Deductions

Refer to the Chart Book “CalFresh Program Monthly Allotment and Income Eligibility Standards Chart,” page 2-1, for a chart of CalFresh deductions.

Proration of First Month Benefits

Refer to the Chart Book “Proration of First Month Benefits,” page 7-1, for more information on proration of first month benefits.

Verification of CalFresh Participation for Free School Meals

Federal Requirement

The federal government requires school districts to certify children for the free school meals programs.

Children who receive CalFresh are eligible to receive free school meals without having to submit an application.

Households that apply for the free school meals programs and provide a CalFresh case number on the school meal application will be classified as eligible for free school meals.

For CalFresh recipients, verification of their current CalFresh participation rather than all their income is required.

School officials are required to verify the receipt of CalFresh of a certain percentage of these households.

Confidentiality

The CalFresh Application Privacy Act statement was amended in 1985 which authorized release of information by CalFresh offices to school districts, verifying households' CalFresh eligibility status. Therefore, no separate release of information is needed.

The information is used expressly for verification of eligibility for school meals. CalFresh offices have been asked to PROMPTLY release this information to facilitate the process for recipients and school officials.

School officials need this information as soon as possible in order to approve applications for free school meals.

Direct Certification

Before the start of the school year, the Social Services Agency provides school districts in Santa Clara County a list of school age CalFresh and CalWORKs recipients. The school districts cross-reference their student files with the list provided by Social Services.

Students are then certified by the school district to receive free school meals.

Families are notified that their children are directly certified for free school meals and are not required to apply in order to receive free school meals.

Other Certification

Students who are not enrolled in school or receiving CalFresh or CalWORKs at the time of the cross-reference of files must be certified by the school and the EW.

EW Instructions

  1. CalFresh applicants/recipients will receive a form from the school district requesting verification of income and/or CalFresh participation.
  2. EWs will be contacted by applicants/recipients requesting verification of CalFresh eligibility.
  3. Applicants/recipients may either mail the form or make an appointment to bring it into the office.
  4. EWs will PROMPTLY complete and sign the form and return it to the applicant/recipient to facilitate the verification process for the schools and families involved.

    1. Note: This is given top priority!

  5. The form may be given or mailed to the recipient. A copy is not needed for the case record. Current NOAs will not be accepted by the school district to verify households' eligibility/participation.

Disclosure of Case File Information

The DEFRA authorized the release of certain CalFresh case file information to:

  • The DA and the DCSS.
  • Local, State and Federal law enforcement officials INVESTIGATING AN ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE CalFresh ACT OR CalFresh REGULATIONS.
  • Employees of the Controller General's office for audit examination authorized by any other provision of law.

Requests for release of information must be made in writing to ensure that the information is not released for any reason other than for the administration of the CalFresh program and enforcement of its regulations.

Note: The DA’s Public Assistance Fraud Division and the DCSS are excluded from this requirement.

  • All requests for information other than from the DA’s Public Assistance Fraud Division or DCSS will be made in writing and directed to the DA’s Public Assistance Fraud Division.
  • Written requests must be sufficiently detailed to clearly identify:
    • The requestor as having the authority to investigate the violation,
    • The nature of the violation and its connection with CalFresh enforcement, and
    • The identity of the individual on whom information is being requested.

If an EW has a question regarding any request, he/she should contact the DA’s Public Assistance Fraud Division, (408) 635-1800.

Related Topics

Thrifty Food Plan