An Advocate's Guide to CalWORKs

• Preface, Purpose and Permissions
• CalWORKs Overview
• Who is Eligible for CalWORKs?
• How Long Can Someone Receive CalWORKs?
• The Family Violence Option
• Ensuring the Full Range of Benefits for Limited English Proficient Recipients
• How Poor Must a Family Be to Receive CalWORKs?
  • Resource Limits
  • Income Limits
  • How Much a Recipient Will Receive:
    • "Family Cap" aka "Maximum Family Grant
    • New State Residents
    • Differing Grant Amounts Based on Region, Disability and Child-Only AUs
    • How Monthly Income Is Counted for Grant Calculation
    • Quarterly Reporting
  • Who Can Receive Benefits: Assistance Unit, Whose Income Counts, Sponsor Deeming
  • Who Pays - Inter-County Transfers
• What Other Benefits Are Available?
  • Medi-Cal
  • Immediate Need
  • Pregnancy Benefits
  • $50 Child Support Pass-Through
  • Recurring Special Needs Payment
  • Non-Recurring Special Needs Payment
  • Homeless Assistance
  • Replacing Lost Checks
• How Are Overpayments and Welfare Fraud Treated?

• What Must Someone Do to Continue Receiving CalWORKs?
  • School Attendance and Immunization
  • Welfare-to-Work Activities
    • Basic Welfare-to-Work Requirements
    • Job Search, Assessment and creation of the Welfare to Work Plan
    • Employment and Other Work Experience
    • Education and Job Training
    • Self-Initiated Job Training Programs
    • Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Domestic Violence Services
    • Reappraisal of Barriers to Employment
    • Child Care and Support Services
    • Exempted and Excused Recipients
    • Noncompliance and Good Cause for Noncompliance
    • Sanctions, Conciliation and Grievance Procedures
  • Child Support Cooperation
  • Other Procedural and Reporting Requirements
• State Hearing - Fair Hearings
• Assistance Aimed at Avoiding Welfare and Assistance after CalWORKs

Appendices

• Appendix I: Applying for CalWORKs
• Appendix II: Child Care Eligibility for CalWORKs Recipients and Non-Recipients
• Appendix III: Excluded Income or Property (PDF only)
• Appendix IV: Comparison of County CalWORKs Plans (PDF only)
• Appendix V: CalWORKs Applicant Eligibility Questionaire