Assistance Aimed at Avoiding Welfare and Assistance after CalWORKs
From CalWORKs | Welfare Resources
Contents |
Diversion Payments
Each county should have a "diversion" program under which an applicant for CalWORKs can be offered assistance to get his or her family over a temporary financial hurdle without having to actually receive CalWORKs. WIC § 11266.5; ACL 97-68. (See errata 1 and errata 2.) This assistance (up to $3500 in San Francisco) will not count towards the 60 month time limit for receiving benefits so long as it is received only once in a 12 month period, is paid out within 30 days, and covers needs that do not extend beyond 90 days. ACL 97-68. (See errata 1 and errata 2.) If diversion is unsuccessful and the family begins receiving CalWORKs, diversion payments will also either be counted towards the time limit or treated as an overpayment.
Child Care and Health Care after CalWORKs
75% of State Median Income (as of June 2003)
| Family Size | Monthly Gross Income |
|---|---|
| 1 or 2 | $2336 |
| 3 | $2503 |
| 4 | $2781 |
| 5 | $3226 |
| 6 | $3671 |
| 7 | $3754 |
| 8 | $3838 |
Subsidized child care will remain available to recipients who leave CalWORKs who are in a subsidized child care program for at least two years (in "Stage Two" child care). ACL 97-73. So long as funding is available, the family will continue to be eligible so long as its adjusted income is up to 75% of the state median. Education Code § 8263.1. The California Department of Education will be drafting regulations governing eligibility for subsidized child care.
The family will also remain eligible for Medi-Cal for twelve months. (Note 32) To be eligible for the first six months of this assistance, the family has to show that it has a child in the home and received CalWORKs (or TANF) benefits in three of the past six months. To be eligible in the second six months, the family must have a child in the home, had earnings at or below 185% of the poverty line during the first six months it received post-TANF/CalWORKs Medi-Cal, and have complied with all reporting requirements during that time. WIC § 14005.8. California is seeking a federal waiver to extend post-CalWORKs Medi-Cal eligibility to a total of 24 months.
Counties can also opt to make "welfare-to-work" activities and services available to former recipients after their 60 months of benefit eligibility have expired, as well as opt to provide job retention services to former recipients for up to one year after the recipient have been employed. WIC §§ 11320.15, 11500; ACL 02-92.
Notes
32. Counties are required by law (Assembly Bill 2780, Chapter 310, Statutes 1998) to inform CalWORKs recipients of the transitional Medi-Cal program upon termination of their cash aid. ACL 99-18.
