Refugee Cash Assistance
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Benefits eligibility when public interest parole expires
The California Department of Social Services has released guidance regarding benefits eligibility for public interest parolees when their parole status expires or is terminated. Individuals paroled into the United States are eligible for CalWORKs. If an individual’s parole…
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CalWORKs and CalFresh income exemption for awards to attend college
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) issued guidance regarding the new income exemption for awards to attend college. Effective March 1, 2026, any grant, award, scholarship, loan or fellowship awarded for the purpose of attending an institution…
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CalWORKs Homeless Assistance Questions and Answers
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued questions and answers about CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA). HA serves eligible CalWORKs recipients or applicants who are apparently eligible for CalWORKs, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. …
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Impact of Social Security COLA on CalWORKs and CalFresh
Effective January 1, 2026, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will increase by a 2.8 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA). For new CalWORKs and CalFresh applications, the actual amount of Social Security, including the COLA, must…
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Increase in CalWORKs resource limit
Effective January 1, 2026, the CalWORKs resource limit for applicants and recipients will increase to $12,552, and to $18,829 for an assistance unit with at least one member who is over 60 or disabled. This increase also applies…
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Reasonable Accommodations in RCA, ECA, and TCVAP programs
County Welfare Directors (CWDs) must ensure equal access to Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA), and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) cash aid for individuals with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations may involve waiving rules or…
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Civil rights obligations to people who are deaf or hard of hearing
County Welfare Directors (CWD) are legally required to ensure that communication with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals is just as effective as communication with individuals without disabilities. DHH obligations include applicants for services and their companions,…
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Reduction in eligibility period for RCA, ECA, and TCVAP cash assistance
The eligibility period for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA), and Trafficking and Crime Victims Program (TCVAP) cash assistance is reduced to 4 months for individual’s whose eligibility start date is on or after May 5,…
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CalWORKs eligibility for citizens of Compact of Free Association states
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided guidance regarding CalWORKs eligibility for citizens of the Compact of Free Association (COFA) states of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands. Effective March 9, 2024, federal law changed to…
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Update about EBT card mass replacement with chip/tap card
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) issued an update about the replacement of current EBT cards with chip/tap cards. This is an update to ACWDL June 6, 2022, summarized here. Replacement of county administrative equipment was completed…