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Refugee Programs - Income
[69-206]
Income will be considered on the same basis as the CalWORKs Program for determining the need standards, computing the aid payment level, determining eligibility for immediate needs and computing overpayments.
The sponsored noncitizen provisions do NOT apply to RCA cases. Therefore, the sponsorship requirements do NOT apply to the following categories:
- Refugees
- Asylees, and
- Persons paroled as refugees.
VOLAG Income
[69-206.11]
The initial income (up to $1,500) received from the reception and placement (R&P) agency (VOLAG and/or sponsor) will not be considered in determining income eligibility OR aid payment for RCA/ECA.
Exception: Match grants monies are still considered income. Match grant monies come from the same federal fund as RCA/ECA and cannot be duplicated. See Common Place Handbook [Refer to “Match Grant,” page 11-37]]
Income from a Program Equivalent to Resettlement and Placement (R&P)
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), under the direction of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) mandates the disregard of cash grants that refugees and other eligible individuals receive through programs determined by ORR to be equivalent to R&P beginning as of June 12, 2023. ORR has determined the Welcome Corps and the Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) program are such equivalents. As such, cash grants received by refugees and other eligible individuals are to be disregarded when determining eligibility for RCA.
In conducting a refugee's income eligibility determination for RCA, the cash grant a refugee receives from R&P equivalent programs must be disregarded in the same manner as the R&P is disregarded. The amount of cash grant that may be disregarded is limited to the amount of cash grant the client would receive under the R&P program, to maintain equity between refugees being served under different resettlement initiatives.
Note: The term "refugees" includes those ORR-eligible populations who are refugees and additional individuals (i.e., certain Afghans who arrived through Operation Allies Welcome) who are eligible for initial resettlement services. The term "refugees" does not include asylees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, victims of trafficking, humanitarian parolees from Ukraine, or other ORR-eligible populations who are not eligible for initial resettlement services.
Diversion Payments
[69-201.4]
RCA/ECA applicants/recipients are NOT eligible for Diversion Payments.
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