Establishing Certification Periods

Definition [63-504.1]

A certification period is the number of months a CalFresh household is certified to receive benefits before an RC of eligibility is required.

Beginning Month [63-504.111]

For a new application, begin the certification period in the first eligible month, starting with the month of application. If an applicant is ineligible in the month of application, the first month in which they are eligible will be the first month of the certification period.

Example
Example

For a timely reapplication or recertification, begin the certification period with the month after the last certification period ends.

ExampleExample

Length

Households shall be assigned the longest possible certification period. The reason must be documented on the Maintain Case Comments window if a household is certified for less than the maximum certification period.

However, a PA semi-annual reporting household's certification period shall:

• Be aligned with the CalWORKs RD, and
• NOT exceed the MAXIMUM certification period of 12 months.

Certification Period Chart

This chart is a quick reference guide for use in determining certification periods. Whenever possible, a household should be certified for the maximum number of months. When a household is certified for a shorter time period, the reason must be documented on the Maintain Case Comments window. Refer to the following pages for more detailed information.

HH TYPE	CERTIFICATION PERIOD
	MINIMUM # OF MOS.	MAXIMUM # OF MOS.
Public Assistance	1	12
Non Assistance	1	12
ESAP: All household members are either elderly and/or Disabled with No Earned income	36	36
ALL adult members are elderly or disabled		24
Residents of Indian reservation	1	24
ES with postponed verification	1	12

PA Households [63-504.121]

PA households shall be certified for no more than 12 months. When the CalWORKs RD due date falls before the 12th month, the CalFresh certification period shall expire in the month when the CalWORKs RD is due.

ExampleExample

ExampleExample

ExampleExample

 

NA Households [63-504.122]

NA (nonassistance) households will be certified for no more than 12 months.

All Adult HH Members are Elderly/Disabled [63-504.142] ACL 15-90

Households in which ALL adult members are elderly or disabled may be certified up to 24 months, even if there are children in the household.

For elderly/disabled households certified for 24 months, provided household circumstances are expected to remain stable, at least one interim contact with the household is REQUIRED. For the interim contact, at the first 12 months of the certification period, the household must submit a SAR 7.

If elderly/disabled households have earned income, they must submit a SAR 7 at 6, 12, and 18 months during their certification period. 

 

Refer to Elderly or Disabled [63-102(e)(i)] for the definition of elderly/disabled.

 

Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) Households

CalFresh applicant and recipient households are eligible for the ESAP if all household members are elderly (age 60 or older) and/or disabled and have no earned income. If the household includes excluded or ineligible members who are also all elderly and/or disabled, the household is still eligible for the ESAP.

The four waivers described below were approved as part of California’s ESAP:

• Extend the certification period to 36 months for E/D households with no earned income;
• Waive the recertification interview requirement for E/D households that ESAP eligibility has been established;
• Must use available data matching to reduce client-provided verifications;
• Extend the certification period to 36 months, including for ESAP cases processed by the Social Security Administration (SSA); and
• Elimination of requiring a SAR 7 Eligibility Status Report (effective March 2022).

Certification Periods

The certification period for ESAP households has been extended to 36 months.

Interviews for Applicants and Non-ESAP Households

An interview for the applicant and ongoing households is required at initial certification and recertification to determine eligibility for ESAP. During the initial certification interview or the recertification interview, EWs must inform the household that an interview will not be required at the household’s next recertification unless:

• The household requests an interview;
• The County is going to deny the household’s recertification application (e.g., a household’s circumstances have changed and they appear to be ineligible for CalFresh); or
• The information supplied by the household or authorized representative is questionable, incomplete, or contradictory.

If a CalFresh household was previously ineligible for ESAP but appears ESAP eligible based on the information provided on the application for recertification (e.g., all household members age and become elderly), the EW must conduct a recertification interview to establish ESAP eligibility moving forward. A recertification interview cannot be waived until after ESAP eligibility has been established.

Interview for Ongoing ESAP Households

An interview at recertification is not required for ESAP households. However, if at recertification it appears that an ESAP household will no longer be eligible for CalFresh based on the information provided on the application for recertification or other information available to the County, the EW must attempt to schedule an interview.

Important: No case will be denied at recertification without an attempt to schedule an interview.

Verifications

Under the ESAP waiver, electronic matches must be used to verify identity, income, residency, non-citizen eligibility, utility expenses, Medicare premium, child support payments, and social security numbers. If the electronic data match is not available or the information is questionable, the verification is requested from the household.

Note: Medical expenses can only be verified through electronic data matches if the household pays a Medicare premium. If the household does not pay a Medicare premium, medical expenses are verified with documentary evidence or collateral contacts. If the household cannot verify medical expenses, the application should not be denied, but the medical expense deduction is not be applied. Most ESAP households with verified medical expenses over $35 per month qualify for the SMD.

Action Required During the Certification Period

During the certification period, the EW must take action upon receipt of a DPM and the NPM.

Refer to Common Place Handbook, Chapter 5 for processing instructions.

Conversion from ESAP to Non-ESAP

If an ESAP household becomes ineligible for the ESAP but remains eligible for CalFresh during the certification period, the County must convert the ESAP household to a regular CalFresh household. At the time of conversion, the household is no longer be covered by the ESAP waivers except for the 36 month certification period and will be subject to regular reporting requirements. To maintain eligibility, households converted from ESAP to non-ESAP must comply with all reporting requirements, including submission of a SAR 7 at 6, 12, and 24 months as applicable, depending on the reason for the conversion (e.g., a household composition change or employment), for the remainder of the 36-month certification period.

When an ESAP household is converted from ESAP to a regular CalFresh household, the CalFresh Notice of Status Change for Households with only Elderly and/or Disabled Members (CF 377.2D) must be sent to inform the household of reporting responsibilities (e.g., interview required at recertification and periodic reporting).

Households that become ineligible for ESAP must complete their 36-month certification period. The County cannot shorten a household’s certification period once assigned. At the end of the 36-month certification period, the EW must determine the household’s continuing CalFresh eligibility and determine whether the household continues to be ineligible for ESAP. If ineligible for ESAP, the EW assigns the household to a shorter certification period based on household type. The length of the new certification period will be 12 or 24 months, depending on why the household is no longer eligible for ESAP. If the household is determined to be ESAP eligible once again, the household must again be assigned a 36-month certification period.

ESAP Noticing Requirements

The following notices are required to be sent to ESAP households:

CF 377.2B: Notice of Expiration of Certification (NEC) Period

This notice must be sent out to ESAP eligible households in the month before the end of the 36-months. The notice informs the household that:

• The current certification period will end;
• The household must complete the application and return it to the county by the designated due date; and
• A recertification interview is not required;

CF 377.2C: CalFresh Notice of Expiration of Certification for Households with only Elderly and/or Disabled members:

This notice must be sent to households determined to be eligible for ESAP at application or recertification, but they are no longer eligible due to a change during the certification period. The notice informs the household that:

• CalFresh Certification period will end on the date indicated;
• A recertification interview is now required.
• The household or AR has the right to apply for CalFresh at any Social Security Administration office If the household consists only of SSI members.

CF 377.2D: CalFresh Notice of Status Change for Households with Only elderly and/or Disabled Members

This notice is sent to an ESAP household when it is removed from the ESAP status and is converted to a regular CalFresh household. The CF 377.2D informs the household of non-ESAP status and new reporting responsibilities.

Related Topics

Classification Changes