search/job readiness hours. b) Substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, or rehabilitation activities for those who are otherwise employable. For federal purposes, treatment or rehabilitation services can include residential treatment, group or individual therapy, support group, or participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous. These services must be determined by a qualified medical or mental health professional who determines these services are necessary to prepare an individual to obtain or maintain employment or participate in welfare-to-work activities and must be documented in the WTW plan and/or case file. If a portion of the treatment or rehabilitation activities meets a common-sense definition of another work activity (such as Community Service or Work Experience) then the hours associated with the work will count under the appropriate activity and the actual treatment hours will count under job search/job readiness. c) On a case-by-case basis, domestic abuse services that address barriers to employment. Treatment and services for domestic abuse victims may include the following activities when needed to seek or prepare for employment: individual counseling for the DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 7 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

85 participant and children, group counseling, substance abuse services, medical and public health services, mental health services, independent living skills, financial planning and life skills training. If a portion of the treatment or rehabilitation activities meets a common-sense definition of another work activity (such as Community Service or Work Experience) then the hours associated with the work will count under the associated activity and the actual treatment hours will count under job search/job readiness. d) Participation in Orientation, Appraisal, or Assessment. Community Service (CST): Community service is unpaid training that is temporary and transitional, is performed in the public or private nonprofit sector, and provides basic job skills for TANF recipients that may lead to employment while meeting a community need. Other activities may be included within the community service programs if they are of limited duration and are necessary for participation in the community service activity. Community service programs are designed to improve the employability of recipients not otherwise able to obtain employment. The maximum number of hours required weekly for a participant in a community service program is determined by combining their CalWORKs assistance unit s grant plus the assistance unit s portion of the food stamp allotment and dividing it by the state or federal minimum wage, whichever is higher. No more than that number of hours will be counted as community service. Effective January 1, 2008 the California state minimum wage is $8.00 per hour and effective July 24, 2008 the federal minimum wage is $6.55, and will be increased to $7.25 effective July 24, Vocational Educational Training (VTR, JST): Vocational educational training means organized education programs that are directly related to the preparation of individuals for employment in current or emerging occupations. Vocational education as a core activity has a lifetime limit of 12 months, effective 12/1/2004. If a participant meets the hour requirement in another activity in a month, that month of VTR would not count toward the twelve-month limit. After the twelve-month limit has been exhausted, participation in educational activities may qualify as education directly related to employment (if no high school diploma or GED) or job skills training directly related to employment. ABE (Adult Basic Education) and ESL (English as a Second Language) may be embedded as part of VTR on a case-by-case basis, if it is limited in duration and is a necessary or regular part of the vocational educational training. Vocational education must be provided by vocational-technical schools, post-secondary institutions and proprietary schools, and may include four-year bachelor degree programs at any State-certified college or university. In some instances, vocational training will be completed online as part of distance learning. Participation will count toward vocational educational training hours only when the time spent online can be monitored by the service provider and reported to the WTW worker. Structured and monitored study sessions that are verified and documented can be counted toward the WPR (MPP Section ). In addition, up to one hour of unsupervised homework time for each hour of class time may be counted toward the WPR. A statement DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 8 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

86 from the educational program, such as the course syllabus or a statement from the instructor that indicates the amount of homework required must be retained in the case file. Job Skills Training Directly Related to Employment (JST): Job skills training directly related to employment means training or education for job skills required by an employer to provide an individual with the ability to obtain employment or to advance or adapt to the changing demands of the workplace. The activity may include either customized or general training to prepare an individual for employment, such as literacy and language instruction and other remedial education. Job skills training directly related to employment may include fouryear bachelor degree programs at any State-certified college or university, and may include vocational training that exceeds the 12-month lifetime limit. OTH is no longer a valid component for Vocational Training or Job Skills Training. In some instances, job skills training will be completed as part of distance learning (online). Participation will count toward job skill training directly related to employment only when the time spent online can be monitored by the service provider and reported to the WTW worker and documented in the case file. Actual hours spent in supervised homework time and up to one hour of unsupervised homework time for each hour of class time may be counted for WPR purposes. A statement from the educational program, such as the course syllabus or a statement from the instructor that indicates the amount of homework required must be retained in the case file. Education Directly Related to Employment (ABE, ESL, GED): Education directly related to employment is primarily for adults who are not Cal Learn. This activity may include adult basic education and English as a Second Language (ESL) and, where required as a prerequisite for employment, education leading to a General Educational Development (GED) or high school equivalency diploma. This may include vocational educational training beyond the 12-month lifetime time limit. In some instances, education directly related to employment will be completed as part of distance learning (online). Participation will count toward education directly related to employment only when the time spent online can be monitored by the service provider and reported to the WTW worker and documented in the case file. Actual hours spent in supervised homework time and up to one hour of unsupervised homework time for each hour of class time may be counted for WPR purposes. A statement from the educational program, such as the course syllabus or a statement from the instructor that indicates the amount of homework required must be retained in the case file. Satisfactory School Attendance at Secondary School or in a Course of Study Leading to a Certificate of General Equivalence (Cal Learn): Satisfactory school attendance is primarily for Head of Household minor parents in Cal Learn (includes two parents who are in Cal Learn). This activity is defined as regular attendance, in accordance with the requirements of the secondary school or course of study, leading to a certificate of general equivalence. Hours of participation attending High School in a vocational education track may be counted under this activity. Related education activities such as adult basic education or language instruction, when required for completion of GED, will be counted. Case management services provided to minor parents is counted under this activity. Case management services may include directing and coordinating a minor parent s educational, DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 9 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

87 health, and social services. ESL, career training, alternative school, tutoring, dropout prevention, and teen pregnancy and parenting programs also fall under case management services. In some instances, this activity will be completed as part of distance learning (online). Participation will count toward satisfactory school attendance at secondary school only when the time spent online can be monitored by the service provider and reported to the WTW worker and documented in the case file. Actual hours spent in supervised homework time and up to one hour of unsupervised homework time for each hour of class time may be counted for WPR purposes. A statement from the educational program, such as the course syllabus or a statement from the instructor that indicates the amount of homework required must be retained in the case file. Providing Child Care Services to an individual who is participating in a community service program: This federal category allows an individual to be credited with WPR participation for providing unpaid child care services that enable another TANF recipient s participation in a community service program. The child care hours must be documented and verified. This provision does not allow for one parent in a two parent case to claim WPR credit to care for their own children in the home. Guidelines Regarding WTW Plans, SB 1104 and SB 68 Provisions (WTW AD 07-05) CalWORKs WTW core and non-core requirements have not changed, including the conditions under which we may count education and other specified non-core activities toward the 20-hour per week core requirement. Education and training activities for the CalWORKs program and the requirements for the duration of participation program have not changed. Individuals who are not in Self-Initiated Programs (SIPs) can participate in vocational educational training as a core activity for up to 12 months during their lifetime. There is no time limit for other educational and training activities under the CalWORKs program. OTH is no longer a valid component for vocational training. Santa Barbara county policy is to allow participation in unsupervised study time for non- SIP students as a non-core CalWORKs WTW activity in accordance with verified need for study time (syllabus or instructor s statement). Structured, monitored, verified, and documented study time is allowed for WPR, plus an additional one hour per class hour of unsupervised study time, as long as verification of the need (syllabus or instructor s statement) is maintained in the case record. Santa Barbara county will continue to develop WTW plans according to individual assessments and allow participation in core and non-core activities in accordance with SB 1104 and SB 68, CalWORKs provisions (refer to WTW AD 07-05). WTW plans for participants with mental or emotional disorders and substance abuse issues may be developed based on the evaluation from a qualified medical or mental health professional. Hours spent in these non-core activities shall count as core hours if the WTW worker determines that participation in mental health, substance abuse, and domestic abuse services is necessary for the individual to participate in core activities. Treatment services can be counted as core activities when supporting time limited job search activities of JCL, SUS and UJS. DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 10 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

88 Work Experience (WEX) and Community Service (CST): The maximum number of hours required monthly for a participant in WEX and/or CST is calculated by adding the CalWORKs assistance unit s grant and the assistance unit s portion of the Food Stamp allotment and dividing by the state minimum wage. If the CalWORKs assistance unit does not include food stamp recipients, the individual shall participate not more than the number of hours each month determined by taking the assistance unit s CalWORKs grant divided by the state minimum wage. The state minimum wage, effective January 1, 2008, is $8.00 per hour. Documentation and verification consists of WEX/CST contract and monthly progress and attendance reports (refer to AD-CW and 00-13). Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance (JCL, SUS, UJS, MEN, SUB): The durational limits of job search and job readiness assistance includes six weeks in the preceding 12 months, and no more than four consecutive weeks. Reporting any hours of participation in a week as job search and job readiness assistance triggers the start of one week against the various durational limits. E-65 Job Search Activity Calendar may be used to track UJS activity. Job Club and Supervised Job Search documentation will be maintained in Job Services folder used by Arbor E&T. Job readiness activities may include substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, or rehabilitation activities for those who are otherwise employable but must be determined necessary by a qualified medical or mental health professional. Documentation will consist of progress reports from the Resource Support Team and/or service providers. DSS AD Identifier: WTW AD Page 11 of 11 Implementation Date: 11/1/07 Revised Date: 4/10/09

89 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: WTW Re-Engagement Program [WREP] Date: 8\8\07 Number: CW AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CPS No known impact CalWIN No known impact CalWORKs No known impact Clerical Support No known impact Fiscal No known impact Food Stamps No known impact Foster Care No known impact General Relief No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS No known impact IHSS No known impact Medi-Cal No known impact Reception No known impact Staff Development No known impact Stock Room No known impact Systems No known impact Systems Operations (SOU) No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: ACL DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 1 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

90 I. Background The Federal program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) was created in 1996 from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). In California, Assembly Bill (AB) 1542 established the CalWORKs program in The goal of the CalWORKs program is to assist participants to advance towards economic self-sufficiency through employment-focused and educational activities. TANF Reauthorization was included in the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which became law in February The TANF program was reauthorized with an increased emphasis on work participation requirements for participants and stricter state accountability requirements. The effective date for implementing most of the Reduction Act changes was October 1, 2006, with some of the work verification requirements taking effect October 1, Participation in Welfare-to-Work activities is an integral part of assisting individuals to become self-sufficient. A significant impediment to participation is the breakdown of communication between the non-compliant individual and his or her CES as the broker of available WTW services. Current processes rely on the non-compliant individual to respond to a written notice. This notice, referred to as client correspondence informs the individual that a sanction will be imposed if the individual fails to take a specific action as communicated in the Client Correspondence. Research indicates frequent causes for non-participation include issues related to substance abuse, mental illness, and/or domestic abuse, and/or learning disabilities which frequently impair the individual s ability to communicate in such a pro-active manner. II. Purpose The purpose of this directive is to increase the work participation rate and improve service delivery by reaching out to CalWORKs clients who may benefit from participation in the WTW program and to re-engage them in Welfare-to Work program Activity. The Department of Social Services will work in partnership with the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services Resource Support Team to develop best approaches/methods for client re-engagement into the Welfare-to-Work program. III. Policy Each district office [SB, SM, LMP] will create a specialized Team [within a unit] that will be referred to as the WREP Specialist Team dedicated to providing intensive case management and working exclusively with WTW sanctioned clients not currently participating in WTW activities to re-engage them into the program. In addition as a preventative measure to avoid a sanction, and as outlined in Section VII, the CES now has the option of scheduling a home visit during the Noncompliance process. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 2 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

91 The purpose of this policy is to increase the work participation rate by taking a proactive approach of re-engaging Welfare-To-Work (WTW) sanctioned individuals back into the WTW program and in obtaining full compliance. In an effort to improve WTW participation and to identify previously unidentified barriers to participation, home visit attempts to non-compliant and sanctioned individuals will be implemented. First priority will be given to sanctioned individuals over 90 days with an eventual roll-out to evaluate every individual in either a noncompliant or sanction status to determine if a home visit will be recommended. IV. Staffing Initially, each Regional WREP Specialist Team will consist of: One WREP Specialist CES Supervisor (WREP CESS); One WREP Specialist Case Manager (WREP CES); One Resource Support Team member and/or other partner staff as needed and appropriate; and One Unit Clerk. NOTE: Additional WREP CESs may be added as needed. V. Targeted Population Welfare to Work Re-Engagement efforts will be targeting two groups of participants: 1. Outreach: The first group is comprised of those participants currently in Welfareto-Work sanction status. Within this group there are two subdivisions: a. Those participants in a sanction status 90 days or more. b. Those participants in a sanction status 90 days or less. VI. 2. Prevention: The second group is comprised of those participants who enter a noncompliance status and are a no show/no call for the determination appointment. Letters and phone calls will be attempted prior to end of the 20-day compliance period. Roles and Responsibilities CES,S Roles And Responsibilities as it pertains to the WREP is to: Provide supervision to the specialized team. Specialize in the re-engagement process. Facilitate MDTs (Multi-Disciplinary Teams) as necessary. Coach workers in dealing with challenging participants. Assist in training WREP staff. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 3 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

92 Perform case reviews concentrating on work participation and client reengagement. Oversee the Federal work participation case review process in the regions. Compile monthly statistics reflecting outcomes of the team and provide feedback of the process flow to WREP Program. WREP Case Managers Roles and Responsibilities Provide Initial Outreach to sanctioned clients through letters, phone calls, office appointments and home visits. Provide Intensive Case Management through continuous contact with participants: Evaluate needs and barriers to employment. Make referrals to partners for needed services. Engage participants in appropriate activities through the curing process. Conduct extensive monitoring of re-engagement participants to ensure barriers are addressed and appropriate supportive services are in place. Maintain monthly statistics to reflect re-engagement contacts and activities. Unit Clerk Roles and Responsibilities Provide clerical support to the WREP CESS. Provide clerical support to the WREP CES. Other duties as assigned. VII. Initial Outreach Process The following process that is outlined will be followed by the WREP CES to engage the WTW sanctioned individuals. Step: 1. Each Region will obtain an ADHOC list of sanctioned individuals, DSS032, [Attachment # 1]. WREP CESS will initially assign cases to the WREP CES based on sanction priority. If a sanctioned individual contacts the office to cure their sanction on her/his own, the sanctioned individual will be put in contact with the WREP CES prior to attending Orientation. 2. WREP CES will obtain the cases from closed files and keep a log on the WREP Case Listing of cases received [Attachment # 2]. Client case numbers will be placed under WREP CES s # by Unit Clerk. 3. WREP CES handwrites and mails WREP Letter # 1 [Attachment # 3 or 3A Spanish] to sanctioned clients informing them about the WTW program, benefits of the program, and how to contact the WREP CES. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 4 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

93 4. If the client contacts the WREP CES, a fact-to-face is made to discuss the client s life situation and potential barriers to participating in WTW. If the client is ready and agrees to participate in the WTW program, WREP CES completes WTW29. Stating that the client has agreed to participate in WTW activities and the Curing a WTW Sanction process begins. 5. If client does not contact the WREP CES, the WREP CES begins the Intensive Re-Engagement Specialist Team Outreach process. Intensive Outreach It is recommended that all cases referred to the specialized WREP worker be staffed prior to any home visit. Staffing of case could involve CES, CES Sup, RST, SSI Advocate, EW and any other staff of interest. Not all cases will have a home visit scheduled. Step: 1. If contact is not made by the client after the mailing of WREP Letter #1, the WREP CES conducts a multi-disciplinary team meeting (staffing) to discuss the individual and her/his family. This discussion would include participant/family known situation, needs, barriers, and other relevant factors. WREP CES completes Case Review Guide [Attachment # 4 or 4A]. A decision would be made at this meeting if more information is needed about the individual and her family in order to make an informed recommendation regarding how and if to develop re-engagement attempts including a home visit. If more background information is determined necessary, assignments may be given to various team members to research for a second staffing meeting. If no additional information is necessary, a Re-Engagement Action Plan [Attachment #6] will be developed regarding further re-engagement attempts, which may include a home visit. Specifics regarding timing and details of this Re-Engagement Plan are at the discretion of the team staff and to be determined at the staffing meeting. If a home visit is recommended, WREP Letter #2 [Attachment # 5 or 5a Spanish] will be sent to the client with home visit date and time. 2. If the client contacts CES before the scheduled home visit designated in Letter # 2, the WREP CES will begin the process of developing a Re-Engagement Action Plan by inviting the client into the office or other location for a face-to-face visit to determine the client s barriers and motivation to participate in WTW. If the client is ready to reengage in WTW, the WREP CES will follow the instructions to cure the sanction outlined in AD 06-01, Titled Sanctions. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 5 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

94 Re-Engagement Step: 1. The WREP CES meets with the client and identifies the client s barriers that are preventing participation in WTW activities, makes the appropriate referrals to collaborative partners or supportive services, and develops a curing plan (WTW29 and E-41) with the client geared towards re-engagement into the WTW program. WREP CES sends the Communication Document E-41 or electronic correspondence, to EW to cure the sanction. 2. The assigned CES monitors participant s attendance in WTW activity or employment to ensure that client s participation hours are met, compliance plan (WTW 29) is complete, and sanction is cured. At the discretion of the WREP CES, they may continue working with the individual if more sensitive concerns need to be addressed prior to case reassignment. Every step shall be taken to facilitate the reassignment of client to a CES, with consideration to the client s needs and to help ease any anxieties or stress that may be involved for some number of clients in changing case managers. VIII. Prevention The sanction prevention process will follow the current Non-Compliance Protocol as outlined in CW-AD In addition; it is recommended that pro-active techniques be utilized during the non-compliance process, including the option of a home visit. The overriding principle is that the use of creative approaches be instituted into our way of working with our non-compliant population. In an effort to prevent a participant from sanction status before the 20-day compliance period, the CES will identify each case with the status of no show/no call for the cause determination appointment and begin the following efforts: 1. Efforts to contact non-compliant participants shall begin when the participant fails to show or call for their cause determination appointment. a. CES worker will attempt to telephone the participant to determine the reason for not attending the scheduled appointment and to give the participant the option of scheduling another office appointment. Pending circumstances, the CES can attempt to facilitate the cause determination over the telephone. b. If telephone contact is unsuccessful, the CES shall send the participant a letter notifying him/her of the attempt to resolve non-compliance (copy of original C/D appointment with handwritten reminders). This reminder will afford the participant the opportunity to call the CES worker to schedule an alternative appointment at the office, home or other outside location. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 6 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

95 2. When determined as an effective course of action, the CES has the option of scheduling a home visit. For safety reasons, such home visits will be done in pairs with an outreach partner (CES, EW, RST, SSI Advocate, or CES Sup). If the CES facilitating the home visit individually determines the assistance of the RST is required, the CES shall contact the RST for consultation prior to scheduling the home visit. 3. If the participant is unavailable the day of the home visit, CES worker will document in the case record that an attempt to contact the participant was made, but that he/she was not available. CES will leave a business card to notify clients that a home visit attempt was made. Additional attempts to contact the participant, whether by telephone, mail or home visit are at the discretion of the CES worker. Contact efforts are not required if the case record clearly indicates that the participant chooses to go into sanction. IX. Methods and Processes used to Engage WTW Sanctioned Individuals Addressing Challenges/Barriers With Clients Engaging Sanctioned Clients worker tool [Attachment #7] is designed to assist the WREP CES with topics and questions that could be used to engage the sanctioned individuals into a dialogue introducing the re-engagement process to the individuals and benefits to participating in the WTW program. Client Letters Letter # 1 and Letter # 2 to be sent to clients introducing the new reengagement process, encouraging participation in the WTW program and WREP CES worker information. [Attachment #3 and #5 respectively]. Home Visit WREP CES may conduct a home visit and meet with the client to discuss the WTW Program, advantages to participation, encourage cooperation, and engage the client in creating a compliance plan leading toward full-time participation. Depending on the evaluation and outcome of the professional team staffing, various members of the staffing team will accompany the CES to the home visit to enable the optimum re-engagement interactions. After a home visit and case staffing the CES completes the Home Visit Worksheet [Attachment # 8]. X. Home Visit Procedures Visit Preparations (WREP/RST) Review WTW and RST history available and consult with others if applicable. No home visit is required if it is clearly documented in the case record that the participant chooses to be in sanction and/or if the specialized team determines home outreach is not safe or otherwise appropriate. Should always conduct visits in pairs. A county vehicle should be reserved for the visit. Arrangements for cell phone use can be made if one is not assigned to a County vehicle. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 7 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

96 An itinerary outreach visit slip should be provided to the unit clerk with the following information: 1. Participant s name, address, phone number 2. The scheduled time of the visit and estimated time of return 3. Location of visit if other than the participant s home 4. Names of team members 5. If the visit exceeds the estimated time of return, a telephone call to the unit clerk is necessary to update the estimated time of return* *NOTE: If estimated time of return is not updated, the unit clerk will contact the parties. If contact is unsuccessful, the unit clerk will call 911. Review the contents of the briefcase, possible items to consider: 1. Cell Phone and Business Cards 2. Quick Pad 3. Bus passes 4. Program referral forms (E-30, RST) 5. DSS Phone Roster and Local resource list 6. Educational and Resource Brochures 7. Child Care packets and CR&R referral forms During the visit 1. Explain the purpose of the visit 2. Allow the participant to express any concerns and issues that led to the current status 3. Listen use Home Visit Worksheet as a guide for discussion during the visit 4. Offer hope and explore possible remedies that will stop the noncompliance process Discuss options, possibilities, resources, etc., with the participant 5. Facilitate access to beneficial services by making the appropriate phone calls during the visit 6. Assess the participant for barriers to employment pertaining to Alcohol and/or Drug Abuse, Mental health, and/or Domestic Abuse issues 7. If appropriate, make immediate referral to resources and providers in the community 8. If necessary, schedule a follow-up appointment for a more thorough assessment 9. If participant not at home: Document the case record by including the date and time the visit was attempted, and leave business card at client s home. 10. Staff case to determine if additional attempts are advisable and/or next Action Steps. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 8 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

97 NOTE: If at anytime before or during the home visit, staff feels threatened, suspicious or uneasy in any way, they have the prerogative to end or call off the home visit. After the visit Complete the Home Visit Worksheet Document the visit in the case record and complete Client Contact Tracking Tool Consult regarding findings, referrals, etc Make referrals as appropriate If necessary, see the participant for a follow-up appointment for further assessment and referral to appropriate services Staff Case to determine next action steps XI. Statistic and Outcomes The Client Contact Tracking Tool [Attachment #11] is used by the WREP CES to track the number of contacts for each client and the outcome of the contacts. This is to be completed after each attempt to contact a client. A copy is to be kept in the case folder. Statistics will be completed monthly by WREP CES, CESS and WTW PA to assess each region s progress in documenting WTW re-engagement activities, improved Work Participation Rates (WPR) identifying training needs and developing future best practices. The WREP CES and/or CESS will submit statistics to the WTW PA by the 5th of each month for previous months Stats. See Monthly Stats by WREP CES [Attachment #12] and Regional WREP Monthly Statistics (Attachment 13).The WREP CES or CESS will compile these statistics and submit to WTW PA by the 5th of each month. WTW PA will complete the Summary All Regions Statistics. [Attachment #14] To measure the effectiveness of re-engagement activities and evaluate ongoing process in the future, the Re-Engagement Specialist Team may document the following: Number of cases that went from sanction to full WTW participation. Number of sanctioned cases that closed and the reason for the closure that occurred once the WTW case was assigned to the WREP CES and the reengagement process was started. Number of noncompliant cases handled by the WREP CES and the number of cases that transitioned from partial participation to full participation in WTW activities. Number of WTW cases where client s barriers were identified and resolved resulting in increased WTW participation. Numbers of participants Arbor assists and number of participants who interview for job positions and accept employment. Additional documentation may be captured on the WREP CES Monthly Stat forms. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 9 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

98 XII. Filing Guide A separate manila folder will be maintained in the WTW case folder for all forms that are exclusive to the WREP. DEPARTMENT-WIDE IMPACT CalWORKs... DSS staff Implementation WTW... DSS staff implementation ADMH... RST staff implementation Department support of tracking performance measures Food Stamps... Review for information Medi-Cal... Review for information General Relief... Review for information Staff Development... Implement training plan State Hearings... Review for information ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 Ad Hoc DSS032 Attachment 2 WREP Case Listing Attachment 3 WREP Letter # 1 [English ] Attachment 3A WREP Letter # 1 [Spanish] Attachment 4 WREP Case Review Guide Attachment 4A WREP Case Review Guide or [Revised form] Attachment 5 WREP Letter # 2 [English] Attachment 5A WREP Letter # 2 [Spanish] Attachment 6 Re-Engagement Action Plan Attachment 7 Engaging Sanctioned Clients Attachment 8 WREP Home Visit Worksheet Attachment 9 WREP Client Tracking Tool Attachment 10 Monthly Stats by WREP CES Attachment 11 Regional WREP Monthly Stats Attachment 12 Summary All Regions WREP Monthly Stats DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 10 of 10 Implementation Date: 8\8\07 Revised:

99 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE SUBJECT: NUMBER DATE AD-CalWORKs /06/01 DOMESTIC ABUSE REFERENCE: Manual of Policies and Procedures (MPP) Sections , , , , , , , , , CANCELS: AD-CalWORKs 98-03, Draft ADCW CANCEL DATE: Upon issuance of protocols and regulations by CDSS I BACKGROUND California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) domestic abuse provisions and W&I Code contain good cause provisions applicable to victims of domestic abuse. This AD provides staff instructions for implementation of the final regulations II CONFIDENTIALITY (See Division 19) Information with respect to domestic abuse victims and their dependents shall not be released to any outside party or other governmental agencies or to any employee of the Department of Social Services who is not directly involved in the applicant s or recipient s case. Exceptions are: The information is required to be disclosed by law. A release was authorized in writing by the applicant or recipient. A. DEFINITIONS (MPP ) 1. Domestic Abuse is assaultive or coercive behavior, which includes: Physical abuse Sexual abuse Psychological abuse Economic control Stalking Isolation Threats or other types of coercive behaviors occurring within a domestic relationship Abuse may include, but is not limited to, battering or subjecting a victim to extreme cruelty by: Physical acts that resulted in or threatened to result in physical injury Sexual abuse Sexual activity involving a child in the home Being forced to participate in non-consensual sexual acts or activities Threats of, or attempts at, physical or sexual abuse Mental abuse

100 ADCW page 2 Neglect or deprivation of medical care Stalking 2. Domestic Relationships are relationships between or among: Adults or minors who are a current or former spouse Adults or minors who live together or have lived together Adults or minors who are dating or have dated Adults or minors who are engaged in or who have engaged in a sexual relationship Adults or minors who are related by blood or adoption Adults or minors who are or formerly were related by marriage Adults or minors who are engaged or were formerly engaged to be married Persons who have a child in common Minor children of persons in (d)(4)(A) through (H) An adult or minor acting in concert with or on behalf of a perpetrator in a relationship identified in (d)(4)(A) through (H) III POLICIES and PROCEDURES The following policies and procedures outline the domestic abuse referral process. It is intended to enable the reader to complete a referral for client whom staff has identified as needing Resource Support Team (RST) services. Applicants and recipients of public assistance must be screened for domestic abuse in order to provide referrals for supportive services and counseling. Victims of abuse must not be placed at further risk, be encouraged to remain/leave the abuser, or be unfairly penalized or sanctioned by CalWORKs requirements and procedures. Resource materials shall be provided during Orientation, when the applicant/recipient enters the welfare-to-work program, and at annual re-determination. A current list of local domestic abuse resources shall be provided to the applicant/ recipient. This information will be included with the other resource material provided to applicants/recipients. At each application and renewal, or in any discussion with CalWORKs or welfare-to-work staff, the applicant/recipient must be given every opportunity to disclose that s/he is a victim of past or present domestic abuse. During the intake orientation and/or renewal process, the applicant/recipient must be advised that, if they choose, they may discuss their particular situation with staff, and available resources and assistance will be provided to them. The EW/CES shall explain that this information is requested to better assist the applicant/ recipient in becoming self-sufficient while promoting his or her safety. The applicant/recipient must also be advised that answering any questions that might indicate behaviors of domestic abuse is optional.

101 ADCW page 3 A. ORIENTATION Applicants and recipients will be informed of the availability of services for domestic abuse by a video presentation during the orientation process. At Orientation the following informing notice will be reviewed: Domestic Abuse Notice for the Welfare to Work Program (E-46, Attachment A) This notice outlines to the reader of WTW services for individuals who have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse, along with a brief explanation of different types of abuse. Most important is that the information supplied by the client is voluntary and not a condition of eligibility for CalWORKs. The client will be asked to sign the E-46 to indicate the information was reviewed during Orientation. The E-46 will be filed in the case record (lower left after the CA 2.1). The E-47 (located in the Domestic Abuse Information packett) is the clients copy of the explanation of information listed on the E-46. In each orientation room the following informational handbook will be made available to the applicant/recipient: Domestic Violence Handbook, California Attorney General s Office (Attachment C) This handbook titled, A Survivor s Guide, reviews with the reader how to deal and understand domestic violence, living violence-free, and resources for victims of domestic violence. Domestic Violence Survival Card (E-49, Attachment D), This shoe card will have phone numbers of available resources for victims of domestic abuse. A Domestic Abuse Information packett will be given to each applicant/recipient during renewal/orientation. The Domestic Abuse Information packett will contain the following: E-47 Domestic Abuse Notice for the Welfare to Work Program E-48 - Self-Sufficiency and Domestic Abuse (, Attachment B) - The E-48 outlines how WTW may assist a victim of domestic abuse. Brochure Safety Plan/Created by the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council Brochure Help for Victims of Witnesses of Crime A supply of the following informational brochures will be available in the lobbies of all offices at DSS, WRCs and Curtis & Associates, and will be included in the packet given to each applicant/recipient. Important Information on Domestic Abuse in the Welfare-to-Work Program, E-47 (Attachment E) Information on Self-Sufficiency and Domestic Abuse, E-48 (Attachment B) Domestic Abuse Reference Card, E-49 (Attachment D) Domestic Violence Handbook, California Attorney General s Office (Attachment C) Safety Plan pamphlet (Attachment F) Victim/Witness Assistance Program pamphlet (Attachment G) Along with the above, a shoe card, Domestic Violence Survival Card (E-49, Attachment D), will be placed in DSS, WRC, and Curtis and Associate restrooms. The

102 ADCW page 4 shoe card will have phone numbers of available resources for victims of domestic abuse. B. CALWORKS INTAKE/NON-EXEMPT APPLICANTS Intake eligibility staff may identify applicants who appear to have a domestic abuse situation that may preclude that the individual successfully attend or participate in Job Club. When this occurs, the EW should suspend referral to Job Club and refer the client to the CalWORKs Resource Support Team (RST) for assessment and possible referral to available services and community resources. In all cases, when an individual is in the office (during an interview with CalWORKs staff) and a referral need is identified, CalWORKs staff should at that time call the RST and arrange an appointment. In addition, the EW will also complete the following steps; Review the appraisal forms and, after ensuring that the participant has signed a Program Information Release Form (E-75), complete sections I and II of the Internal Referral Form (E-74). The original Internal Referral Form shall be sent to the appropriate RST; the NCR copy shall be retained in a separate manila folder. The separate manila folder will have a goldenrod label with the clients name and Social Security number and filed in the WTW case record. Complete WtW Referral (E-37) and note to the CES that the participant has been referred to the CalWORKs RST. Send the completed Orientation/Appraisal folder to the WtW unit for CES assignment. The CES will schedule the participant into the ASM component. The case shall be assigned to a CES, ideally within one day after the referral is received. WTW staff will inform the RST of which CES has been assigned the case. The RST will follow-up the referral ideally within 5 days of receipt of referral with the Internal Referral Form (E-74) informing the CES of the outcomes and initial contact information. After meeting with the participant the RST will also inform the CES if the participant is able to attend or continue to attend Job Club as outlined in Section V (Good Cause). All information and feedback from the RST shall be filed in the goldenrod labeled manila folder and filed in the WTW case record. This manila folder shall not be removed, nor its contents reviewed nor disclosed to any other party without appropriate releases and supervisory approval. C. CALWORKS ONGOING/RECIPIENTS Recipients at assessment or in any WTW activity may have good cause determination for not participating in WTW activities. A referral to the RST shall be completed at any time the CES believes that a domestic abuse situation may limit or preclude satisfactory participation or be a barrier to obtaining employment. If the recipient is determined to have a domestic abuse situation, a WTW plan will be developed based on the results of the evaluation and include appropriate recommendations on a case-by-case basis. The referral process to the RST is as follows;

103 ADCW page 5 Complete sections I and II of the Internal Referral Form (E-74) The original Internal Referral Form shall be sent to the appropriate RST, the NCR copy shall be retained in a separate manila folder. The separate manila folder will have a goldenrod label with the clients name and Social Security number. Complete WtW referral (E-37) and note to the assigned CES that the client has been referred to the CalWORKs RST. Within five days of receipt of the referral, the RST will complete the outcomes and initial contact on the Internal Referral Form; the RST will then, route the completed form to the CES. All information and feedback from the RST shall be filed in a goldenrod-labeled manila folder and filed in the WTW case record. The manila folder shall not be removed, nor its contents reviewed nor disclosed to any other party without appropriate releases and supervisory approval. D. CURTIS & ASSOCIATES When staff at the Self-Sufficiency centers identify clients who are having difficulty attending and/or participating in job club due to a possible domestic abuse situation, participation in job services may be suspended. Every effort should be made to identify these participants, and a referral to the RST for assessment. Information related to concerns about client participation that prompted the referral should be clearly communicated to RST via the Internal Referral Form (E-74). Recipients will be referred back to job services when determined able to participate. If appropriate, Job Club participation shall be suspended and the participant shall be advised that s/he is being referred to the CalWORKs RST for review of the participant s current situation. SSC staff shall complete the Internal Referral Form (E-74) and forward the referral to the RST. If determination by the RST is made that Job Club participation is not likely to lead to employment or would not be beneficial, the participant would not be required to continue in Job Club; however, the participant would have the option to continue in Job Club. Follow established procedures for referral to CES. The RST will follow-up the referral with the Internal Referral Form (E-74) informing the CES of the outcomes and initial contact information. E. DSS WELFARE-TO-WORK STAFF Participation Unless the applicant/recipient s participation in WTW would be detrimental or unfairly penalize them, the expectation is that s/he will participate in WTW activities. Participation by CalWORKs recipients in welfare-to-work activities is strongly encouraged, to the full extent of their abilities, including participation in counseling and treatment programs, as appropriate, to enable the recipient to obtain employment and move towards self-sufficiency.

104 ADCW page 6 Applicants/recipients are required to be as active as they can towards elimination of the domestic abuse that is the barrier to work, but no activities putting them at risk will ever be required. The CES will refer participants to the RST when a concern exists that mental or emotional illness, substance abuse and/or domestic abuse might impair the participant s ability to obtain or retain employment. The component ASM will be assigned. Note: Participants have the option of declining to avail themselves of these resources, but will then be expected to fully participate in WTW activities without benefit of intervention. The participant shall be asked to sign a Program Information Release Form (E-75). This will allow the RST and CES to collaboratively develop a WTW Plan, coordinate services and provide case management Unless the participant signs the appropriate releases, discussions between the CES and RST shall be limited to the participant s ability to actively participate in the WTW program and hours of participation in RST assessment and intervention services. If the participant chooses not to participate in any domestic abuse services, or at any point in time where participation seems to be negatively impacted by their situation, the participant should again be offered the opportunity to be referred for resources and services. The client, in consultation with the RST, will select the resources or services of their choice and make an appointment. The RST will incorporate the recommendations from this assessment into the WTW planning with the CES. The participant may authorize the CES to contact the treatment provider. If this should occur a separate Release of Information (ABCDM 228) must be completed. The CES will contact the RST before calling the treatment provider for an update of the participants treatment progress. F. EXEMPT APPLICANTS/RECIPIENTS Applicants/recipients exempt from welfare-to-work participation may be referred to the RST if at any time during communication with the clients DSS staff become aware of a need for information about resources and services. Applicants and recipients exempt from WTW participation, but who disclose to CalWORKs eligibility staff issues concerning domestic abuse, shall be referred to RST staff for evaluation and referral to existing resources. The RST will conduct an assessment and serve as a referral source, At any time an individual who is exempt from participating in the WTW program may volunteer to be seen by the RST. The client shall have explained the benefits of volunteering to participate in the WTW program. To accomplish this, the CES shall refer the participant to the EW to volunteer for WTW; or the participant may self-refer to the RST. In both cases the RST will contact the CES to confirm that the participant is being seen by the RST. G. WELFARE TO WORK PLAN Each participant who has been identified as a victim of domestic abuse shall be assessed on an individual basis to develop a welfare-to-work plan to which the participant has agreed. The plan

105 ADCW page 7 shall be designed with confidentiality and the health and safety of the individual and his/her children as the primary considerations. The CES shall contact the RST and ask that an assessment be conducted as soon as possible. The RST shall conduct an assessment and discuss with the CES the outcomes and recommendations (i.e., the ability of the participant to participate in WTW) in development of the WTW plan. The WTW plan should include the following: The degree to which domestic abuse is a barrier to obtaining employment. Flexibility to accommodate any prior or current legal obligations or other activities or issues related to the domestic abuse. This includes a referral to legal services. Special cultural or religious needs. Other services for the victim and his/her children include, but are not limited to, the following: Mental health counseling Substance abuse services Medical and public health services Community domestic abuse services Child counseling Immigration services Parenting skills training Independent living skills training Financial planning Relocation activities Appropriate protection for individuals in immediate danger shall be integrated into the WTW plan. For example, such things as keeping an individual s mailing address, place of residence and/or workplace confidential should be clearly identified in his/her WTW plan, if this is necessary for the protection of the individual. The need for a waiver from certain program requirements. Services provided in the WTW plan or where the individual is otherwise referred must be available to him/her. If necessary services are not available, good cause to waive certain WTW requirements may be established as specified in Section V. If the participant and the CES are unable to reach an agreement on the WTW plan, the matter shall be referred by the CES for an independent assessment by an impartial third party. See Section J of the WTW Desk Guide. IV WAIVER OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS The EW/CES may waive a program requirement, except as specified below, for a recipient who has been identified as a past or present victim of domestic abuse when it has been determined that good cause exists, as specified in Section V of this directive. The following program requirements cannot be waived:

106 ADCW page 8 Deprivation (MPP ) Assets (MPP ) Income (MPP ) Homeless assistance (MPP ) Program requirements that may be waived include, but are not limited to: 18/24/60-month time limits on receipt of assistance Participation in welfare-to-work Education requirements (based on the teen school requirement as specified in MPP Paternity establishment Child support cooperation requirement as specified in MPP V GOOD CAUSE DETERMINATIONS Program requirements may be waived on a case-by-case basis for a participant who is a victim of domestic abuse, as long as the domestic abuse prevents the individual from obtaining employment or participating in WTW activities. If at any time good cause is determined for a participant, the CalWORKs 60/18/24-month clock is stopped. The TANF 60-month clock continues despite the determination of good cause. The welfare-to-work CES may determine there is a good cause for non-participation by a recipient who has been identified as a past or present victim of abuse. If such good cause determination is made, the CES must remember to notify eligibility staff of the determination so that the fact that the clocks have stopped is documented. Examples which may constitute good cause for waiving program requirements for victims of domestic abuse, include, but are not, limited to: The participant is fleeing the abuser and is in temporary housing or is homeless; The participant has entered a shelter The participant is concerned about the safety of his/her children The participant and/or children are undergoing counseling to cope with the effects of the abuse. Good cause determinations due to domestic abuse may be applied for different lengths of time. The length of each good cause determination and appropriate activities to resolve the domestic abuse situation are determined jointly with the client. The initial good cause determination should not exceed six months. A review of the participants situation shall be discussed with the participant during the 6-month period at least once a month. When reviewing a good cause decision, examine the individual s current life situation and consider their assessment of the need for an extension and any steps they are taking toward self-sufficiency. Continue to allow good cause if it will ensure the family s safety, or if other circumstances make an extension of the good cause decision reasonable. For example, a victim is recovering from injuries, child custody proceedings are continuing and causing the client to fear for her or her children s safety, jobs are lost due to harassment, safe housing cannot be obtained in the time allotted, etc.

107 ADCW page 9 Not every client disclosing domestic abuse will need to be excused for good cause; it is a caseby-case determination. At times taking part in work activities may help an individual escape the effects of domestic abuse. Consider the family s current situation and their plan for achieving self-sufficiency when determining good cause for reasons of domestic abuse Verification A sworn statement by the victim is sufficient to establish abuse unless the EW/CES documents in writing an independent reasonable basis to find the recipient not credible. Evidence of domestic abuse includes, but is not limited to: Police, government agency or court records or files Documentation from a domestic abuse program Documentation from legal, clerical, medical or other professionals from whom the applicant has sought assistance in dealing with domestic abuse Physical evidence of abuse A statement from another individual with knowledge of the circumstances that provide the basis for the claim of abuse Any other evidence that supports the statement VI CDS/GIS Any participant referred to the RST shall be scheduled into the ASM component. At the end of assessment and if good cause is determined, the CES shall instruct the EW to change the PEC Code to J and effective date of the new PEC. The PEC code of J is designed to stop the CalWORKs 60/18/24-month clock but will allow the TANF 60-month clock to continue. Along with changing the PEC code, the CES will scheduled the participant into the DOM component. VII ESTABLISHMENT/CHILD SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS WHICH MAY BE WAIVED Circumstances, which may be used to determine if the applicant/recipient has good cause and therefore paternity/child support payments, may be waived. These circumstances include the reasonable anticipation that cooperation may result in: Serious physical harm to the child for whom support is to be sought. Serious emotional harm to the child for whom support is to be sought. Serious physical harm to the parent or caretaker relative with whom the child is living which reduces the capacity of the parent or caretaker relative to adequately care for the child. The child for whom support is sought was conceived as a result of incest or forcible rape. Legal proceedings for the adoption of the child are pending before a court of competent jurisdiction. The applicant or recipient is currently being assisted by a public or licensed private social agency to resolve the issues of whether to keep the child or relinquish him/her for adoption, and the discussions have not gone on for more than a total of 90 days.

108 ADCW page 10 VIII NOTICE REQUIREMENT (MPP 22,071, and ) The EW/CES shall discuss personal safety with individuals who have been identified as victims of domestic abuse. Individuals shall be provided the opportunity to make decisions about how they are to receive communications and correspondence from the county, subject to due process requirements. The safety of the individual shall be considered at all times. Case files shall include documentation of any need for alternative notice requirements and the method chosen. Documentation should include a written statement signed by the applicant or recipient indicating the noticing method chose. Alternative notice requirements include, but are not limited to: Telephone calls Alternate mailing address Hand delivery CALIFORNIA CONFIDENTIAL ADDRESS PROGRAM (CALCAP) The California Confidential Address Program (CalCAP) is a no-cost mail-forwarding service designed to provide address protection for victims of domestic abuse. Whenever mail is delivered to the CalCAP substitute address, The California Secretary of State s office acts as an agent to receive and forward legal documents, first-class and certified mail and mail from governmental agencies to the participant s confidential address. 1. Enrollment Information To participate in the program a victim of domestic abuse must complete the application process through the California Secretary of State s office. Once enrolled in the program, the participant receives a substitute address and a 4-digit Identification Number (IDN) from the Secretary of State for use in business transactions requiring a residence or mailing address. All phases of the CalCAP process are highly confidential. 2. Employment History Record The CalCAP participant may also have the substitute address reflected on his/her employment history record by entering the substitute address on form STD 686, Employee Action Request (EAR). The 4-digit IDN is not required on the EAR and therefore should not be included as part of the substitute address. IX DEPARTMENT-WIDE IMPACT CalWORKs... In addition to referring ADMHS clients, the EW/CES will make referrals to the RST for any clients needing domestic abuse services. Food Stamps... N/A

109 ADCW page 11 Medi-Cal... N/A General Relief... N/A Staff Development... Add to training materials State Hearings/Collections... N/A Fiscal Accounting... N/A Systems... N/A APS/CPS/IHSS... Increase in referrals if children have been abused or placed at risk Clerical Support... N/A

110 ADCW page 12 ATTACHMENTS A. Domestic Abuse Notice, E-46 B. Information on Self-Sufficiency and Domestic Abuse, E-48 C. Domestic Violence Handbook, California Attorney General s Office D. Domestic Abuse Reference Card, E-49 E. Important Information on Domestic Abuse in the Welfare-to-Work program, E-47 F. Safety Plan Pamphlet G. Victim/Witness Assistance Program pamphlet H. RST/ADMHS CalWORKs Program Information, E-75 I. RST/ADMHS CalWORKs Program Internal Referral Form, E-74 J. WTW Referral, E-37 CAC:ET:CK:EF/KA/j

111 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: Balderas v. McMahon Date: 10/22/07 Number: CW AD Revised: 1/28/09 DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CPS No known impact CalWIN Incorporate into business processes CalWORKs Incorporate into business processes Clerical Support No known impact Fiscal No known impact Food Stamps No known impact Foster Care No known impact General Relief No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Incorporate into State Hearings/Collections Review IHSS No known impact Medi-Cal No known impact Reception No known impact Staff Development Incorporate into training module Stock Room No known impact Systems No known impact Systems Operations (SOU) No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: Filing under CalWORKs Section; Quarterly Reporting/Prospective Budgeting; CW AD PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: ACL 87-49, ACL 03-18, MPP , MPP , MPP (QR), Admin DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 1 of 4 Implementation Date: 10/22/08 Revised: 1/28/09

112 I. BACKGROUND On January 5, 1987, the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles issued the Final Judgment in the Balderas v. McMahon Court Case. The Balderas Order set forth procedures to be followed when a complete CA 7 was not received by the 11 th of the month. Many of the provisions in this Order were already contained in MPP Sections and which remained in effect. NOTE: The CW 7 was implemented by Santa Barbara County effective 1/1/98 to incorporate the changes of AB 1542 in regards to the CalWORKs Program. The QR 7 was implemented by Santa Barbara County effective 5/1/04 to incorporate the changes of AB 444 in regards to Quarterly Reporting/Prospective Budgeting (QR/PB). II. POLICY AND PROCEDURES A. RECIPIENT CONTACT QR 7 NOT SUBMITTED When a QR 7 has not been received at the county after the notice of discontinuance has been sent, the Eligibility Worker (EW) shall attempt to make a personal contact with the recipient either by telephone or in a face-to-face meeting. During the personal contact the EW shall remind the recipient that a complete QR 7 must be received by the county no later than the first working day of the next QR Payment Quarter. The county shall document how and when the contact was attempted or made. The EW is required to enter case comments electronically in CalWIN using Balderas Contact as the type of case comment. When the recipient cannot be personally contacted, a written reminder notice shall be mailed no later than five days prior to the last calendar day of the report month. Under no circumstances shall the reminder notice be mailed in the same envelope as the discontinuance notice. CalWIN currently generates and automatically mails out the Balderas NOA on the Balderas day which is indicated on the DSS CalWIN Cut-Off Calendar. B. GOOD CAUSE DETERMINATION On every case when a recipient who has been discontinued for failure to submit a complete QR 7 requests restoration of CalWORKs during the calendar month following discontinuance, but after the first working day of the next QR Payment Quarter, the county shall determine if the recipient had good cause for failure to submit a complete report. Section (QR) states good cause exists in only the following situations: DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 2 of 4 Implementation Date: 10/22/08 Revised: 1/28/09

113 (a) When the recipient is suffering from a mental or physical condition which prevents timely and complete reporting. (b) When the recipient s failure to submit a timely and complete report is directly attributable to county error. (c) When the county finds other extenuating circumstances. If the recipient had good cause for failure to submit a complete report, the discontinuance action shall be rescinded. Both CalWORKs and Food Stamps will establish an overpayment when a late QR 7 is received or a Good Cause Determination is granted and a 10-day notice cannot be given to reduce their benefits for the upcoming QR Payment Quarter. Late QR 7 / Good Cause Granted Decrease in Benefits: Reinstate benefits at the level prior to discontinuance. QR Cycle remains unchanged. Decrease benefits in the second month of the QR Payment Quarter or as soon as 10-day notice can be provided. Note: This will result in a mid-quarter decrease in benefits in the QR Payment Quarter based on information reported on the late QR7. An overpayment will be established for the benefits the recipient was not entitled to in the first month of the QR Payment Quarter. Late QR 7 / Good Cause Granted Increase in Benefits: Issue supplement if benefits cannot be increased by the first day of the first month of the next QR Payment Quarter. Increase benefits for the remaining months of that quarter. The 10-day notice requirements do not apply to increases in benefits. C. CWD NOTIFICATION OF LATE QR 7 FILING TO OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES The county shall not take action to notify the Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) or any affected employment or training program of QR 7 related discontinuance until after the first working day of the next QR Payment Quarter. This notification is done through the CalWIN Interface. Once a case is discontinued a CW 371, notice to LCSA, is generated with the discontinuance date populated on the referral form. D. MANDATORY REMINDER NOTICE X NOA If the QR 7 is not received by the 11 th day of the QR Submit Month, CalWIN will automatically send out the appropriate discontinuance notice to the client according to program(s) regulations and put benefits for the future month on hold. The X NOA informs the recipient that his/her benefits will be terminated effective the end of the month unless he/she submits a complete QR 7 by the first working day of the following month. Y NOA If the QR 7 is received but is not complete in accordance with the completeness criteria specified in Section (QR), the EW will update the status of the QR 7 in CalWIN to Incomplete and list the reasons the report is incomplete. CalWIN will automatically send out the appropriate discontinuance notice to the client according to program(s) regulations and put benefits for the future month on hold. If a copy of the QR 7 needs to be attached to the Y NOA, the EW will need to reprint the notice online. This can be done from the Periodic Report Detail window by clicking [Reprint] button. The QR 7 should be attached and manually mailed to the client. The Y NOA informs the recipient that his/her CalWORKs benefits will be terminated effective the end of the month unless he/she completes the QR 7, provides information/verification on DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 3 of 4 Implementation Date: 10/22/08 Revised: 1/28/09

114 the reasons the QR 7 was incomplete, and re-submits it by the first working day of the following month. Balderas Notice - When the recipient cannot be personally contacted, a written reminder notice shall be mailed no later than five days prior to the last calendar day of the report month. The notice is used when a recipient has still not submitted a complete QR 7 after the appropriate discontinuance notice has been sent. The Balderas Notice is automatically mailed through CalWIN on the Balderas - QR 7 Generates day which is indicated on the DSS CalWIN Cut-Off Calendar. A System Generated Case Comment is triggered in the Periodic Reporting Subsystem when a Balderas notice is generated. DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 4 of 4 Implementation Date: 10/22/08 Revised: 1/28/09

115 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: CalWORKs Special Needs Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revison Date: 7/07/08 Number: CW AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CPS No known impact CalWIN No known impact CalWORKs Incorporate into business processes Clerical Support No known impact Fiscal No known impact Food Stamps No known impact Foster Care No known impact General Relief No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS No known impact IHSS No known impact Medi-Cal No known impact Reception No known impact Staff Development Incorporate into training module Stock Room No known impact Systems No known impact Systems Operations (SOU) No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: Filing under CalWORKs Section; Special Programs; CW AD PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: MPP , MPP WIC DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_07-10 Page 1 of 7 Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revised: 07/07/08

116 I. BACKGROUND A special need is a need not common to a majority of recipients for certain goods or services which are essential for their support. There are two kinds of special needs; recurring and nonrecurring. A recurring special need is a special need which results in added cost to the family and which is expected to occur during two or more months in a calendar year. A nonrecurring special need is a special need in which one of the following conditions exists; household emergencies resulting from sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the Assistant Unit s (AU) control and homelessness in which the AU is seeking permanent housing. This AD will not cover Pregnancy Special Needs and Temporary/Permanent Homeless Assistance. Please refer to separate CalWORKs Administrative Directives for instructions on those payments. II. POLICY AND PROCEDURES The county is responsible for assisting the applicant or recipient in identifying any special need which he/she may have. This responsibility is met when requested by the client during either intake or ongoing interviews. The Eligibility Worker (EW) must offer special needs whenever the client reports an incident which might make them eligible. Special needs can also be requested on the SAWS 2. The EW shall allow 10 days for the client to provide necessary verification. If the special needs is an ongoing need, verification is only required once per year, during the eligibility redetermination process. If the recipient does not know how long the special need will be required, the EW shall request verification once per quarter and shall be provided with the QR 7. If the special need is time limited, the special need payment will be provided until the end of the quarter in which the special need is expected to end, based upon verification provided by the recipient Before a special need payment is authorized, evidence is required to establish: That the special need is allowable by regulation, The total cost of the need and the payment plan, The proportion of the cost for which the recipient is responsible when the need is shared by others in the household, The period over which the need will continue. Please note that a sanctioned or penalized person is not eligible to a recurring special needs payment. A sanctioned person is not being aided and therefore would not be eligible for a special needs payment. A penalty requires that the cash aid needs of any person failing to comply with certain eligibility requirements not be considered. These needs include special needs payments. RECURRING SPECIAL NEED PAYMENTS The allowance for a recurring special need cannot exceed the actual increase in costs to the family as a result of the special need. Actual costs must be verified quarterly on the QR 7 except for the special need allowance guidelines below, in which the county may pay at the rate indicated without verification of actual cost. The total allowance which is available for each AU per month for all recurring special needs (excluding pregnancy special needs) shall not exceed the amount of $10 multiplied by the number of persons in the AU. For example, an AU of three would have a maximum special needs allowance of $30 per month ($10 times 3). THERAPEUTIC DIETS Special need for a therapeutic diet shall be authorized when recommended by a physician for circumstances other than pregnancy. Therapeutic diets are not limited to the ones listed below. Final determination of other therapeutic diet needs may need to be authorized based on direction from the program analyst who may consult with the county clinic. CalWIN will generate client DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_07-10 Page 2 of 7 Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revised: 07/07/08

117 correspondence CSF 25, Special Diet Request, when requested on the SAWS 2 or the EW can request the form manually. The recipient is entitled to claim actual expenses related to the diet plan if it is to his/her benefit to do so. However, if the recommended diet plan includes one or a combination of the following diets, the county may pay the amount indicated for the highest cost diet without verification of actual costs. $15.00 for the following diets: Diabetic, 2200 calories or more High Calorie/High protein (including special formula for babies) Lactation (while breast feeding) $ 9.00 for the following diets: Diabetic, under 2200 calories Bland Low Fat/Cholesterol Low Salt (sodium, under 3 grams) OTHER RECURRING SPECIAL NEEDS The recipient is eligible for a special need allowance for the following recurring special needs when the county verifies that they occur for reasons not common to a majority of recipients and that they are essential for support. Determination of any allowance shall be consistent with the following guidelines and limitations: SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION The actual cost of special transportation not to exceed the actual cost of the least expensive mode of transportation reasonably available to the recipient. The cost of private automobile shall be calculated at the rate of 12 cents per mile multiplied by the number of miles traveled without further documentation by the recipient. An example of a special transportation need is where the recipient must travel an unusual distance or travel daily to receive required medical treatments. SPECIAL LAUNDRY The actual cost of special laundry. The county may allow $3.00 per month without verification of actual cost. An example of special laundry need would be where a recipient is required to change and clean bedding or clothing more than usual because of a medical condition. HOUSEHOLD CHORES The actual cost of employing someone to do cooking, washing, ironing, household cleaning, and similar chore services for members of the AU when the county verifies that the family caretaker is unable to perform any one or more of these functions, and that these duties cannot be performed by other persons in the household, or by persons outside the household without charge. SPECIAL TELEPHONE SERVICES The actual cost of special telephone services or equipment. An example of special equipment would be when a member of the household has an auditory DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_07-10 Page 3 of 7 Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revised: 07/07/08

118 impairment requiring an amplifying device. EXCESSIVE UTILITY EXPENSE The actual cost of excessive use of utilities when the county verifies that usage is above that common to the majority of recipients and is essential for their support. This means that the AU s share of the actual cost is in excess of the in-kind income values for utilities for that size AU. The county may allow $5.00 per month without verification of actual cost. NON-RECURRING SPECIAL NEEDS PAYMENTS: An AU is ineligible to receive a non-recurring special need payment if it has over $100 in nonexempt liquid resources. The county shall evaluate nonexempt liquid resources when an AU request non-recurring special needs payment. Liquid resources of $100 or less shall not be considered for purposes of computing the special need payment. EMERGENCIES RESULTING FROM SUDDEN AND UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE AU S CONTROL An AU is entitled to receive a nonrecurring special need payment to repair or replace clothing or household equipment; to provide assistance for damages to the home; or to pay for interim shelter when the AU s home was destroyed or made uninhabitable or inaccessible. The loss or damage must have been caused by sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the AU s control. The CWD shall determine the most feasible and economic method of repair or replacement including the provision of donated or used serviceable items. The total amount allowed for the payment for household emergencies shall not exceed $600 for each incident resulting from the circumstances. The amount of the payment for each item to be repaired or replaced, or to assist with damage to the home, shall be the actual cost, including sales tax, up to a total maximum not to exceed the amount allowed. Payment shall not be made to repair or replace clothing, household items or damage to the home occupied by the AU, unless the clothing, household items or home belonged to a member of the AU. CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD EQUIPMENT Within the limit specified, a payment made to replace clothing may not exceed $25 for each member of the AU. Items of household equipment which may be repaired or replaced include, but are not limited to the following: Bedding, dishes, kitchen utensils - $12 for each person in the AU Cook stove - $142 Refrigerator - $190 Space heater - $73 Double bed including mattress - $143 Other essential furniture - $50 DAMAGE TO THE AU S HOME DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_07-10 Page 4 of 7 Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revised: 07/07/08

119 Within the limit specified, a payment may be made for the costs of essential repair or replacement resulting from damage to the AU s home. The payment shall be allowed for the following costs: Moving and/or storage costs necessitated by the damage to the home. Labor and material costs for repair of the home in which the AU lives and which a member of the AU owns. INTERIM SHELTER An AU may receive a nonrecurring special need payment for the costs of interim shelter when its home has been destroyed, made uninhabitable or inaccessible. An AU is not eligible to receive a nonrecurring special need payment for the costs of interim shelter if it is eligible to receive the nonrecurring special need payment for homeless assistance. If an AU has received the nonrecurring special need for homeless assistance, and the AU s home is subsequently destroyed, made uninhabitable or inaccessible, the AU may qualify for interim shelter assistance. GRANTING SPECIAL NEEDS When to start and stop recurring special need payments depends on whether the client is an applicant or a recipient. Applicant: Once verified, an applicant is eligible to receive a recurring special need payment from the date of application through the end of the quarter in which the verification for the special need expires. Example: A family applies for CalWORKs and Food Stamps on May 10 and requests and verifies the need for a lactation diet for the mother through December. The payment quarter is May/June/July (Cycle 2). A recurring special need payment of $15 per month will be issued from May through January. Recipient: A recipient may voluntarily report having a special need at any time during the quarter. If there is an allowable special need for the recipient s special need, the EW shall treat this report as a voluntary recipient mid-quarter report that results in increased benefits. Recurring special needs that have been requested mid-quarter and have been verified and approved will begin the first of the month in which either the need was reported or the verification substantiates that the need exists, whichever is later, and shall remain in effect until the end of the quarter in which the special need is expected to end. The county shall issue a supplement, if applicable, within ten days of receiving verification. In some cases, voluntarily reported changes may result in an increase in benefits for one program, while decreasing benefits for the other program. The EW must take action to increase benefits in one program, while suppressing the decrease to the other program s benefits. For example, an increase in CalWORKs could result in a decrease in Food Stamp benefits. When this occurs, the Food Stamp benefits shall not be decreased in the current quarter. Example 1: A client is assigned the Jan/Feb/Mar quarter (Cycle 1). The client requests a therapeutic diet in January and provides verification for the diet in January for time period of January through May. A recurring special need payment will be authorized for January through the end of June. The Worker may not decrease Food Stamp benefits mid-quarter as a result of the increase to the cash grant that results from the approval of the special need payment. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_07-10 Page 5 of 7 Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revised: 07/07/08

120 Example 2: A client assigned the Aug/Sept/Oct quarter (Cycle 2) reports she has a recurring special need on August 15. The Worker requests the client provide verification within 10 days. When the client fails to provide verification by the tenth day, the Worker sends a Notice of Action denying the request. With the September QR 7 received October 5, verification of a recurring special need for August through December is provided. The effective months of the recurring special need are October through January. III. NOTICES OF ACTION M Change in Cash aid Recurring Special Need Approved M M CW/RCA - Special Needs Payment Stops/Denial of Special Needs Various CW/RCA - Non-Recurring Special Need Approved IV. SPECIAL NEEDS IN CALWIN When a client reports a situation that makes them eligible for a special need, you will add the relevant details in the Data Collection subsystem. The system uses this information to determine eligibility for the special need and compute the appropriate benefit amounts. The Display Case Special Need Payment/Request Summary window displays summary information related to the client's request for special needs payments. Information displayed includes type of special need, provider name, request date, and amount requested. From this window, you can add, modify, or delete special needs request information. TO ADD SPECIAL NEEDS Click on Intake & Case Maintenance, double click the Data Collection, select the Display Case Special Need Payment/Request Summary window, and enter the case number. Once on the Collect Case Special Need Payment/Request Details window, complete all of the mandatory fields, and enter the verification and source. If a special need is recurring, select the Recurring radio DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_07-10 Page 6 of 7 Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revised: 07/07/08

121 button. If the special need is non-recurring, select the Non-Recurring radio button. Enter the Amount Requested and the Amount Authorized. If the payment is to be made to a provider, click [Find] next to the Provider Name field. The Search for Provider response window appears. NOTE: If you are adding special needs information to an ongoing QR case, the Collect Reporting Information for Data Changes response window will be automatically displayed by CalWIN. Complete the Use Effective Months (UEMs) procedure to establish the correct UEMs for the QR programs. END EXISTING SPECIAL NEEDS: Click on Intake & Case Maintenance, double click the Data Collection, select the Display Case Special Need Payment/Request Summary window, and enter the case number. Once on the Display Case Special Need Payment/Request Summary window you will need to enter the Effective End Date, save and close. TIP: As with all Data Collection changes, you must run EDBC (Eligibility Determination and Benefit Calculation) to apply the changes to the case. You can either run EDBC immediately online after making the changes in the system or schedule EDBC to be run in the nightly batch process. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_07-10 Page 7 of 7 Implementation Date: 11/26/07 Revised: 07/07/08

122 COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: School Attendance Requirements Date: 9/19/2008 Revised Date: 11/4/2008 Number: CW_AD_ DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: APS/CPS No known impact CalWIN Incorporate into business processes CalWORKs Incorporate into business processes Clerical Support Incorporate into business processes Fiscal Incorporate into business processes Food Stamps Incorporate into business processes Foster Care No known impact General Relief No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Incorporate into business processes IHSS No known impact Medi-Cal No known impact Reception No known impact Staff Development Incorporate into training module Stock Room Incorporate into business processes Systems No known impact Systems Operations (SOU) No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: Obsoletes AD-CW and AD-CW File under CalWORKs, Special Programs PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: ACL 97-70, AB 1542, EAS ; ACLs 04-50, 04-33, 01-77, ACIN , MPP) DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 1 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

123 I. BACKGROUND: As of January 1998, all children in the Assistance Unit (AU) for whom school attendance is compulsory (six years of age and older) must attend school as a requirement of CalWORKs. In addition, those recipients not exempted from Welfare to Work (WTW) requirements must have this school attendance requirement incorporated as part of their WTW plan. Recipients who are eligible to Cal-Learn are exempted from this provision. Applicants for CalWORKs are not required to verify school attendance for children in the Assistance Unit (AU) prior to being granted assistance. Once CalWORKs is granted and as part of the annual redetermination (RRR) process, recipients must cooperate to verify school attendance for all applicable children in the AU or a penalty will be applied to the case. Education Code defines truancy as three full days of absence from school without a valid excuse in one school year; being tardy in excess of 30 minutes three times in one school year is also defined as truant. In July 2004 Fry v. Saenz challenged state law (Welfare and Institution Code Section 11253) prohibiting the granting of California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) cash aid to children who have reached 18 years of age, unless the child can reasonably be expected to graduate before age 19 due to a disability. The lawsuit claimed that this provision violates the Americans with Disabilities Act because it discriminates against recipients who would not graduate before age 19 due to a disability. Upon release of this AD, the county s school attendance policy for imposing a penalty has changed. School attendance penalties are valid only for the current school year. The penalty must be lifted effective the first of the month following the last month of the school term (e.g., last day of school is June 7, penalty will be lifted effective July 1). Ad hoc report DSS101 School Attendance Sanction /Penalty will be run yearly in June identifying cases with school attendance penalties. AD-CW School Attendance and AD-CW Fry v. Saenz have been combined in one AD. II. POLICY: School attendance: The School Attendance Form W-32 (available in CalWIN and shelf stock) will be used by the EW to verify attendance for school age children. School age is defined as six to eighteen years of age. The W-32 will be completed and signed by the parent/caretaker relative at the Intake data collection appointment, and at the annual redetermination (RRR) appointment. In addition, when the school attendance penalty has been lifted due to the summer time policy, a new W-32 will be sent to the parent when the new school term commences, allowing 10 days for return of the form to verify school attendance. Once the parent/caretaker has cooperated by providing school information and signing the W-32 form, school attendance is considered to be verified and will be so noted in CalWIN. Until we have a completed W-32 on file, attendance cannot be verified in CalWIN. The EW will retain a hard copy or imaged copy of the W-32 for the case record and send the original W-32 to the designated school(s). Each district office will establish a procedure to batch and mail out W-32s to the area schools. When notification is received from the school reporting truancy, entries will be made in CalWIN to impose the school attendance penalty with adequate and timely notice per quarterly reporting county-initiated actions regulations. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 2 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

124 The penalty will be applied to the case until the parent/caretaker provides verification from the school that the student is no longer truant and/or there have been no unexcused absences/tardies for a period of four weeks. CalWIN generates CSF 37, School /Educational Institution Attendance Verification when attendance is not verified; this form can be used by the parent/caretaker to provide the required verification of cleared truancy. When notification is received from school reporting that a child is no longer enrolled, a new W-32 will be sent to the parent/caretaker relative, allowing 10 days for return of the completed and signed form. Fry v. Saenz: Cash aid and eligibility for otherwise eligible 18-year-olds (and their parent/caretaker relatives) who are attending school full time and will not graduate prior to their 19 th birthday, will not be denied, discontinued or benefits reduced due to a disability. Workers will use the following guidelines when reviewing cases impacted by the Fry v. Saenz lawsuit. Cases where the 18 year old does not meet one of the standards for being considered disabled under Fry v. Saenz will be discontinued at the end of the payment quarter. 1. Children who currently receive or have in the past received SSI/SSP benefits shall be considered disabled. Parent/caretaker relatives shall cooperate with the worker to obtain verification of receipt of SSI/SSP benefits. Past or present 18-year-old recipients of SSI/SSP benefits who attend school full-time shall continue to be considered an eligible child in their parent/caretaker relative s Assistance Unit (AU) and aid shall continue for the otherwise eligible parent/caretaker relative until the child graduates, turns 19, or stops attending school full-time, whichever occurs first. To determine if the SSI/SSP child who is turning 18-years-old is attending school full-time, school attendance must be verified. 2. Children who currently receive or have in the past received services through a Regional Center Program pursuant to the Lanterman Act shall be considered disabled. Parent/caretaker relatives shall cooperate with the EW to obtain verification of receipt of services. Verification may include a statement from the Regional Center stating that the child is currently receiving or has in the past received services. Otherwise eligible 18-year-olds who attend school full-time and are considered disabled under this criterion shall continue to be eligible for CalWORKs benefits until they graduate, turn 19, or stop attending school full-time, whichever occurs first. 3. Children who currently receive services at school in accordance with their Individual Education Plan (IEP) or receive services under/pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (e.g., a Section 504 Plan or Section 504 Accommodation Plan) or have received such services in the past, shall be considered to be disabled. Otherwise eligible 18-year-olds who attend school full-time and are considered disabled under this criterion shall continue to be eligible for CalWORKs benefits until they graduate, turn 19, or stop attending school full-time, whichever occurs first. Parent/caretaker relatives can provide a copy of the child s IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan/Section 504 Plan or cooperate with the worker to obtain verification DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 3 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

125 from the school that there is or has been in the past an IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan/Section 504 Plan in place for the student. 4. When a child s disability cannot be verified by the criteria described above, the parent/caretaker relative can provide independent verification of a current or past disability by a health care provider or a trained, qualified learning disabilities evaluation professional. They may also authorize the county s use of the CW 61 to obtain information to verify the child s disability. Otherwise eligible 18-year-olds who attend school full-time and are considered disabled under this criterion shall continue to be eligible for CalWORKs benefits until they graduate, turn 19, or stop attending school full-time, whichever occurs first. III. PROCEDURES and CalWIN Entries: Intake Applicants are not required to supply school attendance verification and CalWORKs cannot be denied for failure to supply school information. Our county policy is to request completion of the W-32 during the Intake data collection process. CalWIN will not generate the school attendance forms and will not generate the Verification Checklist (VCL) for school verifications when in Intake mode. Shelf stock of the W-32 may be used, or the W-32 can be manually requested from CalWIN. Basic student information can be entered in Display Student Summary window while completing the Intake queue, but attendance information requested will need to be entered after EDBC has been run and the initial benefit authorized. Once the case is in Ongoing mode, the attendance information must be entered in order to generate the W-32 and to trigger the VCL with a due date. The W32 is also required for children who meet a criteria under Fry v. Saenz. In addition, the W-207 is required as this form will be used to determine full time enrollment and if graduation will occur prior to his/her 19 th birthday. It is the parent s responsibility to have the form completed by the school. Workers must allow parents at least 10 days to provide the W-207. Aid will be denied for the 18 year old who will not graduate prior to his/her 19 th birthday if the W-207 is not returned. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 4 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

126 IN THE DISPLAY STUDENT SUMMARY WINDOW: Enter the date the client was given the W-32 as the Effective Begin Date (EBD) on the Collect Student Detail window. Enter the UEM to match the EBD. Once the W-32 is completed and signed by the parent/caretaker enter Verification as Received, and Source as Other Conclusive. The EBD is always the date the information entered became relevant to the case so if the W-32 is turned in on a different day than it was given to the client, enter the EBD as the date received and set the UEM to match. Attendance Verification Requested [Y] and Verification: Not Received generate W-32 and trigger VCL with 10 days to provide Run EDBC and re-evaluate. Verification Checklist will be triggered and allow 10 days for client to provide. If not received, CalWIN will set up the penalty as soon as adequate and timely notice can be given. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 5 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

127 Fry v. Saenz: Once the W-207 is received and it has been verified that the 18 year old meets a criteria under the Fry v. Saenz lawsuit, the worker will make the following entries in the Display Student Summary window: Enter the date the client was given the W-32 as the Effective Begin Date (EBD) on the Collect Student Detail window. Enter the UEM to match the EBD. Once the W-32 is completed and signed by the parent/caretaker enter Verification as Received, and Source as Other Conclusive. The EBD is always the date the information entered became relevant to the case so if the W-32 is turned in on a different day than it was given to the client, enter the EBD as the date received and set the UEM to match. Enter Expected Graduation date; date entered is the day before the child s 19 th birthday. NOTE: If the expected graduation date is not entered, the child will fail for not meeting the age requirements. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 6 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

128 Ongoing Cases received from Intake with school age children in the AU should have school attendance verified and a copy of the W-32 scanned and filed with the intake application paper work. If school attendance is not verified there should be an outstanding VCL or penalty already determined due to non-receipt of the W-32. See CalWIN entries and screen shots under Intake procedures. CalWIN is designed to require school attendance verification during redetermination (RRR). If attendance is full time and attendance is verified, no penalty will be imposed. As part of the RRR process, the EW must obtain a new W-32 form, as the release of information signed by the parent/caretaker is valid for one year only. It is preferable to obtain this information from the client while conducting the RRR interview. Workers must make the following entries in the Display Student Summary window: The EBD on the Collect Student Detail window must be changed to the date the new W-32 was given to the client. If the W-32 is completed then enter that verification was received and enter the verification source. The UEM should match the EBD. W-32 forms are batched and sent to area schools per district office procedures. For Fry v Saenz, if the 18-year-old, who will not graduate prior to their 19 th birthday and does not meet one of the standards for being considered disabled, the parent/caretaker relative must be given the opportunity to provide the necessary verification if the child meets one of the disability criteria. If verification is not provided, the case will be discontinued or grant reduced at the end of the month with timely and adequate notice. IMPOSING SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PENALTY: When the W-32 is received from a school reporting truancy, the EW must take action to impose the penalty with adequate and timely notice. The penalty shall result in a reduction in the grant for the following: The needs of the parent(s)/caretaker relative in the AU if the child(ren) is under the age of 16, or The child s needs if the child(ren) is age 16 or older CalWIN will take the appropriate action when the correct entries are made on the Collect Student Detail window-attendance tab. Workers will make the following entries to impose the penalty: Change the Effective Begin Date (EBD) to the date of receipt of the truancy information and update the Verification to not received, and indicate [Y] Attendance Verification Requested. Set the UEM to match the EBD. Run EDBC and re-evaluate beginning with the month the truancy was reported. This will generate a new W-32, and will also generate the CSF 37, School/Educational Institution Attendance Verification. The CSF 37 is the form the parent/caretaker will use to provide verification from the school that the truancy issue has been cleared and/or no truancies have occurred for four weeks. The W-32A School Attendance Verification form will be obsolete with the release of this AD. Once verification is received, the penalty can be lifted effective the end of the month of receipt of verification. The reference table in CalWIN has been changed to include end reason Lift due to summer time policy. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 7 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

129 School attendance penalties are valid only for the current school year. The penalty must be lifted effective the first of the month following the last month of the school term (e.g., last day of school is June 7, penalty will be lifted effective July 1). A new W-32 will be sent to the parent when the new school term commences, allowing 10 days for return of the form. Always enter a new Effective Begin Date whenever updates are made to the Collect Student Detail window, Attendance Tab. Indicate that Attendance Verification Has Been Requested [Y] and verification has not been received. This will generate the Verification Checklist. CalWIN will impose the penalty with proper notice if the W- 32 is not returned timely. Lifting existing penalties: Before lifting an existing penalty, workers must request a new W-32 from the parent/caretaker relatives. Each case should be reviewed on a case by case situation before the penalty is lifted. Once the signed W-32 is received, the worker will update the Collect Sanction/POI/Penalty Detail window, making sure to enter a new Effective Begin Date. From the drop down arrow in the End Reason field, select Lift penalty due to summer policy. Example: Child has existing penalty effective 5/1/2008. On 8/28/2008, the parent signed a W-32 verifying that the child is enrolled at the local high school. The penalty will be lifted effective 8/31/08. CalWIN Instructions: From the CalWIN Navigate window: Select Display Sanction Summary Select the appropriate person from the drop down arrow Select the appropriate penalty row if more than one row exists; this will open the Collect Sanction/POI/Penalty Detail window Change the Effective Begin Date (date action is being taken) In the End Date field enter last day of the month in which the new school year started DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 8 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

130 End Reason field: select Lift due to summer time policy from the drop down list. Click on the save icon on the tool bar. The UEM window will appear. The UEM date is the first of the following month after the penalty is lifted. Enter Effective End Date; click on the save icon on the tool bar. The UEM window will appear. The UEM date is the first of the following month after the penalty is lifted. Run EDBC and re-evaluate. Example: Child was enrolled last year in school, has had truant problems since The school has never been able to clear the penalty with clean attendance period. Client is unable to enroll child due to homelessness, as she needs to verify residency when enrolling. He is 16 and has not attended school this school year. In the case scenario above, the penalty would not be lifted as the child has not enrolled in school. DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 9 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

131 Forms: W-32, School Attendance CalWIN and shelf stock (Attachment A) o Used during Intake Data Collection o Used when there is a change in school o Used during Redetermination (RRR) W-207, School Verification shelf stock (Attachment B) o Used for children 18 years of age meeting a criteria for Fry v. Saenz o Used during Intake Data Collection o Used when there is a change in school o Used during Redetermination (RRR) CSF 37, School/Educational Institution Attendance Verification CalWIN (Attachment C) o Used when truancy has been reported parent/caretaker is responsible to provide verification from school that truancy has been rectified and/or four weeks of attendance without unexcused absences/tardies has been completed Obsolete form: The W-32A (School Attendance Verification Request) will be obsolete upon release of this AD. CSF 37 will be used to verify that truancy has been rectified and/or four weeks of attendance without unexcused absences/tardies has been completed. Sample Verification Checklist (VCL): DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 10 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

132 NOTICE OF ACTION: CalWORKs Change NOA M40-105E will be generated by CalWIN when penalty is imposed: CalWORKS Change NOA M40-105D will be generated by CalWIN when penalty is lifted: DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 11 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

133 VI: Attachments W-32, School Attendance CalWIN and shelf stock (Attachment A) W-207, School Verification self stock (Attachment B) CSF37, School/Educational Institution Attendance Verification CalWIN (Attachment C) QR 2103 Reminder for Teens Turning 18 Years Old (Attachment D) DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 12 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

134 Attachment A W-32A Rev 1/08 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE Section 54 of the California Welfare Reform Law requires that, beginning on January 1, 1998, all recipients of aid must provide their county welfare department with verification of regular attendance from their child(ren) s school. Santa Barbara County defines regular attendance as not being or having been truant. California Education Code defines truancy as being absent from school without a valid excuse on three full days in one school year or tardy more than 30 minutes during the school day without a valid excuse for three or more days in school year or any combination thereof. DSS Worker Number: Case Name: Case Number: Child Name: DOB: SSN: PARENT/CAREGIVER COMPLETES THIS SECTION: Child s name as registered at school: School: District: Parent/Caregiver Release of Information I authorize (school/district) to release information regarding my child(ren) s school attendance to the Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services. This authorization is valid for one year from the date signed, or until I am no longer receiving CalWORKs assistance, whichever comes first. I may ask for a copy of this authorization. I understand that I must notify my worker if my child changes schools or leaves school for any reason. Parent/Caregiver Signature Phone Date SCHOOL/DISTRICT COMPLETES THIS SECTION: The parent named above has given permission for you to provide the Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services with information about the school attendance of their child. Please keep this form on file. In the event that the child is truant or is no longer enrolled at your school, please tear off the yellow copy of this form, complete the section below and mail it to the attention of the worker at the DSS location checked above. This documentation is confidential. When documents are no longer valid, they should be destroyed or returned to the Department of Social Services for destruction. STUDENT NAME: STUDENT ID: STUDENT IS NO LONGER ENROLLED AT THIS SCHOOL; LAST DATE OF ATTENDANCE: STUDENT HAS BEEN TRUANT (AS DEFINED ABOVE) Signature/Title Phone Date DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 13 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

135 Attachment B W207 Santa Barbara County CalWORKs Case Name: Case Number: SCHOOL VERIFICATION Worker Name & #: Date: Department of Social Services In order for children, ages years old, to be eligible for CalWORKs benefits, they must meet certain eligibility requirements. Children aged 16 17, who are not handicapped, must be: 1. Enrolled full-time in an elementary school, high school, vocational, or technical school; or 2. Registered for employment with the Welfare to Work Program. Children age 18 must be: 1. Enrolled full-time in a high school or the equivalent level of vocational or technical training program, and 2. Expect to complete the program before reaching age Have a current or had an IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan/Section Plan in place Employed children under 19, whose earned income is exempt, must be: 1. Enrolled as a full-time student; or 2. Enrolled in a school schedule that is equal to at least one-half of a full-time curriculum, and not employed full-time. School enrollment must be verified for all children and any employed children under 19. This can be accomplished by taking this form to the Registrar s office of each school. Any changes in your child s school enrollment, or any educational loan or grant received for the child must be reported to your CalWORKs worker immediately. Please return this completed form to the office checked below no later than. Department of Social Services Department of Social Services Department of Social Services Department of Social Services 234 Camino del Remedio 2125 S. Centerpointe Pkwy 1444 S. Broadway 1133 North H St., Ste. F Santa Barbara, CA Santa Maria, CA Santa Maria, Ca Lompoc, CA VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT IN SCHOOL OR VOCATIONAL OR TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAM STUDENT NAME AGE YES NO Is he/she enrolled in a full-time program? If 18: Could this student graduate or complete the program before turning 19? If student is not going to graduate before age 19, does the student currently have or has ever had an IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan/Section 504 Plan in place? Is he/she enrolled in a full-time program? If 18: Could this student graduate or complete the program before turning 19? If student is not going to graduate before age 19, does the student currently have or has ever had an IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan/Section 504 Plan in place? Name of School/Training Program Signature of School/Training Program Official W-207 (Rev. 12/04) (Date) DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 14 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

136 Attachment C CSF 37 DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 15 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

137 Attachment D DSS AD Identifier: CW_AD_ Page 16 of 16 Date: 9/19/2008 Revised: 11/14/2008

138 County of Santa Barbara DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011 New 48- Month Time Limit for CalWORKs Adults Number: CW AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: AOP Support Reviewed: No known impact APS/CWS Reviewed: No known impact CalFresh Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes CalWIN Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes CalWORKs Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Document Imaging Reviewed: No known impact Fiscal Reviewed: No known impact Foster Care Reviewed: No known impact General Relief Reviewed: No known impact Hearings/Collections/IEVS Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes IHSS Reviewed: No known impact Medi-Cal Reviewed: No known impact Staff Development Reviewed: Incorporate in training module Stockroom Reviewed: No known impact Systems Reviewed: No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: CalWORKs; Time On Aid Section PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: ACL 11-33, W&I Code Sections 11454, , and DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 1 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

139 BACKGROUND Senate Bill (SB) 72 was signed by Governor Brown on March 24, This Administrative Directive (AD) provides instructions to be used in the implementation of the new CalWORKs 48-month time limit for aided adults. California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will distribute a mass informing notice to all CalWORKs recipients in May 2011 containing information regarding these changes. California Welfare Departments (CWDs) can use this mailer as an additional tool to inform adults of the new adult time limit rule at intake and at annual redetermination (RRR). The information in this AD is not applicable to recipients of Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance, and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Programs who are single adults or in families without children. The information in this AD does apply to recipient families of TCVAP CalWORKs. This AD was updated on June 29, 2011 to correct the form number from TEMP 2186A to TEMP CW 2186A which is listed in this AD under the Recipient Noticing Requirements for June 2011 through December 31 st, Additional information was provided regarding the mailing of this form for the first set of 30-day Notice of Actions (NOAs). Also added was information on the TRAC screen updates which took effect on June 25 th and updates to the CalWIN Client Correspondence list. Implementation of the new 48-month time limit for CalWORKs adults goes into effect July 1, POLICY Effective July 1, 2011, adults will only be eligible to receive CalWORKs for a maximum of 48 countable months. This new CalWORKs 48-month time clock replaces the CalWORKs 60- month time clock that was implemented January 1, The following months of aid received must be considered in implementing the new CalWORKs 48-month time limit for adults: All countable months of CalWORKs time-on-aid (TOA) received in California since January 1, 1998; All months of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) TOA received from other states since January 1, The following months of aid will continue to not count toward the CalWORKs 48-month time limit: Months of TANF aid received in California or any other state between September 1, 1996 (when some states first implemented their TANF program) and December Months in which the adult was exempt from the CalWORKs time limit clock, or were not aided due to a Welfare-to-Work sanction. All new CalWORKs applicants applying for aid in May or June 2011, will be provided a copy of the statewide mailer, TEMP 2251 (New State Law Rules in California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Starting July 1, 2011) to inform adults of the new adult 48- DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 2 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

140 month time limit. This notice will be provided to applicants and recipients when they attend the video presentations at Intake and RRR. The CalWORKs Informing Packets will be updated to include the revised CW 2184 (CalWORKs 48-Month Time Limit); the Part 2 and RRR Packets will be updated to include the revised TEMP CW 2186A (CalWORKs Time Limit and Welfareto-Work Participation Exemption Request Form). Posters of the TEMP 2251 notice (in English and Spanish) will be placed in the reception area at each district office. Posters may be removed effective September 30, PROCEDURES Effective July 1, 2011 when the adult reaches the new CalWORKs 48-month time limit, the adult must be removed from the Assistance Unit (AU) and the AU s grant reduced, unless the adult meets a time limit extension criterion. Removal of the adult from the AU and the resulting grant reduction will be effective the first day of the month following the month in which the adult reaches their CalWORKs 48-month time limit. This is considered an allowable county-initiated mid-quarter action. For cases in which there is only one aided adult, once the adult has reached the CalWORKs 48-month time limit and has been removed from the AU, the children remain aided in a Child-Only Safety Net case, if otherwise eligible. For two-parent cases, the case does not become a Child-Only Safety Net case until all aided adults in the AU have been discontinued as a result of reaching their CalWORKs time limit. There were no changes to the federal TANF 60-month time limit rules. Depending on when states implemented a TANF program, all federally non-exempt months of TANF assistance received by an adult since September 1, 1996, from any state including California, will apply toward the federal TANF 60-month time clock. Due to the new CalWORKs 48-month time limit, there will be times when an adult will reach the CalWORKs 48-month time limit before reaching the TANF federal 60-month time limit. When these adults reach 48 countable months of aid, the adult must be removed from the AU and the eligible children will be aided in a state funded Safety Net case (3A or 3C), if otherwise eligible. Recipient Noticing Requirements June 2011 through December 31 st, 2011: Because of the significant impact this new policy will have on our recipients, during the initial six months of transition it is required to provide 30-day NOAs to cases that will be affected by these changes (by either a grant reduction or discontinuance of aid). This 30-day NOA will temporarily replace the existing 10-day NOA requirement through December During this transition period, the new TEMP CW 2186A form must be included with each 30-day NOA that is sent to impacted cases. Consistent with 10-day noticing provisions, the 30-day notice period shall not include the date of mailing or the date the actions is to take effect. Note: The TEMP CW 2186A is to be included in the notices sent with each 30-day NOA on impacted cases. The first set of notices mailed out in batch on May 25 th did not have the TEMP CW 2186A included so the CalWIN project generated this form on June 2 nd to be mailed out in batch. Staff was notified via dated June 9, 2011, that for any case when actions DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 3 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

141 are taken in on-line mode, to print the TOA notice and include a manually generated TEMP CW 2186A with the notice when mailed out. (The TEMP CW 2186A form can be manually generated in CalWIN.) After January 1, 2012: Beginning January 1, 2012, adult recipients who are subject to the CalWORKs 48-month time limit will receive a NOA or an informing notice at their 42 nd month of aid, and a NOA between their 42 nd and 46 th months of aid, notifying them of their TOA. A NOA shall be sent 10 days prior to the decrease or discontinuance action in accordance with existing 10-day noticing provisions. Overpayment (OP) Instructions: Although adults who exhaust their 48-month time limit as of July 1, 2011 will be discontinued from the case, some of these adults will have exhausted their 48 months well before this date. No overpayments shall be assessed for any months in which these adults exceed the CalWORKs 48-month time limit prior to July 1, For example, if as of July 1, 2011, the adult has had 55 countable CalWORKs months of aid, no OP shall be established for the additional seven months (beyond the 48) that the adult received aid. As noted earlier, until December 2011 it will be required to issue 30-day NOAs when imposing the 48-month time limit. CalWIN will generate the 48-month time limit notices on May 25 th to be mailed out on May 26 th which will provide the required 30-day noticing for those individuals who are or will be at their 48-month time limit on July 1, In June, CalWIN generated the notices on June 27 th to be mailed out June 28 th. This will continue for the initial six months of transition. An Administrative Error Overpayment shall be assessed for all months in which the AU received aid to which they were not entitled on or after July 1, 2011, if appropriate action (e.g. timely removal of the adult, grant reduction, or case discontinuance) does not occur or if the worker was not able to provide a timely 30-day notice. WDTIP Tracking Recipients Across California (TRAC) Impact: Currently, WDTIP sends the SAWS (Statewide Automated Welfare Systems) Consortia a monthly report file to show any individual who is at certain months of the 60-month time limit for the CalWORKs and/or TANF programs. To assist CWDs in tracking the new CalWORKs 48-month time limit, the WDTIP system will be modified as well as the SAWS (Statewide Automated Welfare Systems) Consortia to issue 48-month time clock reports in June. Also due because the time limit for California s CalWORKs Program was changed from 60 months to 48 months for active adults effective July 1, 2011, the following TRAC screens were modified on June 24, 2011 to reflect this change: TRAC Main Menu KCAL CalWORKs 48-Month Calendar TSUM Time Clock Summary PDET Program Detail EDET Time Clock Exception Summary IDET Individual Detail DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 4 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

142 CalFresh Impact: Since the removal of the adult as a result of the new 48-month time limit is not considered a failure to comply with program requirements of another means tested program, the AU s CalFresh benefits will be recalculated and may be increased as a result of the reduction in the CalWORKs grant. Child Care Impact: As a reminder, although the changes described in this AD will not result in child care policy changes, former CalWORKs recipients who need child care to work or participate in other activities may receive subsidized child care for up to 24 months in Stages One and Two after leaving CalWORKs cash aid. After exhausting the 24 months of subsidized child care in State One and Two a former recipient may continue receiving subsidized child care services in Stage Three as long as they continue to meet eligibility requirements and funding is available. Medi-Cal Impact: Workers will continue current practice of determining ongoing Medi-Cal eligibility to timed-out individuals. CalWORKs workers will carry both the CalWORKs case and the related presumed eligible Medi-Cal since the Medi-Cal case eligibility is tied directly to the CalWORKs case. The timed out individual will show as a 3N aid code for Medi-Cal. General Relief (GR) Impact: GR will not be impacted as a result of the SB 72 changes. Under current law, CalWORKs adults who have lost their eligibility for CalWORKs due to reaching their time limits are not eligible to receive county GR program benefits until all of the children of the individual on whose behalf aid was received, whether or not currently living in the home with the individual, reach age 18. Client Correspondence: M CalWIN 1 CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit Informing Notice M CalWIN 2 CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit Change Notice M CalWIN 3 CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit No Change Notice M CalWIN 4 CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit Discontinuance Notice (Income) M CalWIN 5 CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit Discontinuance Notice (No Eligible Child) M40-107D Time On Aid to Former CalWORKs Recipient M40-107f1 CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit Extender Met After 48 th Month Change NOA M40-107f2 CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit Extender Ended Change NOA M40-107J CalWORKs Partial Approval Timed Out Adult M40-107j1 Application Processing After 48 Months on Aid Approval Notice M40-107k CalWORKs 48 Month Time Limit Increase Grant Due to TOA Adjustment Change NOA TEMP M40-107a Time On Aid Unticking Months Due to Temporary Exemptions DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 5 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

143 Links to informing notices: TEMP 2251, New State Law Rules in California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Starting July 1, 2011: Attachments: Attachment A: CalWORKs 48-Month Time Limit Examples DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 6 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

144 CalWORKs 48-Month Time Limit Examples Attachment A To assist workers in the transition to the new CalWORKs 48-month time limit rules, examples for how to apply the new rules have been provided. These examples do not include grant calculations that reflect the removal of the adult after reaching their time limits. A separate AD addresses those new rules for Incremental Grant Reductions for certain Child-Only cases. Example 1: 48-Month CalWORKs Time Limit Only: An AU of three (mom and two children) has been receiving aid in California since July The mom reaches her 48-month time limit in June 2011, never having received a time limit exemption. In this scenario, mom would be removed from the AU effective June 30, 2011, and her children would be moved into the Safety Net program July 1, 2011, if otherwise eligible. May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 TANF TOA in months N/A CalWORKs TOA in months Mom removed from AU June 30 th Example 2: Counting Out of State Months Toward the CalWORKs 48-Month Time Limit: In May 2011, an AU of three (mom and two children) moves to California from Michigan, applies for CalWORKs, and is determined to be eligible May 1. The AU received 12 months of TANF in Michigan during 2010 and In this scenario, mom is eligible to receive 36 countable months of CalWORKs time-on-aid in California. The 36 months of aid received in California would be added to her 12 months of aid received in Michigan, exhausting her CalWORKs 48-month time clock in April Unless the mom meets a California time limit exemption or extension criteria, once her CalWORKs 48-month time limit is exhausted, she would be removed from the AU effective April 30, 2014 (after her 48 th month of CalWORKs aid). The children would be moved into the Safety Net program on the first of the following month, May 2014, if otherwise eligible. May 2011 June 2011 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 TANF TOA in months N/A CalWORKs TOA in months Mom removed from AU April 30 th DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 7 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

145 Example 3: Counting Out of State Months Toward the CalWORKs 48-Month Time Limit: In June 2011, an AU of three (mom and two children) moves to California from New York, with 45 months of TANF time-on-aid, which they received during the years of 2007 through The AU is determined eligible for CalWORKs as of June 1, In this scenario, mom is eligible to receive three countable months of CalWORKs time-on-aid in California. The three months of aid received in California would be added to the 45 months of TANF received in New York, exhausting her CalWORKs 48-month time clock in August Unless the mom meets a California time limit exemption or extension criteria, once her CalWORKs 48-month time limit is exhausted, she would be removed from the AU effective August 31, 2011 (after her 48 th month of CalWORKs aid). The children would be moved into the Safety Net program on the first of the following month, September 2011, if otherwise eligible. June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 TANF TOA in months N/A CalWORKs TOA in months Mom removed from AU August 31st Example 4: Counting Out of State Months Toward the CalWORKs 48-Month Time Limit: In August 2011, an AU of three (mom and two children) moves to California from New York, with 51 months of TANF time-on-aid received during the years 2007 through Since mom has already received 48 months of out-of-state aid (after January 1, 1998), she is not eligible to receive CalWORKs for herself; however, her children can be aided in a Safety Net case beginning in August 2011, if otherwise eligible. TANF TOA in months July (in New York) August 2011 N/A CalWORKs TOA in months 51 out of state months Mom is not eligible to be added to the AU DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 8 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

146 Example 5: Counting Out of State Months of TANF Received Prior to January 1, 1998: In August 2011, an AU of three (mom and two children) moves to California from South Carolina, where they previously received TANF aid for 19 months from November 1996 through May South Carolina implemented its TANF program October 12, 1996.) From June 1998 until she moved to California, mom and her children were not receiving aid in any state. In this case, Mom has a total of 19 months of countable federal aid, but only five months can be counted toward her CalWORKs clock (January through May 1998.) Therefore, when she comes to California and if determined to be eligible in August 2011, she still has 43 months remaining on her CalWORKs clock, but only 41 remaining on her federal clock. In December 2014, mom reaches her federal 60-month time limit, but since she still has two remaining months on her CalWORKs 48-month time clock, her case is moved to the TANF timed-out and she is aided with state-only funds. Unless the mom meets a California time limit exemption or extension criteria, once her CalWORKs 48-month time limit is exhausted, she would be removed from the AU effective February 28, 2015 (after her 48 th month of CalWORKs aid). The children would be moved into the Safety Net program on the first of the following month, March 2015, if otherwise eligible. July 2011 August 2011 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 TANF TOA in months TANF timed-out N/A N/A CalWORKs TOA in months 5 out of state months Aid code 32/3W 48 Mom removed from AU February 28 Aid code 3A/3C DSS AD Identifier: CW AD Page 9 of 9 Implementation Date: 7/1/2011 Revised Date: 6/29/2011

147 County of Santa Barbara DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE Title: CalWIN Benefit Recovery Functionality (Overpayments) Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date: Number: ADMIN AD DEPARTMENT WIDE IMPACT: AOP Support APS/CWS CalFresh CalWIN CalWORKs Document Imaging Fiscal Foster Care General Relief Hearings/Collections/IEVS IHSS Medi-Cal Staff Development Stockroom Systems Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: No known impact Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: No known impact Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: No known impact Reviewed: No known impact Reviewed: Incorporate into business processes Reviewed: No known impact Reviewed: No known impact FILING INSTRUCTIONS: Administrative (Multiple Programs) - Benefit Recovery and IEVS Obsoletes the following documents: Admin AD 06-23, Admin AD 06-27, Admin AD 06-28, Admin AD and How-To 05. The following documents have been deemed obsolete by CalWIN Releases: How-To 39, How-To 111, How-To 142, and How-To 153. BSC Workflow 3.32 has been updated to incorporate most updated information. PROGRAM ANALYST REFERENCE: CalWIN Procedural Help and Benefit Recovery Survival Guide DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 1 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

148 Background This Administrative Directive (AD) focuses on CalWIN functionality for Overpayments (OP s) in the CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Relief and Foster Care programs. The Benefit Recovery (BV) subsystem in CalWIN maintains information on overpayments and underpayments. It allows staff to take case actions based on program specific regulations and policies. Staff can record repayment agreements, process Interim Assistance Program (IAP) repayments and GA/GR loans and make a discrepancy referral (i.e. fraud referral functionality not used in Santa Barbara County). The BV subsystem also allows users to create non-system determined claims (manual claims) when needed. Staff should direct program regulations questions to their respective program Department Business Specialist (DBS). This AD is combining several ADs and How-To s so all information is centrally accessible in one document. Also included in this AD are the following enhancements to the BV windows that were included in Release 28 on November 14, 2011: A Recovery Case # column to the Display Claim Recovery Detail window, Claim Recovery tab. This Case ID will be for the case from which the recoupment was withheld. The Case ID will not display when the Recovery Type is labeled as New Claim, as that transaction records the creation of the claim. A Claim Reasons tab to the Display Claim Recovery Detail window where all of the NOA reasons associated with the claim will be displayed. The following two columns will be added to the Display Claim Summary, Display Claim Summary by Case, and Display Claim Summary by Liable Party/Individual windows: o NSDC Indicator: to show whether a claim originated as a Non-System Determined Claim (NSDC). If the claim is NSDC, a Y will be displayed in this column. If the claim is systemgenerated, the column will be blank. [All converted claims will have a blank NSDC indicator]. o Prior Claim #: to display the previous claim number for regrouped claims. If the claim did not result from a regrouping action, the prior claim # will remain blank. The Prior Claim ID would always be the last claim number that was regrouped to create new claim[s]. On the Search/View for Client Correspondence in Print Queue window, add the Reference Type and Reference # (Claim ID) associated with the NOA so that users can easily identify each claim. CalWIN Functionality Key processes supported by Benefit Recovery include: Initiate the Benefit Recovery process CalWIN automatically initiates the Benefit Recovery process when users enter a change in Data Collection for a prior or current month, when timely ten-day notice is not available. Establish an overpayment/underpayment CalWIN determines the overpayment or underpayment for users as follows: 1. When users authorize an overpayment, a claim is established against the responsible persons. 2. Before issuing a supplemental payment, the Benefit Recovery subsystem checks to see if there are any outstanding or current overpayments to offset. 3. When users authorize a Medi-Cal overstated SOC, CalWIN will reduce future months SOC or send a reimbursement letter to the provider, according to the client s choice. Determine the overpayment recovery method CalWIN determines the overpayment recovery method according to repayment agreements and/or program rules and regulations. Track overpayments CalWIN tracks the recovery of the overpayment through adjustments, payments or grant reduction. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 2 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

149 Override overpayment/underpayment information When an overpayment or underpayment has been established, users, as an authorized user, may override the recovery or supplemental payment amounts Offset process- CalWIN allows users to identify when an underpayment should offset an overpayment. Eight different processes of BV functionality are outlined in this AD. They are: 1. Automatic Processing of Overpayments 2. Reviewing Overpayment History 3. Adjusting Overpayment Claims when Re-Opening a Closed Program 4. Processing Repayments on Overpayment Claims 5. Processing Overpayments and Underpayments on Closed Cases 6. Adjusting an Existing Claim (IEVS Staff Only) 7. Create a Non-System Determined Claim 8. Processing Overpayment which Occurred Prior to CalWIN Conversion Additional information on BV functionality can be viewed in CalWIN Procedural Help under Benefit Recovery. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 3 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

150 1. Automatic Processing of Overpayments CalWIN contains much of the functionality to process overpayment claims by generating the necessary correspondence, calculation claim amount and repayment amounts. After staff has made all appropriate changes in CalWIN, they should run EDBC. Note: If EDBC is run in overnight batch, and results in an overpayment, CalWIN will not authorize benefits. The following alert will be generated: Case cannot be authorized in Batch because of overpayment(s). Please Authorize the case online. The CalWIN report MRT020R, Caseload Exceptions can also be used to identify cases that have exceptioned out of the batch process due to the creation of an overpayment. The Capture Discrepancy Information window will display months for which benefits have already been authorized. It also displays for future month after tenday cutoff. It will not display if all the programs in the case are pending. It is important to mark months with a Y in the Evaluate Benefit Discrepancy field when the benefit amount needs to be re-evaluated. EDBC will re-determine eligibility and benefits for the prior and current months, and determine if an underpayment or overpayment exists. For more information on this window please refer to Capture Discrepancy Information Overview in CalWIN Procedural Help. NOTE: CalWIN will not create new claims for Admin Overpayments which are less that $35.00; however, it will create Overpayments for IHE Overpayments which are less than $ Workers should allow the generation, notification and collection of these claims through CalWIN. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 4 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

151 After entries have been made and saved, close the window to allow EDBC to run. Users can review the discrepancy information on the Display Benefit Discrepancy window in Wrap Up. In Wrap-up the Display Benefit Discrepancy window will display months that were re-evaluated and if an over or under payment exists. Months that have an overpayment will need further review by clicking on the [Claim Detail] button. If you don t view the Claim Detail window the following error message will be received: After reviewing the Claim Detail tab the Liable Individual tab needs to be reviewed. The Liable Individual tab needs to be selected and reviewed prior to closing the window. If this step is not done the following error message is received: DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 5 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

152 CalWIN identifies the liable individuals, according to regulation and policy, at the same time that an overpayment is established. Staff should review and update the liable individuals when necessary based on program regulations. Following authorization, staff can add liable individuals to the claim or change the recovery status of a liable individual to inactive, if necessary. The Benefit Recovery process identifies liable individuals as follows: CalWORKs and KinGAP The liable individual is the case payee. Anyone included and aided in the case during the discrepancy period can be considered a liable individual if the case payee: Cannot be found Dies Has the overpayment discharged in bankruptcy Is no longer on aid Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) The liable individual is the case payee. GR and IAP Each recipient is a liable individual. Welfare to Work The liable individual is the Welfare to Work participant. CalFresh All adults age 18 or older and the case payee at the time of the OP are liable individuals. Foster Care The liable individual is the payee/foster Care provider. Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) The liable individual is the payee or Adoptive Parent. Medi-Cal Liable individuals are not identified for Medi-Cal understated SOC (overpayment). Staff will need to use shelf stock to send Medi- Cal understated SOC information to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for investigation. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 6 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

153 Next the [Reasons] button needs to be selected on Display Benefit Discrepancy window so the user can select the reason for the data change on the Capture Reasons for Change window. These changes can include: Change in income Change in resources Change in household composition When users enter a reason for the change, the reason will populate to the appropriate NOA. It is important that the correct reason is selected since this determines which overpayment NOA is generated. Once users have reviewed the overpayment/underpayment information, users can authorize claims, supplemental payments, and Medi-Cal understated/overstated SOC through the Authorization process. After the case has been authorized the worker should review Client Correspondence. CalWIN automatically generates all correspondences for a new overpayment as detailed by program regulations. The worker will need to Search/View for Client Correspondence in the Print Queue and set the print mode to Batch. If you do not change the print mode the client will NOT receive the correspondence. Important: With this business process the Eligibility Worker will be responsible for ensuring the correct correspondence is going out to the client and CalWIN is taking the appropriate actions on the case for beginning and processing the repayment. Pending correspondence can also be searched by the claim number on the Search/View Client Correspondence in Print Queue window. The IEVS Unit does not need to be notified when claims are collected on an open case. However, if there is a reason why the claim should not be collected (i.e. Liable individual no longer part of the household) the claim DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 7 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

154 should be put in Suspended status. Workers will need to contact the IVES Supervisor to make a status change to the claim. If the OP is due to a Non-Admin error between $ and $949.00, refer the OP to the IEVS unit. If the OP is due to a Non-Admin error over $950.00, refer the OP to Welfare Fraud. If the case closes before the OP is paid in full (PIF), there is no need to refer case to the IEVS unit. The IEVS unit receives a monthly OP Report 119 where they receive this information. Overpayments/Underpayments When CalWIN determines that an underpayment exists for a prior month, and the user has indicated that it can be used as an underpayment offset, Benefit Recovery looks for outstanding overpayments and uses the underpayment to offset the existing overpayments according to the recoupment hierarchy. CalWIN will not use underpayments for current and future months to offset overpayments. If there are no outstanding overpayments or a balance remains from the offset process, Benefit Recovery computes a supplemental payment for the client. For Medi-Cal, it can be indicated whether or not there has been benefit usage, ether the SOC amount met, and whether to refer the understated SOC discrepancy to DHCS. CalWIN maintains a history of the offset and identifies the recovery type as Offset. CalWIN follows specific program rules to perform offsets. In general, those rules include: Cash programs If the payee of the underpayment is a liable individual on an outstanding overpayment, CalWIN will offset the underpayment against the overpayment. CalFresh If the payee of the underpayment is a liable individual on an Inadvertent Household Error or Intentional Program Violation OP, CalWIN will offset the underpayment against the OP. Medi-Cal There is no offsetting of overstated SOC against understated SOC in Medi-Cal. Users can use one of the following two methods to resolve a Medi-Cal overstated SOC (according to the client s choice): Reduce a future month(s) SOC Send a provider letter requesting reimbursement to the client Underpayment/Supplement Exceptions CalWIN will not automatically offset all underpayments/supplements. There is logic within the application that confirms if the client should be receiving this benefit or not. The table below depicts the logic within the CalWIN application: When an underpayment/overpayment is determined (and there is an existing active claim): For current or future month benefit For Past month For CalFresh Admin claims No Yes* No Will an offset occur? DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 8 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

155 Note On the Capture Discrepancy Information window there is a field titled Underpayment Offset [Y/N]. If this field is N, then the underpayment/supplement will not be offset regardless of the logic in the table shown on the previous page. Track Return of Repayment Agreement Repayment Agreements are sent to all inactive cases/programs and to active CalFresh, Welfare to Work, and Foster Care cases. CalWIN tracks the return of the repayment agreement and automatically initiates the appropriate Benefit Recovery action if the agreement is not returned within the required time frame depending on program regulations. CalWIN uses the following rules to track the return of the repayment agreement: CalFresh Responsible individuals have 30 days to return the repayment agreement. If the repayment agreement is not returned within this timeframe, automatic grant recoupment will be initiated. CalFresh recoupment is processed for the following error types (in priority order): Intentional Program Violation Inadvertent Household Error Administrative Error Welfare to Work The responsible individual must return the repayment agreement within 10 days. If the repayment agreement is not returned within this timeframe, grant recoupment will be initiated. Foster Care and AAP The time frame for return of the repayment agreement is 90 days. If the repayment agreement is not returned within this timeframe, Foster Care will be referred to collections. GA/GR A repayment agreement is not sent when the case is active. Grant recoupment is initiated with appropriate timely notice. CalWORKs, KinGAP, and RCA A repayment agreement is not sent when the case is active. Grant recoupment is initiated with appropriate timely notice for KinGAP and RCA. Grant recoupment will start in the next QR cycle for CalWORKs. Priority order for cash grant recoupment is: Intentional Program Violation Client Error Administrative Error Note: The repayment agreement allows the clients the option to repay by Lump Sum. For CalFresh overpayments the client can repay by lump sum for the entire or partial amount of the overpayment by coming in to the office and using their EBT card and/or cash payment. Clients can also repay their Cash Aid overpayments by a lump sum repayment of cash or from their EBT card. For more information on how to record a repayment agreement please refer to Record a Repayment Agreement in CalWIN Procedural Help. For information on processing repayments please refer to Processing Repayments on Overpayment Claims contained in this document. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 9 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

156 From the CalWIN Navigator select the Benefit Issuance and Recovery subsystem. Expand Benefit Recovery, select Display Claim Summary by Case, input the case number and click [OPEN]. Reviewing Overpayment History Overpayment history can also be accessed by selecting Display Claim Summary (need claim number) or Display Claim Summary by Liable Party/Individual (need name). The Display Claim Summary by Case window displays a list of claims for the case, including prior claim number (number of claim from which this claim was regrouped). CalWIN regroups claims by closing the existing claim for that time period and recreates new claims based on grouping methodology. If there are no changes to the discovery date, error type or amount owing, the claim remains the same. If any of the three factors varies, the claim will be regrouped. The NSDC Indicator column will be marked as a Y if the claim is non-system generated and will be blank if the claim is system generated. The Display Claim Recovery Detail window displays liable individual, claim recovery, claim status details and claim reasons of the overpayment. Liable individuals are listed along with their collection status. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 10 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

157 The Recovery Case # column identifies which case the recoupment was taken from. Recoupments may be taken from cases other than the case the claim originated from. This happens when case members from the overpaid case go on to other cases and are deemed liable individuals for the original claim. Claim Status Pending Open Active Suspended Cancelled Terminated Closed Description A claim is in a "pending" status prior to benefit authorization. A claim is in an "open" status when it is authorized but before recoupment notices have been generated. A Food Stamp claim remains in an open status until the Repayment Notice has been returned or the thirty-day period has passed. A claim is in an active status when recoupment notices have been generated and either the claim is being recouped or recoupment will start the first of the following quarter. A claim in a suspended status is basically on hold. Recoupment does not occur in this status. A claim is in a cancelled status when the claim was established erroneously and the status is adjusted by the user. A claim is in a terminated status when the claim is ended by the user. Unlike a cancelled claim, this claim was valid and collectible. A claim in a closed status has been collected in full or has been adjusted to a zero balance. Effect of Status Change All payments are left as they were when the status was changed. All payments are reassigned to other claims for the same program type. If no other claims exist, the funds are returned to the client as a NSDI. All payments are kept. Collection ceases. The table to the left describes the different types of status that can be displayed on the Claim Status tab below. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 11 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

158 The overpayment reasons that were selected for the overpayment are displayed on this tab. For assistance in viewing history in the Benefit Recovery subsystem by other search methods please refer to View Benefit Discrepancy History in CalWIN Procedural Help. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 12 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

159 2. Adjusting Overpayments Claims when Re-Opening a Closed Program While a program is in a closed status it is possible that the client may have submitted payments toward the balance of their overpayments which have not been updated in CalWIN. If a client reapplies and a closed CalWORKS, CalFresh or General Relief program is re-opened, the EW must contact the IEVS unit to find out the current balance of the overpayment. This action needs to take place before a case is granted or denied. If the claims are not present in CalWIN because they may have not converted from CDS, the IEVS worker will enter a Non-System Determined Claim following instructions above Processing Overpayment which occurred prior to CalWIN Conversion. The IEVS worker will also make sure that all payments processed on the claim since the case closed which have not been posted in CalWIN will be posted in CalWIN so that the claim balances match in CalWIN. NOTE: The EW is responsible for contacting IEVS anytime a closed case is re-opened so that IEVS may verify that all OP claims and their balances are accurate in CalWIN. IEVS staff will validate that all active and open claims associated with the case are in CalWIN and will verify that the balances are correct and process any repayment adjustments as necessary. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 13 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

160 3. Processing Repayments on Overpayment Claims AOP staff will find out what method the client has chosen for the repayment (cash, check or EBT). If the client is making the repayment from their EBT account reception will contact the current eligibility worker or the last known eligibility worker for closed cases. For any other repayment method Reception will contact the IEVS unit. Repayment From EBT If the client is requesting to make a repayment from the EBT account the receptionist will notify the current eligibility worker (or the last known EW for closed cases). The EW must complete the W-153, EBT Lump Sum Repayment Request, when a client is requesting a repayment from their EBT account. When complete the EW will send the W-153 to Input staff for processing. The W-156 is no longer required in this process. Input staff will process EBT repayments in CalWIN upon receiving the W-153. CalWIN will send the transaction to EBT via the interface and indicate that the transaction was successful. Input staff will print a receipt for the client and mail if necessary. Input staff will sign and date the W-153 and send a copy to the EW and a copy to the IEVS unit. To record a repayment in CalWIN, Input staff will: Enter the repayment that has been received in CalWIN by following the steps below: a) From the CalWIN Navigator select the Benefit Issuance and Recovery subsystem. Expand Benefit Recovery, select Display Claim Summary by Case, input the case number and click [OPEN]. b) Highlight the claim on the Display Claim Summary by Case window and click on the [Record Repayment] button. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 14 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

161 c) The Record Repayment Detail window will appear. Complete the following: Repayment Type Repayment Repayment Method EBT Amount The amount received Enter the Allocated Amount in the Allocated Details group box (this should be the same as the repayment amount received.) Note: All claims for program will display in Balance Details. Verify that the claim the repayment is to be made on is selected/highlighted. Dollar amount should be the same in both fields d) Save the window. The following message box will pop-up. Verify the dollar amount and repayment method and click Yes to proceed with transaction. e) CalWIN will transmit the repayment request to the EBT system and you should receive a message if the transaction was successful. f) The [Print Receipt] button is enabled and may be used to enter the details for a receipt as shown below. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 15 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

162 g) When the [Print Receipt] button is clicked the Print Receipt Information window opens so the client s name can be entered. The client s address can also be entered when the [Address] button is clicked. This information populates on the receipt printed from CalWIN. h) Save and close all windows. In order to verify that the transaction has been processed in CalWIN, Input staff should go to Interface Activities in the CalWIN Navigator and expand EBT Data. Highlight Inquire on History Data from EBT then click open. Enter the Case #, Account Type, Start Date, and click the [Search] button. In the Search Results group box you will see the Repayment and amount reflected. Repayment Other Than EBT If the client needs to make a repayment on anything other than EBT, reception staff should notify the IEVS unit. IEVS worker will accept repayments in the form of cash, check or money order. They will enter the repayment information into CalWIN and print a receipt for the client and mail if necessary. The IEVS Worker will enter the repayment information in CalWIN. Enter the repayment that has been received in CalWIN: a) From the CalWIN Navigator select the Benefit Issuance and Recovery subsystem. Expand Benefit Recovery, select Display Claim Summary by Case, input the case number and click [OPEN]. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 16 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

163 b) Highlight the claim on the Display Claim Summary by Case window and click on the [Record Repayment] button. c) The Record Repayment Detail window will appear. Select the following: Repayment Type: Repayment Repayment Method: Type of repayment received. (if Check is selected you will need to complete check details.) Amount: The amount received. Enter the Allocated Amount in the Allocated Details group box (this should be the same as the repayment amount received). Note: All claims for program will display in Balance Details. Verify that the claim the repayment is to be made on is selected/highlighted. d) Save the window. e) The [Print Receipt] button is enabled and may be used to enter the details for a receipt if necessary. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 17 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

164 f) When the [Print Receipt] button is clicked the client s name and address can be entered which populate to the receipt printed from CalWIN. g) Close all windows. NOTE: It s important that staff involved in the repayment process provide detailed case comments. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 18 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

165 4. Processing Overpayments and Underpayments on Closed Cases There may be times when staff needs to make changes on a case after a program has been discontinued. If the changes made could potentially restore the eligibility of the case (Example: Client completes RRR within 30 days of discontinuance), the worker will need to process the changes and then rescind the case to Run EDBC and authorize. When EDBC is run CalWIN will automatically calculate all overpayments and underpayments and process them according to program regulations. If the changes will not restore eligibility but could create an Overpayment or Underpayment, the worker will make the changes to the case and then move it to Simulation where they can run EDBC to see if the specified changes impacted benefits. If an underpayment is identified, the worker will complete an NSDI request to issue the underpayment supplement to the client. If an overpayment is identified, the worker will take screenshots of the Display Eligibility window in simulation and non-simulation and submit them, along with a brief explanation including the overpayment period, amount and reason to IEVS so that a NSDC can be entered and NOAs can be sent to the client. Note: If the changes impact the Medi-Cal Share of Cost for the period please submit a W-442 to Input staff to process the changes on MEDS. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 19 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

166 5. Adjusting an Existing Claim (IEVS Staff Only) Claim balances can be adjusted as allowed by regulation, policy and security access. When an overpayment is forgiven, the process stops all overpayment recovery and closes the claim. If the claim was referred to collections, the information will be sent to our county s collection system (CUBS) via the interface. This process is not intended for repayments. a.) From the Benefit Issuance and Recovery subsystem on the Navigator, expand Benefit Recovery. Highlight the Display Claim Summary by Case window, enter the case number and click [Open]. b.) Highlight the claim that needs to be adjusted and click the [Adjustment] button. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 20 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

167 c.) For the Adjustment Type, select Revision Upward if the claim amount is a higher amount. Select Revision Downward if CalWIN has a higher amount. d.) Select the adjustment date of today, and select the applicable reason. e.) If multiple claims are displaying in the Balance Details box, highlight the claim that needs to be adjusted. Click the [Add] button to add it to the other column. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 21 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

168 f.) Click in the Adjustment field. Enter the amount to be adjusted. If you selected revision downward, CalWIN will subtract this amount from the claim. If you selected Revision Upward, CalWIN will add this amount to the claim. Save and close the window. g.) The new balance will now show. Original claim amount of $118 had an adjustment amount of $68 applied leaving a new balance of $50 DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 22 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

169 6. Create a Non-System Determined Claim (NSDC) (IEVS Staff) Manually created claims are done under certain circumstances such as: An overpayment discovered for months preceding conversion to CalWIN A claim on an Inter County Transfer A claim can not be automatically generated in CalWIN IEVS staff is authorized to enter NSDC when necessary in CalWIN. The following steps are to be followed: a) From the Benefit Issuance and Recovery subsystem on the Navigator, expand Benefit Recovery. Highlight the Display non System Determined Claim Summary window. Enter the case number and click [Open]. b) Select the program the claim is being created for and click [Search]. Verify that any rows found are not the claim you are creating to avoid duplicates. Click the Add icon to add a new claim. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 23 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

170 c) On the Discepancy Info tab, enter the start and end date of the claim. Select the program. Select the appropriate error type and discovery date. Enter the appropriate discovery source and discrenpany reason. Now click on the Monthly Details tab. d) Enter the benefit issued and the correct benefit. Enter the benefit usage and the O/P amount. If the correct benefit was $0, enter it in the field, even though it appears to be there already. Note: If the claim is for Employment Services, Payment Type will be enabled. Now click the Liable Individual tab. e) Select the appropriate liable individuals and the individual collection status of active. If you need to add additional individuals, click the Add icon. If a Foster Care provider needs to be added as the liable party, click the Liable Party tab. Put checkmarks in the demand notices and repayment agreement boxes. Click the Claim Details tab. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 24 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date:

171 f) Select the appropriate reason for manual claim. If the claim is on an ICT case, complete the information in the Originating County group box. g) Click [Authorize] and the Authorization was successful message should be received. If a program needs to be added for a NSDC, IEVS staff should continue to follow How-To #167 Add Program for Non-System Determined Claim. DSS AD Identifier: ADMIN AD Page 25 of 26 Implementation Date: 1/6/12 Revised Date: