PD 25-04: AB 79 Q&A (Revised)
| Date: | 03/05/25 (Revised 04/29/25) |
| To: | CalWORKs and CalFresh Eligibility Staff |
| From: | Ana Guitron, SSA BPIS |
| Reference: | N/A |
Background
Assembly Bill (AB) 79 requires counties to attempt personal contact to collect the necessary information for completing CalWORKs and/or CalFresh Re-Evaluation (RE) or SAR 7 before discontinuance.
Guidance
1. Do Robo-calls/Robo-messages comply with AB 79 personal contact requirements?
Yes, Robo-calls/Robo-messages comply with AB 79 personal contact requirements. Messaging verbiage can be found in PD 24-20: AB 79 Personal Contact Reminders.
2. Does Santa Clara County/DEBS send Robo-messages to all clients that have a SAR 7/RE due?
Yes, Robo-Messages are sent to all households regardless of their opt-in status that have a SAR 7/RE due. On the 5th of the month when a report is due, on the 14th of the month to all households who have not returned their report that is due that month, and on the 2nd of the following month when the case has been discontinued for failure to return the report.
3. Does the personal contact need to be successful for it to be in compliance with AB79?
No, to be in compliance with AB 79, the contact does not need to be successful however, we must document the attempt to contact the household. The CalSAWS AB 79 (Personal Contact) IVR Call campaign for Recertification generates a journal entry. The CalSAWS AB 79 (Personal Contact) IVR Call campaign for SAR 7s not received or incomplete, which was implemented on April 24, 2025, also generates a journal entry of the attempt to contact the household.
4. If the client opted out of IVR but we have their phone number on file, can we be cited for not contacting them?
We would not be cited since Robo-calls, Robo-messages, and the AB 79 IVR Call campaign are made to all households regardless of their opt-in status. The household is provided the Informational Notice About Receiving Automatic Electronic Communications from The County of Santa Clara (SCD 2604) as part of the application process, which informs the household that by applying for public assistance, they are auto-subscribed to receive electronic notification regarding their reports. AB 79 IVR call campaigns are an exception to the policy that requires users to opt-in to receive automated calls from CalSAWS.
5. If the client does not have a phone number on file, do we need to provide personal contact through a physical notice?
If so, what type of notice?
If a client does not have a phone number on file, the county is not required to make a personal contact through a physical notice. If there is a phone number on file but it is not working, the county is required to attempt personal contact via the phone number on file, even if the attempt is unsuccessful, as long as it is documented that the attempt was made.