PD 24-07: FS One-Time Summer 2024 CalWORKs Enrichment Payment

Date: 05/22/24
To: DEBS
From: Michelle Rojas, SSA Business Policy Implementation Specialist
Reference: N/A

Background

CalWORKs 2.0 uses a holistic approach to improve outcomes for the entire family.  To support these efforts, Employment Counselors (ECs) assist clients by developing goal-oriented CalWORKs Employment Services (CWES) plans.  

 

Guidance

To support a goal, a one-time $400 per household One-Time Summer 2024 CalWORKs Enrichment payment will be issued to CWES families beginning May 28 through June 7, 2024.

 

Two different One-Time Summer 2024 CalWORKs Enrichment payments will be issued during this time frame using two different funding sources: Single Allocation or Family Stabilization (FS).  However, households will only be eligible to receive one of the payments.  

 

A point-in-time listing will be run on May 20, 2024, and will include all eligible participants, and will distinguish which payment the EC is to issue.  

Note: This Program Directive provides guidance on issuing the One-Time Summer 2024 CalWORKs Enrichment payment that utilizes FS funding.

Eligible Population

CWES participants in the following WTW/Cal-Learn Program statuses are eligible:

  • Active
  • Exempt
  • Good Cause
  • Non-Comp
  • Pending
  • Registered Cal-Learn (Head of Household Case)

Note: Post-Aid Services participants and CWES participants with Sanction statuses are not eligible.  

Payment Method/CalSAWS

A point-in-time listing of the eligible population will be distributed once to ECs to assist staff with issuing payments.  Only clients who are on the listing are eligible to receive this payment.  There is a limit of one payment per Assistance Unit (AU).

 

The EC must add a one-day FS plan, and the participant must sign the one-day FS plan prior to the EC issuing the payment.  The one-day FS plan may be signed via DocuSign.  

 

To issue this payment, on the Need Detail page select Category: "Family Stabilization", Type: "Other", and enter: "FS One-Time Payment FY24" in the Description field. 

 

A pay code will need to be manually selected when issuing this payment.  Please utilize the table below to assist with the appropriate pay code selection:

 

CalSAWS Category CalSAWS Type Aid Code  Employment Status Pay Code
Family Stabilization Other

30

33

35

3P

3R

 Employed FE AE EM FS
Unemployed FE OSS UE FS

32

3F

3E

3G

3H

3L

3M

3U

3W

K1

 Employed NF AE EM FS
Unemployed NF OSS UE FS

R1

34

4N

4P

4R

 Employed NM AE EM FS
Unemployed NM OSS UE FS

 

This payment is to be issued via EBT or warrant as an exception.

Journal Entry

Once the payment is issued the EC must enter "FS One-Time Summer 2024 CalWORKs Enrichment payment issued per Program Directive 24-07" in the CalSAWS Journal Detail page using Journal Category: "Employment Services", Journal Type: "WTW", Short Description: "FS One-Time payment FY24".

Client Notification

Central Services will mail out client notifications to eligible clients by May 28, 2024.

Budgeting (Eligibility Staff)

The FS One-Time Summer 2024 CalWORKs Enrichment payment is considered as an other ancillary supportive service, which is exempt from budgeting for all programs and is as follows:

  • It is treated as exempt income for CalWORKs, CalFresh and Medi-Cal.
  • Clients do not need to report the payments.
  • Verification is not required if a client does report the payments.

Supervisors

Employment Program and Eligibility Worker Supervisors must review this Program Directive immediately with staff.