Inter-County Transfer Definitions

AB 1612 requires counties to implement the ICT process for CalFresh cases when a household moves to another county within California.

Effective April 1, 2011, counties initiate an ICT for CalFresh cases with a CalWORKs or Medi-Cal program associated. The ICT process for CalFresh only cases begins effective July 1, 2011.

Effective June 1, 2017, SB 1339 mandates the following new requirements:

• A transfer of benefits from the sending county to the receiving county, with no redetermination or recertification of eligibility in the new county of residence due to the ICT. The new county of residence shall not interview, nor require or request a new application, or any verification from a recipient as a result of the ICT,
• Whichever county the recipient notifies of the move, must initiate the ICT within seven business days of receiving the notification,
• Households must not be asked to provide copies of documents that were previously provided,
• Households may report residence changes to the sending county or the receiving county, in person, in writing, by telephone, or on-line, and
• Benefits and payment responsibility must be transferred to the receiving county no later than the first day of the next available benefit month following 30 days after a county is notified of a household’s move from one county to another.

Definitions

The following definitions pertain to ICT procedures:

Inter-County Transfer

A transfer of responsibility for determination of eligibility and provision of social services (including CalFresh) from one county to another.

Transfer Period

The period of time in which the Sending county remains responsible for payment of benefits.

30-Day Transfer Period

The 30-day transfer period begins whichever county the household notifies of the move initiates the ICT within seven business days of receiving the notification. The sending county will initiate the ICT via either a written or electronic data transfer process. The receiving county will initiate the ICT by requesting, either electronically or by written request, the sending county to transfer the household’s case.

When the 30th day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the first business day following the weekend or holiday is considered to be the last day of the 30-day transfer period.

Expiration of the Transfer Period

The expiration of the transfer period occurs at the end of the month following the 30-day transfer period after the Sending or Receiving county either mails or electronically transfers the notification of the ICT to the Receiving county or the end of the month in which benefits are discontinued for cause, whichever is earlier. By mutual agreement of the counties involved, the transfer of responsibility may occur at an earlier date.

Non-Assistance CalFresh (NACF)

NACF CalFresh households are not required to make a mid-period report of a move to a different county within the state. However, CalFresh households should be encouraged to promptly notify the county when they move from one county to another in order to ensure continuity of benefits. Households may voluntarily notify either the sending county or the receiving county of their change in residence. CalFresh households may report this change in person, in writing, by telephone or online.

Note: Failure to report a move to a different county within the state in itself must not constitute a basis for an overissuance or other negative action.

Transitional CalFresh (TCF)

SB 1339 also requires counties to complete ICTs for TCF cases in any month of the five months. Whichever county the TCF recipient voluntarily notifies of the move, must initiate an ICT within seven (7) business days of receiving the notification.

Households Excluded from ICT

The following households are excluded from ICT:

When some of CF Household members move out of the county.

A CalFresh ICT should only be initiated when the entire household moves out of county. When only some individuals in the household move, those individuals should be added to existing households, if applicable, by following existing Semi-annual Reporting or Change Reporting rules. If the individuals leave the CalFresh household, they are to be removed from the existing household according to existing rules and the appropriate notice of action must be issued.

ABAWD

When the household consists of an Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) person who moves to another county, the county of residence is responsible to check if the participant is meeting the ABAWD work rule.

Homeless Households

CalFresh households that are homeless or become homeless must continue to receive benefits from the county of application. If a household reports residency in another county, the county may transfer the household to the new county, if appropriate.

Overissuance Claims

Any outstanding O/I claims must be transferred to the Receiving county with supporting documentation (i.e. O/I NOAs, budgets, etc.). The O/I claim information must include the following elements at a minimum:

• Program,
• Error type (Agency Error, Client Error, IPV etc.),
• Last recoupment amount, and
• Balance remaining for each overissuance.

Procedures

Per Welfare & Institutions Code Section 11053.2, the ICT process must facilitate a recipient's move from one county to another without a break in benefits and without requiring a new CalFresh application or interview in the new county of residence.

It is critical that counties communicate with each other throughout the ICT process to ensure that no case is terminated until the Receiving county has indicated that the transfer has been completed to ensure that the household is not subject to an interruption in benefits.

The law requires counties to process an ICT as follows:

CalFresh Cases with CalWORKs

Counties must begin using the existing CalWORKs ICT process for those CalFresh cases with CalWORKs. When at least one member of the CalFresh household also receives CalWORKs, the CalWORKs ICT process must be followed.

[Refer to “Inter-County Transfers (ICT),” page 10-1] in the CalWORKs Handbook].

CalFresh Case with Medi-Cal

Counties must begin using the existing Medi-Cal ICT process for those CalFresh cases with Medi-Cal.

CalFresh with GA

Counties must treat GA-CF cases as CF only cases when processing ICT, as ICT is not applicable to the GA program.

CalFresh with CAPI

Counties must continue to use CAPI ICT procedures as usual and process the CF part of the case using the CF only process. If cases also have Medi-Cal, follow the CAPI procedures for the CAPI section and follow the existing Medi-Cal ICT process for Medi-Cal and CalFresh.

CalFresh Only Cases

Effective July 1, 2011, the following ICT process applies to CalFresh only cases. The new eICT process in CalIWN must be used whenever the system is available, instead of Sending an ICT packet by mail or fax.

Sending County Responsibilities

The sending county must provide copies of documents necessary to verify current benefits to the receiving county.

The Sending county is required to process ICT as follows:

• Notify the Receiving county of the initiation of a case transfer via either a written or electronic data transfer process (eICT).
• Inform the recipient of the transfer using the “CalFresh Informing Notice of Sending Inter-County Transfer” (NA 1268).
• Within seven working days from the date that the Sending county notifies the Receiving county of a case transfer, provide the Receiving county with copies of the most recent:
  • SAWS 1, SAWS 2 Plus for PACF cases; CF 285 or CF 37 for NACF cases
  • SAR 7 (Eligibility/Status Report)
  • Over-issuance repayment record for any over-issuance that will not be repaid before the end of the transfer period and will continue to be recouped by the Receiving county.
  • Copies of any other documents supporting the eligibility determination made by the Sending county when requested by the Receiving county.
• Inform the Receiving county of any changes in eligibility or benefit level and send a copy of any resulting notice of action, and
• Discontinue the CalFresh benefits at the expiration of the transfer period.

Receiving County Responsibilities

The following procedures must be used when notified of the move or an ICT:

• Initiate the ICT by requesting within seven business days of receiving the notification, either electronically or by written request, the sending county to transfer the household’s case;
• Provide the Sending county with notification of the disposition of the initiated ICT;
• Provide the Sending county with any information which might affect eligibility or the amount of CalFresh benefits during the transfer period;
• Determine eligibility and benefit amount based on current circumstances using continuing recipient criteria;
• Utilize existing CalFresh requirements for requesting residency verification when the HH moves; and
• Provide the head of household with the “CalFresh Informing Notice of Receiving Inter-County Transfer” (NA 1267 2/11) acknowledging receipt of the transfer from the Sending county, the amount of benefits, the effective date and the number of persons.

Recertification

If the household moves during either of the last two months of the certification period, the receiving county will complete the recertification. The sending county may complete the recertification if both the sending county and receiving county mutually agree it is in the household’s best interest to do so. Regardless, ICT timeframes must be adhered to.

In order to prevent households from a break in benefits, it is critical that counties communicate and share information to determine in which county it is more beneficial for the recertification to be completed. However, it is the responsibility of the Sending county to confirm that the Receiving county is provided with all information necessary to complete the transfer. A household cannot be terminated for being a resident of the Receiving county until the Receiving county has assumed responsibility for the case.

Semi-annual Reporting (SAR)

The SAR cases, the SAR cycle assigned in the Sending county must continue in the Receiving county.

The Receiving county is responsible for:

• Processing the SAR 7 if the household moves during either of the last two months of the semi-annual period.
• Determining ongoing eligibility and benefit amounts.
• Issuing the NOAs for the payment month, including notice for changes to the payments that will be issued by the Receiving county.

ExampleExample

Notifications of Transfer

The Sending county is required to send the recipient of the transfer using the “CalFresh Informing Notice of Sending Inter-County Transfer” (NA 1268).

The Receiving county is responsible for informing the recipient of the transfer using the “CalFresh Informing Notice of Receiving Inter-County Transfer” (NA 1267).

eICT

With the implementation of the new Statewide electronic ICT process in all 58 California counties, all eligibility systems in CA, including CalSAWS will send CalFresh data elements in the eICT case data process automatically.

[Refer to Common Place Handbook Update 2011-06 for more information].

Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System (MEDS) Transaction Codes

When the Sending county initiates a CalFresh ICT and subsequently terminates the CalFresh benefits, an FX40 MEDS transaction is needed to be sent to terminate the case in the Sending county. The Receiving county can send an FX20 MEDS transaction when assuming the CalFresh case.

Note: This manual process should only be used when CalSAWS fails to send the transaction to MEDS.