Introduction

The purpose of the CalFresh Employment & Training (CFET) program is to increase the employment and earning capacity of CalFresh recipients by providing participants with the support needed to obtain skills and credentialing. CFET provides participants with case management services and access to basic education, work experience, training, and job search assistance, as well as supportive services to assist with expenses related to finding and retaining work.

 

The CFET program has five strategic goals:

1. Increase job placement, retention, and wages,
2. Increase CFET participation across a dynamic mix of people, communities and cultures,
3. Increase employability by removing barriers to employment,
4. Increase skills attainment and credentialing, and
5. Lead an efficient and effective customer focused CFET program.

 

In Santa Clara County, the CFET program is delivered internally through the SCCSSA General Assistance Vocational Services and externally through the Third-Party Partner reimbursement model. The Third-Party Partner model consist of partnerships between various employment & training providers and Santa Clara County.

Enrollment and participation in the CFET program are voluntary for eligible CalFresh recipients. CalFresh recipients are not required to enroll in the CFET program to keep their CalFresh benefits, and participants cannot have their CalFresh benefits sanctioned for failure to participate. All entities providing CFET services are responsible for confirmation of a participant’s eligibility each month.

 

CFET participants must be:

• At least 16 years of age (Note: A person aged 16 or 17 who is not the head of household, or who is attending school, or enrolled in an employment and training program on at least a half-time basis cannot participate),
• In receipt of federally funded CalFresh food assistance benefits, and
• Not subject to any work requirement under Title IV of the Social Security Act, such as through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, known in California as the California Work Opportunity Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program.

 

The CFET program serves diverse populations whose characteristics may differ based on needs.

Some examples of target populations are:

• Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)
• English language learners (ELL)/those who speak English as a second language (ESL)
• Formerly incarcerated
• General Assistance/General Relief (GA/GR) participants/recipients
• Homeless individuals and families
• Students
• Timed-out CalWORKs participants

Related Topics

County Contacts