Domestic Abuse (DA) - Welfare-to-Work (WTW) Waiver Time Frames

Initial Exemption/Extender

The initial exemption/extender of the CalWORKs Time On Aid (TOA) requirements due to DA is three (3) calendar months. 

Subsequent Extensions

The initial exemption/extension of the CalWORKs TOA requirement due to DA is for three (3) months. Additional three-month  extensions must be granted to victims/survivors of DA on a case-by-case basis when the effects of DA continue to hinder a participant's ability to be regularly employed or participate in a Welfare-to-Work (WTW) activity.  At redetermination, if a client is found able to fully participate in WTW, they will no longer qualify for the DA exemption, and the CalWORKs clock will begin to tick.

Reminder: A client who has been approved for a DA Exemption/Extender may participate as a volunteer in an integrated DV/WTW Plan and their CalWORKs clock will not tick.

Domestic Abuse Exemption/Extender Review

When a client has been approved for a DA exemption/extender, the CalWORKs Social Worker (SW)/Domestic Violence (DV) Advocate must review the case prior to the expiration date, to determine appropriate action.

The CalWORKs SW/DV Advocate will review the pending expiration date and provide a recommendation on a new CalWORKs Domestic Abuse Participation Status (SCD 1554). The CalWORKs SW/DV Advocate emails the SCD 1554 to Cwes.Clerical@ssa.sccgov.org requesting to have it scanned into Imaging and a Task be created for the Eligibility Worker (EW) to follow up.  

Verification

The SCD 1554 recommending a Domestic Abuse exemption/extender must be sent by the CalWORKs SW/DV Advocate to the EW and the Associate Employment Counselor (AEC)/Employment Counselor (EC).

Coding TOA Exemptions in CalSAWS

An individual  approved a TOA exemption/extender due to DA is also exempt from WTW participation. In order for the DA exemption/extender to record correctly in CalSAWS, the following actions must be taken by the EW and Engagement Team AEC/EC prior to running the Eligibility Determination Benefit Calculation (EDBC)/Authorizing results:

DA Exemption

A. The EW:

• If the EW initiated the DA referral, then the EW will revise the “Domestic Abuse” case flag’s end date to match the end date that is listed on the SCD 1554. 

B. The Assigned AEC/EC:

• If the DA referral was initiated by the AEC/EC, then the AEC/EC will revise the “Domestic Abuse” case flag’s end date to match the end date that is listed on the SCD 1554.
• Adds the DA activity “43 DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICES” and ensures “Yes” is selected in the Waiver of Program Rules drop-down field on the Customer Activity Detail page.  The activity’s Start Date and End Date fields are to match the dates provided on the SCD 1554. 
• Ensures that the WTW Status is "Good Cause".

C. The Engagement Team AEC/EC:

• Navigates to the WTW Status Detail page in CalSAWS and updates Domestic Violence Good Cause’s Expected End Date field to match the End Date listed on the SCD 1554. 

When the client no longer qualifies for another Exemption the assigned AEC/EC will take the following steps:

• Updates the "43 Domestic Abuse Services" activity status to “Completed.”
• Ensures the "Domestic Abuse" case flag is ended
• Ensures the Domestic Violence Good Cause is ended
• Schedules an appointment to meet with the participant to discuss suitable WTW activities.

Reminder: Initiates Task request/contacts the EW to inform them that ES entries are done in order to run EDBC (online or overnight in batch) and authorize results.

DA Extender

D. The EW:

• Enters the DV Time Limit Extension in CalSAWS.
• If the EW initiated the DA referral, then the EW will revise the “Domestic Abuse” case flag’s end date to match the end date that is listed on the SCD 1554. 

E. The AEC/EC:

• If the AEC/EC initiated the DA referral, then the AEC/EC will revise the “Domestic Abuse” case flag’s end date to match the end date that is listed on the SCD 1554. 
• Adds the DA activity "43 Domestic abuse services-Extender" and ensures "Yes" is selected in the Waiver of Program Rules drop-down field on the Customer Activity Detail page.  
• Navigates to the WTW Status Detail page in CalSAWS and adds a new Domestic Violence Good Cause with an Expected End Date filed to match the End Date listed on the SCD 1554.

When client no longer qualifies for another Extender:

• Updates the “43 DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICES-Extender” activity status to “Completed”
• Ensures the “Domestic Abuse” case flag is ended
• Ends the Domestic Violence Good Cause.

Reminder: Informs the EW to run EDBC/Authorize case.

When a DA waiver/exemption expires and will not be extended, the EW must review the case for any other exemption for which the client may qualify. If the client does not meet any other exemption criteria, EDBC must be run since the client is a mandatory registrant.

Reminder: The DA exemption stops the 60-month CalWORKs clock and on the Cash Aid Time Limit Month List page the CalWORKs column for the current month should display "Don't Count".