CFET Eligibility

Obtain and retain a signed Consent to Release Public Assistance Information for the CalFresh Employment and Training form ("Addendum D" in the Resource section of the CFET website) from the potential participant. This release will allow you to verify the participant’s CFET eligibility. Ensure the consent form contains the participant’s name, signature, signature date, and date of birth.
Log in to VSAS by launching the SSA Portal and accessing the SSA VSAS Portal logon. Log in using the VSAS Username and Password provided to you from the SSA Help Desk and click the [Login][Login] button.
To locate the participant in the VSAS system, enter demographic information in the Client tab (SSN, or Last, First name).
Note: Searching by the participant’s SSN is recommended in VSAS to narrow down the results. Click on the [Search][Search] button.
Select by single-clicking on the participant’s name (the identifying information field will turn yellowidentifying information field will turn yellow).
There are six (6) VSAS fieldssix (6) VSAS fields to pay special attention to when viewing participant information:
1. ABAWD indicator (YES/NO/EXEMPT)
2. CFET (ELIGIBLE/INELIGIBLE)
3. General Assistance (GA) indicator (YES/NO)
4. ABAWD number of months used and number of months remaining
5. Total Workfare Hours to comply with ABAWD rules
6. Number of ABAWDs that can share these workfare hours

Indicator/Field	Description
A. ABAWD (Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents) indicator	If coded “YES,” the participant is an ABAWD and will need to participate in CFET services at least 20 hours/week or 80 hours/month, or in workfare (hours = CF allotment divided by minimum wage) in order to keep his/her CalFresh benefits. The participant will also need verification of participation hours and may need an attendance verification form completed and signed off by your agency (participant will provide). If coded “NO” or “EXEMPT,” the participant does not have a minimum number of monthly hours to meet.
B. CFET field	If coded “ELIGIBLE” participant is CFET eligible and can be participate in the CFET program. If coded “INELIGIBLE” participant is not CFET eligible and cannot participate in the CFET program until VSAS shows “ELIGIBLE.” Follow Steps 6-8 (below) to determine CFET eligibility and next steps.
C. General Assistance (GA) indicator	If coded “YES,” the participant is a recipient of GA and may be enrolled in the CFET program. The participant will need to contact their Employment Counselor (EC) at GA. The participant will also need verification of participation hours and may need an attendance verification form completed and signed off by your agency (participant will provide) in order to keep receiving GA benefits. If coded “No,” the participant is not a recipient of GA.
D. ABAWD months used and remaining fields	Number of months where ABAWD work requirements has not been complied with. After 3 months, CF benefit will be discontinued. Number of months left before CF benefit will be discontinued if ABAWD work requirements are not complied with.
E. Total Workfare Hours field	Number of Workfare hours that need to be completed monthly to comply with ABAWD work requirements.
F. Number of ABAWDs field	Number of ABAWDs in the case that can share the total number of Workfare hours that need to be completed monthly to comply with ABAWD work requirements.

Determine CFET eligibility or ineligibility:

If...	And...	Then...
VSAS locates the participant and the CFET fieldCFET field shows eligible	They are active for CalFresh and no other disqualifier exists	Participant is CFET Eligible
VSAS locates the participant and the CFET fieldCFET field shows ineligible	They are active for CalFresh but one of the following disqualifying conditions exist: Individual is sanctioned for CalWORKs, or Individual is active for CFAP	Participant is CFET Ineligible
VSAS does not locate the participant and the “No records foundNo records found” message appears	One of the following conditions exist: Individual does not have a CalFresh case, or Individual is active on the CalWORKs Program.	Ask the participant: Are you receiving CalWORKs? If yes, The participant cannot enroll in your program, refer participant to their EC at CWES. If no, Use the Reverse Referral Process to assist the participant to enroll in CalFresh. Once the participant is active for CalFresh, he or she may then be enrolled into your CFET program. Note: Recheck CFET eligibility status (Step 1).
Third Party Partners have been working with an Active CFET Participant and now the CFET fieldCFET field shows ineligible	One of the following disqualifying conditions exist: Participant’s CalFresh status is now FAIL, or Participant’s CalFresh status is PASS, but: Participant is now active on CalWORKs, or Participant is sanctioned for CalWORKs.
Third Party Partners have been working with an Active CFET participant and the record is found but the CFET field shows ineligible	Ask the question: Are you receiving CalWORKS? Have you been sanctioned for CalWORKS?	If yes, and the participant is on CalWORKs or sanctioned for CalWORKs they cannot enroll in your program, refer participant to their EC at CWES. If no, Ask the participant the following question: When was the last time you received CalFresh benefits? If less than 30 days - Instruct the participant to contact their Santa Clara County EW to determine why they were discontinued and if they comply can they get their CalFresh rescinded. If more than 30 days - Assist the participant in applying for CalFresh using the Reverse Referral Process. Once the participant’s CalFresh status is active and VSAS shows the CFET field as ELIGIBLE, then Third Party Partners may continue to provide CFET services to the participant.

For active CFET Participants: Verify the participant is not enrolled in a conflicting component.
1. Enrollment in conflicting components is when two of the same components (i.e. Supervised Job Search) are entered at two different Third Party Partners. Regulations allow a participant to be enrolled in two CFET components as long as they are not conflicting. For example, a participant may be enrolled in the Supervised Job Search component at one Third Party Partner and the English Second Language component at another Third Party Partner.
2. Here is an example of a conflicting componentconflicting component (two Supervised Job Search entries at two different Third Party Partners –Sacred Heart Community Services and Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County).
  1. As you can see, there are two open, non-End Dated entries for the same Supervised Job Search component. In this situation, the more current Third Party Partner will first need to discuss the conflicting component issue with the participant.
  2. Next, the Third Party Partner will need to contact the designated contact person at the other Third Party Partner in order to verify and discuss End Dating the component appropriately.

(Note: Third Party Partners are unable to edit or end-date other agency’s entries in the VSAS system.)

It is mandatory that participants maintain their CF eligibility monthly, in order to be enrolled in the CFET program. Use VSAS to check CF eligibility on the first working day of each month.

For your convenience, this process is outlined in the Desk Aid: CFET Eligibility Status in VSAS.

CFET Eligibility

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