Refugee Cash Assistance
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Income Reporting Threshold for Fiscal Year 2025
Effective October 1, 2024, a new CalWORKs Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) will be effective. The new IRT amounts are in a chart attached to this ACL. Income over the IRT amount must be reported mid-period, that is, when…
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Cell-Ed for Afghan and Ukranian employment services participants
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding the Cell-Ed Welcome Start Program (WSP). It is an online learning program for eligible Afghan and Ukrainian employment services participants. Time spent on the program provides countable…
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Benefits extension for Ukranian Humanitarian Parolees
President Biden’s signing of The Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, expanded resettlement assistance provided by The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to displaced Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians paroled to the U.S. The ORR updated its eligibility criteria and mainstreamed…
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Increase in CalWORKs resource limit
Effective January 1, 2025, the CalWORKs resource limit for applicants and recipients will increase to $12,137, and to $18,206 for an assistance unit with at least one member who is over 60 or disabled. This increase also applies…
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EBT card replacement with chip/tap cards
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided information about the replacement of current magnetic stripe EBT cards with chip/tap cards. The new cards will be for CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Assistance, Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Trafficking and…
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Increase in CalWORKs vehicle value limit
The California Department of Social Services has informed counties that the vehicle value for the CalWORKs program increases to $32,968 effective July 1, 2024. This increase also applies to Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance, and Trafficking and…
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CalWORKs MBSAC increase
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has informed counties that the CalWORKs Minimum Basic Standard of Care (MBSAC) will increase by 4.32% effective July 1, 2024. This is an annual cost of living increase. This will increase…
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Verification and eligibility for public benefits for public interest parolees
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding verification and eligibility for persons paroled into the United States under Immigration and Naturalization Act section 212(d)(5), also known as public interest parolees, when determining eligibility for…
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Changes to CalWORKs recipient financial eligibility test
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding continuing financial eligibility for CalWORKs recipients. When a family receiving CalWORKs has an income increase that takes over 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (the Income Reporting…
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Refugee Cash Assistance income disregards
Many refugees receive assistance from Reception and Placement (R&P) grants. R&P grants do not count as income for purposes of Refugee Cash Assistance. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has directed counties to also disregard cash grants…