PD 23-12: CalWORKs Eligibility for Disaster Victims and Evacuees Affected by the Winter Storms
| Date: | 4/13/23 |
| To: | DEBS |
| From: | Romelia Cuellar, ADSS II |
| Reference: | ACWDL April 3, 2023 |
Background
The purpose of this Program Directive is to remind staff of existing regulations and policy for processing applications or documents on behalf of disaster victims and evacuees.
On March 2, 2023, Governor Newsom issued a statewide Emergency Proclamation due to the effects of the February winter storms affecting Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma, and Tulare counties.
On March 8, 2023, Governor Newsom issued an Emergency Proclamation due to the effects of the March winter storms affecting Butte, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Lake, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Yuba counties.
The danger and damage caused by the severe winter storms have made it necessary for some families to evacuate their home counties.
Reminders
Current recipients of CalWORKs are eligible for several waivers of existing rules, including non-recurring special needs, the once-every-12-month limit for Homeless Assistance and Welfare-to-Work requirements.
Many evacuees will lack documentation of various items. In order to promptly aid displaced families applying for CalWORKs, EWs shall employ the following general guidance:
If the applicant and county make a good-faith effort to obtain verification of the evacuee’s identity, time on aid, and linking and non-linking conditions of CalWORKs eligibility and are unable to contact the evacuee’s financial institutions or other necessary entities, the county shall accept the evacuee’s statements undersigned penalty of perjury in lieu of such verification.
When an individual or family displaced by fires applies for CalWORKs, EWs shall do the following:
• Establish the evacuee was living in a county designated as a federal disaster and/or State-declared emergency zone as a result of the major fires during the period the fires occurred, and
• Ask the evacuee if anyone in their family is currently receiving CalWORKs in that county, or from a disaster county.
For complete information on Application & Continuing Case Processing for Individuals Displaced by Disaster refer to Federal/State Declared Disasters.
It is important that Staff continue to uphold Civil Rights laws and regulations to ensure all individuals, including the most vulnerable populations, have access to important social services programs during emergency situations. The most vulnerable populations may have been affected and will face additional challenges if impacted by a disaster and their affected region has entered in a recovery phase. Refer to the DEBS Common Place Business Process Handbook Chapter 33.
Tracking
Staff are required to flag these cases so that case data can be reported to the State upon request. In the Case Flag List page, enter the appropriate case flag as follows:
- February 2023 Winter Storms or
- March 2023 Winter Storms
Journal Entries
Journal entries are always required when implementing flexibilities and considerations to regulation. The the specific month and county where the winter storm occured must be journaled as well.
Implementation
This Program Directive is effective immediately.