Application - Informing

[EAS 40-107]

Responsibility

The EW is responsible for informing the applicant, guardian, or relative of their rights and responsibilities to the CalWORKs program and potential eligibility to other programs. The EW must inform the applicant of the county and the individual’s responsibility for exploring all facts concerning eligibility, needs and income, and the applicant's responsibility for presenting or obtaining records or documents to support the statements.

Categories of Aid

Intake EWs are required to explore eligibility for all programs requested and all benefits for which the applicant may qualify. Applicants shall be informed that they may apply for CalFresh at the same time as they apply for CalWORKs. If the applicant chooses to apply for CalFresh at the same time, they have the right to file a joint application and shall have a single interview for both programs.

Reminder: The individual may apply for any type of public assistance. However, the EW must explain the rules regarding the eligibility and benefits available from the programs requested by the applicant.

Diversion

The EW must inform all applicants about the option of choosing the short-term Diversion program rather than accepting long-term cash assistance prior to approval of their cash assistance.

Refer to Diversion Period [EAS 81-215.1; 81-215.43].

Native TANF Program (NTP)

The Native TANF Program is a program that provides cash aid and supportive services to eligible needy children and families. Families who are eligible for the NTP may choose to be served by either CalWORKs or NTP. EWs must identify potentially eligible families and provide the applicant with the option of choosing between the NTP or CalWORKs benefits. Eligibility for the NTP is determined by the NTP case worker. If the applicant is interested in applying for NTP, the Intake EW will refer the family to the NTP office to apply. Meanwhile, the CalWORKs application will continue to be processed to ensure there is no delay in benefits.

Note: CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits are provided by our agency when the family qualifies for them. Program rules, such as the TANF time limit requirements, apply to NTP participants and must also be verified at Intake.

Frozen Eligibility and Benefits

The EW must inform the applicant that once eligibility is established under SAR and the amount of aid is calculated, both eligibility and amount of benefits will not change, they will be “frozen” for six (6) months. This is referred to as the payment period.

Exception: Eligibility and benefits will not change until the next payment period except in certain circumstances.

Confidentiality

The EW must inform the applicant of the confidential nature of all information given.

Evidence/Verification

The EW must inform the applicant of the evidence/verification which may be needed to establish eligibility.

Investigation

The EW must inform the applicant that an investigation of the individual's situation may be undertaken with the full knowledge and consent of the applicant and that their signature on the Statement of Facts will authorize those actions.

CHDP

The EW must inform the applicant of the purpose, provision and availability of the CHDP Program. Brochures must be given to the applicant which describe the support services (scheduling/transportation) available under CHDP as well as how and where the services are provided.

Note: The Prenatal Care Guidance Program is available to pregnant women through CHDP. This program focuses on informing, motivating and assisting pregnant women with early and appropriate care. EWs should advise pregnant applicants/recipients of this program and refer them to CHDP for guidance.

Family Planning

The EW must inform the applicant of the availability of Family Planning Services. The “Important Notice to All Recipients” (SC 1255) in the intake packet includes a list of agencies providing these services.

Child Support

The EW shall inform the applicant of the benefits of the child support enforcement program along with the cooperation requirements, and the right to claim exemption from those requirements prior to referral to the local child support agency. The “Notice of Child Support Services Program” (DCSS 0064) and the “California Child Support Information Handbook” (PUB 160) are available to provide this information.

The EW must also inform the applicant of the 25% reduction in cash assistance if they fail or refuse to cooperate in the child support enforcement process.

[Refer to Good Cause Determinations]

Reminder: The applicant/recipient who refuses or fails to cooperate in Medi-Cal support enforcement will also be ineligible for Medi-Cal benefits.

Social Security Number

The EW must inform the applicant that as a condition of eligibility they must furnish the SSN of all persons in the “family”, non-AU members and AU members. For more information, refer to Applicants.

Potentially Available Income

Applicants are required to take all necessary actions to obtain potentially available income and to provide evidence that all actions necessary to obtain that income have been taken. Potentially available income is any income the applicant may be entitled to receive. Sources of potentially available income include, but are not limited to:

Social Insurance benefits (i.e. UIB, DIB, SSA, or RSDI)
Military benefits
Retirement benefits (i.e. Railroad Retirement, Union Retirement, or Private Pension Benefits)
Insurance benefits (life insurance or disability benefits)
Worker’s Compensation

The EW must inform the applicant of their responsibility to apply for and to take all appropriate steps to obtain specific benefits for which there appears to be potential eligibility.

If a...	Then...
Mandatory AU member fails to seek or accept potentially available income,	Deny or discontinue the entire AU.
Optional AU member fails to seek or accept potentially available income,	Deny or discontinue the option person.

Quality Control

The EW must inform the applicant of their responsibility to cooperate with Quality Control should the case be selected for review, and that if as a recipient they fail to cooperate, CalWORKs benefits will be discontinued.

Civil Rights

The EW must inform the individual of their Civil Rights. “Your Rights Under California Welfare Program” (PUB 13) is to be provided and explained at each intake and at each redetermination.

Computer Systems

The EW must inform the applicant of the use of computer systems to substantiate the income and resources declared. This must be thoroughly explained to each applicant/recipient.

Disqualification

The EW must inform the applicant of the disqualification penalties for CalWORKs. If an individual applies for or receives CalWORKs but does not report all the facts or gives false information, that individual may be prohibited from receiving CalWORKs for a specified length of time. Refer to Applicant/Agency Responsibility for more information.

State Hearing

The EW must inform the applicant of the right to request a State Hearing in relation to any action or inaction taken by the county. CalWORKs applicants have the right to ask for a state hearing before a state ALJ any time they disagree with a county action or inaction.

Work Opportunities

The EW must explain to the applicant the benefits of finding employment when receiving CalWORKs. The EW must also answer any questions the applicant may have about the work incentives, and explain the effect of earned income on their CalWORKs budget computation, including the Applicant Gross Income Test and Recipient Net Income Test.

CalWORKs Employment Services (CWES)

The EW must inform the applicant of the availability of activities and supportive services in the CWES program. The EW must inform all applicants that unless they are exempt, they will be registered with CWES to meet WTW requirements. The EW must inform mandatory participants that failure to meet WTW requirements may result in financial sanctions.

Refer to CWES Program Requirements [EAS 42-721].

The EW must also provide the individual with information about:

Core and Non-Core Employment Service activities,
The Core requirement, and
When the Non-Core activities may count toward the Core requirement.

The EW must review and have the applicant complete the CalWORKs Stage One Child Care Request Form & Payment Rules (CCP 7) to inform the applicant/recipient that child care benefits are available for 12 months to recipients who need child care to work or participate in county-approved self-sufficiency activities, such as attending education or job training programs.

Cal-Learn

The Cal-Learn program provides financial incentives, supportive services, and intensive case management to encourage teen parents to stay in or return to school and graduate. The EW must inform the applicant of the responsibility of any minor who is pregnant or has a dependent child to participate in the Cal Learn. Refer to Cal Learn [EAS 42-762].

Third Party Medical Liability

The EW must inform the applicant that as a condition of eligibility, the applicant/recipient must cooperate in identifying and providing information about any third parties who may be liable for medical services for any member of the AU.

Minor Parent Residency

The EW must inform the applicant that to receive CalWORKs, a minor (under the age of 18), who has never been married and is either pregnant or has a dependent child, will be required to live with his/her senior parent, legal guardian, other adult relative or in a licensed group or maternity home, unless the minor meets a specific exemption criteria. Refer to Senior Parent/Minor Parent.

School Attendance Requirement

The EW must inform the applicant that all school age children (ages 6-17, 18 if applicable) in the AU must be enrolled in and regularly attend school. If the child fails to attend regularly, a penalty may be applied to the AU. Refer to School Attendance Requirement [40-105.5].

Immunization Requirement

The EW must inform the applicant that all children under the age of 6 in the AU must have received age appropriate immunizations, unless exempt or good cause is claimed. If the parent or aided caretaker relative fails or refuses to verify that all children under the age of 6 in the AU have age appropriate immunizations, a penalty may be applied to the AU. Refer to Immunization Requirement [40-105.4] for a complete description of the immunization requirements.

Time Limits

The EW must inform the applicant of:

The TANF Federal 60-month lifetime limit, and
The CalWORKs 60-month lifetime limit.

The “CalWORKs 60-Month Time-Limit” (CW 2184) MUST be provided to every CalWORKs applicant at the point of Intake and to every CalWORKs recipient at their annual Redetermination. Refer to Time Limits (EAS 42-302).

Voter Registration

The EW must give clients the opportunity to vote by issuing the form, “Would You Like To Register To Vote?” (SCD 508) at the time of application, restoration, RRR or when there is a change of address. A “Voter Registration” form must be provided whenever a client chooses to register to vote.

The EW must also:

Assist clients in completing the Voter Registration form, if help is requested.
Accept and mail Voter Registration forms to the Registrar of Voters Office WITHIN 3 DAYS IF THE FORMS ARE RETURNED TO THIS AGENCY.
Not attempt to influence the client’s decision to register to vote or the client’s choice of a political party.
Not withhold or delay assistance because of voter registration requirements. Public assistance benefits shall not be affected by the applicant’s decision to register, or not to register, to vote.