Categorically Eligible (CE) Households

The eligibility factors for which cash determinations is accepted for CE CalFresh eligibility without verification are:

Resources. (Resource limits are waived.)
Gross and net income limits. (Income limits are waived.)
SSN information. (CalWORKs SSN requirements apply.)
Sponsored Noncitizen information. (CalWORKs Sponsored Noncitizen requirements apply.)
Residency. (CalWORKs residency requirements apply.)

Optional Verification [63-300.5(f): ACL 20-135]

Overview

For non-mandatory verification, such as shelter expenses, dependent care expenses, zero income, and recent job loss, a client verbal statement must be accepted as standard verification for these factors, unless the information provided is questionable.

If a household presents such information verbally, EWs must document it in the case file and specify that the information is considered verified by the client statement.

For information that can be verified via client statement and that is not questionable, EWs do not need to check available electronic sources. EWs must not delay the processing of an application, recertification, or periodic report by attempting to check electronic sources for information that is adequately verified by client statement, or that the client has already verified by other means.

Reminder: If a household does not provide verification for certain expenses or provides questionable information, but the household is otherwise eligible for CalFresh, the EW must approve the case without allowing the deduction. If the household later provides verification, the EW must recalculate the household’s benefit amount for future months, considering the newly verified expense.

EWs must document in the case record why the information provided by a household is questionable before requesting additional verification from the household. As with mandatory verifications, EWs cannot require a specific type of verification when verifying questionable information. Verification can be secured using methods such as, but not limited to, documentary evidence, electronic verification, collateral contacts, and client statement. When certain verification methods are unavailable to a household, EWs must continue to use the best available information.

Dependent Care

If a household claims dependent care costs, EW must accept a client verbal statement as the standard verification for dependent care expenses, and must not seek any additional verification unless the information provided by a household is questionable. EW must document any such verbal attestation in the case file and specify that the information is considered verified.

If a household wishes to provide dependent care expenses in writing, they may use the existing Dependent Care Cost Affidavit (CF 10) form, but it is not required for them to do so.

Once this verification has been accomplished, the EW must not reverify this expense unless the provider has changed, the amount has changed, and the change could potentially affect the amount of the deduction, or unless questionable as defined.

Liquid Resources and Loans

The EW may verify liquid resources and whether monies received by households are loans. When verifying whether income is exempt as a loan, a legally binding agreement is not required. A simple statement signed by both parties which indicates that the payment is a loan and must be repaid is sufficient verification. However, if the household receives payments on a recurrent or regular basis from the same source but claims the payments are loans, the EW may also require that the provider of the loan sign an affidavit which states that repayments are being made, or that payments will be made in accordance with an established repayment schedule.

Household Size

The size of the household may be verified. All other factors involving household composition will be verified only if questionable.

Verification of household size will be accomplished through a collateral contact or readily available documentary evidence. Examples of acceptable documentary evidence include, but are not limited to:

School records
Census records
Marriage records, or
Any documents which establish identity.

Any documents which reasonably establish household size must be accepted and no requirement for a specific type of document may be imposed.

Housing

The EW is not required to verify housing expenses, unless the expense is questionable.

To be considered questionable, information reported must be inconsistent with statements made by the applicant or inconsistent with other information received by the County.

Once an EW determines a reported shelter cost is questionable, the cost must be verified before the deduction can be allowed. Types of verification include, but are not limited to, documents, such as a lease agreement, and collateral contact with appropriate third parties. The EWs must not require a specific verification type or document to verify shelter expenses since multiple types of verification are acceptable.

ExampleExample

A client applied on May 3, 2006. She declared she’s paying $400 for rent and she chose SUA. On her June SAR 7, received on July 7th, she reports she moved to a new apartment on July 1, 2006 and declares she’s paying $450 rent which includes all utilities. Enter the new rent amount $450 in the August CalFresh budget, delete SUA (utilities now included in rent).