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Shasta County

CalWORKs Program Handbook


Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 1 of 61

Table of Contents for CalWORKs Chapter:


Assistance Unit Composition
FILING UNIT
40-118........................4
Definition....................................................................................................................................................4
Mandatory Inclusion...................................................................................................................................5
Optional Persons.........................................................................................................................................5
ASSISTANCE UNIT
82-820, 82-828, 82-832, 89-201.5.......................................................5
Definition....................................................................................................................................................5
Minimum Requirement...............................................................................................................................6
Who Must Be Included...............................................................................................................................6
MFG Child..................................................................................................................................................6
Optional Persons.........................................................................................................................................7
Essential Persons.........................................................................................................................................7
EXCLUDED BY LAW...............................................................................................................................7
Penalty Provisions: Fleeing Felons, Parole/ Probation Violators.............................................................8
EXCLUDED BY SANCTION...................................................................................................................8
Excluded.....................................................................................................................................................9
Person Rule.................................................................................................................................................9
CARETAKER RELATIVE
82-808..............................9
Definition....................................................................................................................................................9
Degree of Relatedness...............................................................................................................................10
Exception..................................................................................................................................................10
WORKER PROCESS...............................................................................................................................11
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................11
Verification: Parent Caretaker...................................................................................................................11
Verification: Other Caretaker Relatives....................................................................................................11
Verification................................................................................................................................................11
No Verification Available..........................................................................................................................12
C-IV Task..................................................................................................................................................12
AU COMPOSITION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS...........................................................................12
Adoption of Sibling or Half-Sibling.........................................................................................................12
Adoption Assistance Program...................................................................................................................13
NEEDY OR NON-NEEDY CARETAKER RELATIVES
82-820..........................................13
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................13
Definition..................................................................................................................................................14
Worker Process.........................................................................................................................................14
DETERMINING CARE AND CONTROL
82-808.................................14
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................14
Care and Control Factors..........................................................................................................................15
Shared Custody.........................................................................................................................................15
Temporary Absence..................................................................................................................................16
Birth Parent Returns to..............................................................................................................................16
Home.........................................................................................................................................................17
CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition
Page 1

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 2 of 61

CARETAKER RELATIVE MINOR PARENT


82-808.....................................17
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................18
NEVER MARRIED MINOR PARENTS
89-201.................................20
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................21
Exemptions...............................................................................................................................................21
WORKER PROCESS...............................................................................................................................21
CW 25 Supplemental Statement of Facts Minor Parent........................................................................21
Applications and Add Programs...............................................................................................................22
CFS Referrals............................................................................................................................................22
Service Referral Results............................................................................................................................24
PAYEE AGREEMENT................................................................................................................................24
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................24
Refusal......................................................................................................................................................24
Documentation..........................................................................................................................................25
NEVER MARRIED MINOR PARENTS...................................................................................................25
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ACL 97-17, ACIN I-26-97.................................25
Beginning..................................................................................................................................................25
Date of Aid................................................................................................................................................25
Legal Guardian..........................................................................................................................................25
Payee.........................................................................................................................................................26
Senior Parents Live Out of State...............................................................................................................26
Who Receives Correspondence and NOAs..............................................................................................26
Confidentiality..........................................................................................................................................26
Parents Whereabouts Unknown................................................................................................................26
Parents Whereabouts Unknown................................................................................................................27
Minors Child Conceived as a Result of Rape or Incest...........................................................................27
Both Minor Parents Live in the Same Home............................................................................................27
Minor Resides With Adult........................................................................................................................27
Father of Child..........................................................................................................................................28
SSI/SSP Senior Parent..............................................................................................................................28
Minor Turns 18.........................................................................................................................................28
Minor Mother / Minor Father Live in Senior Parents Home...................................................................28
Senior Parents Income Exceeds Financial Eligibility Tests.....................................................................29
ESTABLISHING NUMBER OF ASSITANCE UNITS
82-824........................................30
One AU.....................................................................................................................................................30
Two AUs...................................................................................................................................................30
AU COMPOSITION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS...........................................................................31
Number of AUs.........................................................................................................................................31
ENTIRE AU INELIGIBLE..........................................................................................................................32
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................32
MINIMUM BASIC STANDARD OF ADEQUATE..................................................................................33
CARE (MBSAC) / FAMILY MAP
44-113...............................33
Definition..................................................................................................................................................33
Unmarried.................................................................................................................................................33
CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition
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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


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Father with Common Child......................................................................................................................33


Non-AU Members Included In MBSAC / Family MAP..........................................................................34
CHILDS HOME ALTERNATES
82-808..................................34
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................34
CHILD MOVING INTO AU MID-PERIOD.............................................................................................35
40-161, 40-181, 44-316, 82-808......................................................................................................35
Overview...................................................................................................................................................35
Determine Care and Control.....................................................................................................................35
Care and Control.......................................................................................................................................35
Criteria......................................................................................................................................................35
Questionable Care and Control.................................................................................................................36
Confidentiality..........................................................................................................................................36
Care and Control Determination and Timely Noticing Requirements......................................................36
Emergency Services During Application Process.....................................................................................37
Timely Notices for Discontinuance..........................................................................................................37
Reporting Child Out of AU and Overpayments........................................................................................37
TEMPORARY ABSENCE
82-812, ACL 14-04..............................39
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................39
One Full Calendar Month.........................................................................................................................39
Determining Factors..................................................................................................................................39
Exceptions.................................................................................................................................................40
PERMANENT ABSENCE
82-812.........................41
INSTITUTIONAL STATUS
80-301, 82-812...........41
Rule...........................................................................................................................................................41
Inmate in Public Institution.......................................................................................................................42
Other Institutional Situations....................................................................................................................42
KIN-GAP
90-100................43
Definition..................................................................................................................................................43
Specialized Caseload................................................................................................................................43
Worker Responsibility - Processing..........................................................................................................43
Worker Responsibility Direct Services..................................................................................................44
Kin-Gap Overview....................................................................................................................................44
Aid Codes and Medi-Cal..........................................................................................................................44
CalFresh....................................................................................................................................................44
CAL-LEARN
42-762, ACL 12-60........................45
Rules.........................................................................................................................................................45
Implementation Period..............................................................................................................................45
Exception..................................................................................................................................................45
CalWORKs Eligibility..............................................................................................................................45
Cal-Learn..................................................................................................................................................46
Referral.....................................................................................................................................................46
Process......................................................................................................................................................46
Cal-Learn WtW Participation...................................................................................................................47
CAL-LEARN TIME LIMITS.......................................................................................................................49
CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition
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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


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Time Limits...............................................................................................................................................49
Time Clock Questions and Answers.........................................................................................................49
CAL-LEARN BONUSES AND SANCTIONS.........................................................................................50
Cal-Learn Supportive Services and Bonuses............................................................................................50
Cal-Learn Sanctions and...........................................................................................................................51
Penalties....................................................................................................................................................51
C-IV Task Applying Sanction...................................................................................................................51
C-IV Task Stop a Sanction.....................................................................................................................52
History Corrections...................................................................................................................................52
APPLYING SANCTIONS - EXAMPLES...............................................................................................52
TERMINATION FROM CAL-LEARN......................................................................................................54
Conclusion of........................................................................................................................................54
Cal-Learn Participation.....................................................................................................................54
Transition to Welfare to Work Activities.....................................................................................54

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


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FILING
40-118

UNIT

Definition

Filing Unit is the group of persons required to be on the


statement of facts. Workers are to review each application to
determine if the appropriate adults and/or children are included
following the rules listed below.

Mandatory
Inclusion

The following persons, if living in the home, must be included on


the statement of facts:

Applicant child, and

Children who are siblings or half-siblings of applicant child,


and
Parents of any child listed above, or

Pregnant woman, in a one-person AU, or

Caretaker relative, stepparent, and second parent of:


o SSI/SSP child
o Welfare to Work (WtW) sanctioned child
o Maximum Family Grant (MFG) child

Senior Parent

Sponsor of non-citizen

Spouse of persons mandatorily included in the filing unit

NOTE:
A child must be legally adopted to be considered a
child or sibling, not just relinquished for adoption.
Workers are to deny the application or discontinue the
Assistance Unit (AU) if the applicant refuses to include a
mandatorily included person on the statement of facts.
Optional
Persons

The following persons, including an Alternately Sentenced Parent


(ASP), are not mandatory but should be included on the
statement of facts:

The non-parent caretaker relative

Other eligible children, including, but not limited to, a niece


or nephew
An essential person (EP)

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 6 of 61

NOTE: The above persons must be included on the statement


of facts if aid is requested for them.

ASSISTANCE UNIT

82-820, 82-828, 82-832, 89-201.5

Definition

Assistance Unit (AU) means a group of related persons living in


the same home who have been determined eligible for aid.

Minimum
Requirement

An AU must have at least one of the following:

An eligible child

Pregnant woman

Caretaker relative of KinGap child, Foster Care (FC) child,


or
Parent/Caretaker relative of a MFG child, or SSI/SSP child,
or
Parent/Caretaker relative of a WtW sanctioned child

Who Must Be The AU must include the following persons when living in the
Included
same home and eligible:

Applicant child, and

Eligible siblings or half-siblings (biological or adopted) of


applicant child, who meet the age requirement, and
Parents of any child listed above, except alternatively
sentenced parents (ASP)

It is the workers responsibility to identify any person living in the


home who may be included in the AU.
The applicant must be given an explanation regarding the effects
of including or excluding an optional person. This explanation
must include a description of the AU Composition that will result
in the maximum aid payable to the applicants AU.
If the applicant refuses to include a mandatorily included person,
the worker is to deny the application or discontinue the AU.
CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition
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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

MFG Child

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An MFG child determined eligible for aid is considered an AU


member even though the MAP is not increased. When the only
eligible child receives SSI/SSP, is WtW sanctioned, is receiving
Foster Care, or is an MFG child, that child may be considered the
basis for establishing an AU for the needy parents/caretaker
relatives.
For example, mother and one child in AU, mother has baby
subject to MFG rule and older child leaves the home. The AU
remains eligible with mother and MFG child in the AU, however,
MAP is only for one, the mother.

Optional
Persons

Essential
Persons

The following optional persons who are not otherwise required to


be in the AU may be included upon the request of the
applicant/recipient:

The non-parent caretaker relative

An essential person, i.e. Stepparent or ASP

Other eligible children who are not siblings or half siblings


of children in the AU, i.e. niece/nephew

The following Essential Persons (EP) may be included in the AU as


Optional Persons:

Stepparent of an eligible child (not an unborn)

Alternatively sentenced parent (ASP)

EXCLUDED BY LAW
Child of
AFDC/FC Child

Child living with his/her minor parent and minor parent is receiving
AFDC/FC or Kin-GAP

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 8 of 61

Citizenship/
Alienage

Persons who do
requirements

not

meet the citizenship/non-citizen

status

Father of
Unborn

Unborn childs father, living in the home with the pregnant woman
and is:
Not the parent/caretaker relative of an eligible child or
Not an essential person (EP)

Other Aid

Persons who receive SSI/SSP, Refugee Repatriate Payment (RRP),


AFDC/FC or Kin-GAP
NOTE: SSI/SSP recipients sanctioned by SSA for non-cooperation
with a drug/alcohol treatment program, are considered to be in
receipt of SSI/SSP and are not eligible for CalWORKs

Sponsored
Non-Citizen

Sponsored non-citizen whose needs are being met by a sponsor

Spouse of
Eligible Child

The spouse of an eligible child, living with the child in senior


parents home, with no child in common for whom deprivation
exists

Minor Parent

Senior Parent Deeming results in ineligibility to the minors AU

MFG Child

Eligible MFG child (deprivation exists) is a mandatory AU member;


however his/her needs are not included in the AU or FAMILY size for
the purpose of determining MAP
An eligible MFG child is considered a recipient and is included in
MBSAC for the applicant test

Fleeing Felon

Person fleeing to avoid prosecution or custody or confinement after


conviction
The existence of a warrant for arrest is evidence of fleeing unless
rebutted by other evidence sufficient to prove the individual had no
knowledge he/she is being sought by law enforcement

Parole or
Probation

Person is in violation of a condition of probation or parole


The initial offense for which probation or parole was ordered need

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
Violation

Penalty
Provisions:
Fleeing
Felons,
Parole/
Probation
Violators

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not have been a felony

The penalty for fleeing felons and parole/probation violators is to


exclude him/her from the AU.
If the applicant or recipient self-identifies on the application or
the status report (SAR 7), workers are to impose the penalty and
exclude him/her from the AU. If this information is obtained from
a source other than the applicant or recipient, workers are to
contact the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
SIU receives
information from a matching system and will provide the
worker with the results. Workers are to use the information from
SIU to take appropriate action on the case.

EXCLUDED BY SANCTION
Refusal to
assign support
rights

A parent, pregnant woman, or caretaker relative who refuses to


assign support rights

Failure to
A person who fails to cooperate in the verification of his/her
cooperate in
citizenship or non-citizen status
the verification
of citizenship
or alien status
Mandatory
WtW
registrant fails
or refuses to
meet WtW
program
requirements

A non-exempt Welfare to Work (WtW) participant who fails or


refuses to meet program requirements without good cause

Refusal to
cooperate in
verifying or
securing a SSN

An applicant/recipient, or a child whose parent/caretaker


relative/legal guardian who refuses or fails to furnish a Social
Security Number (SSN), evidence of a completed application for a
SSN, or refuses or fails to cooperate in verifying a SSN

Striking

A striker who is not a caretaker relative

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Excluded
Person Rule

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Exclude the following persons from the AU:

Those persons Excluded by Law and Excluded by Sanction

Optional persons who request to be excluded


o Workers are to determine if the excluded persons
property and income is used to determine the AUs
eligibility/grant amount, i.e. stepparent, non-needy
caretaker relative, etc. and
o Explain how income or property of the excluded person
will affect the AUs eligibility and grant amount

CARETAKER RELATIVE
82-808
Definition

A caretaker relative means a relative who:


Meets the degree of relatedness criteria, and
Lives with a child who is part of the filing unit, and
Exercises responsibility for day-to-day care and control of the
child

Degree of
Relatednes
s

The caretaker relative must be one of the following:


Mother/Father
Stepmother/Father

Grandmother/Father

Great-grandmother/Father
Great-great
grandmother/Father

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 10

Sister/Brother
Half-sister/Halfbrother
Step-sister/Stepbrother
Aunt/Uncle
Great
Aunt/Great
Uncle

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 11 of 61

Great-great-great
Great-great
grandmother/Father
Aunt/Uncle
Niece/Nephew
First Cousin
First Cousin once removed
o If A and B are first cousins, Bs children are first cousins
once removed to A, As children are first cousins once
removed to B, As children and Bs children are second
cousins

The spouse or former spouse ONLY of any person listed


above, even after the marriage has been terminated by
death or dissolution

An alternatively sentenced parent (ASP) who:


o Is serving a sentence while living at home, and
o Meets the caretaker relative definition, and
o Is considered the absent parent

A person who legally adopts the child and/or that persons


relatives

Any of the biological relatives specified above when a child


has been relinquished, adopted or parental rights are
terminated

NOTE:
Adoption, relinquishment of a child for adoption or
termination of parental rights does not sever the relatedness ties
of the biological relative of the child for purposes of determining
the caretaker relative. Adopted children have two caretaker
relative family trees.

Exception

Relatives providing care for children under court order (wards of


court, dependents) may be eligible to receive AFDC/FC or Kin-GAP
instead of CalWORKs. Workers are to advise the client to contact
Foster Care Agency for services provided under FC or KinGAP.

WORKER PROCESS
CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition
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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


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Rule

Workers are to verify the relationship of the caretaker relative to the


eligible child(ren) prior to authorizing aid.

Verification
: Parent
Caretaker

Establish the relationship of the child to the parent by verifying the


parentage (birth or adoptive) of each eligible child.

Verification
: Other
Caretaker
Relatives

Documentation must contain the names of both the child and the
parent. If child has a different surname, obtain as many pieces of
evidence as necessary to prove relationship.
IF THE
CARETAKER IS:
A paternal
relative, and
Childs parents
are unmarried,
and
No prior
determination of
paternity
Non-parent
(grandmother, aunt,
uncle etc.)

THEN
The Local Child Support Agency must
establish paternity before any definitive
conclusion can be made as to the
relationship of the caretaker to the child.
NOTE: If no conflicting evidence, accept
affidavit from paternal caretaker relative and
aid child pending paternity determination.
Determine parentage of the child. Obtain
sufficient
documentation
to
trace
relationship of child to caretaker relative.
NOTE: Childs birth certificate alone is not
sufficient verification.

Verification

VERIFYING
PARENTAGE
Birth certificate
Hospital/public health
record of birth/parentage
Birth/parentage baptismal
record

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Page 12

VERIFYING OTHER
RELATIONSHIPS
All evidence in left hand column
as well as:
Marriage
license(s)/certificate(s)
Divorce papers

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

No
Verification
Available

Program Development and Support


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INS records
Indian census records
Court records of parentage
Court child support records
Juvenile Court records
Adoption records

An affidavit from caretaker relative may be accepted only after:

All reasonable efforts have been made to obtain verification,


and
There is no conflicting evidence

An affidavit from an adult, other than caretaker, may be accepted


if:

It is based on their personal knowledge of the relationship,


and
It contains statements of the circumstances based on
affiants knowledge

All efforts made to verify relationship and reasons the verifying


documents are not available must be documented in the case.
Aid may be approved pending receipt of verification if no
conflicting evidence and all avenues seeking verification have
been exhausted.
C-IV Task

If verification is pending, workers are to set a task in C-IV for 90day follow-up.
Type: Vital Stats
Long Description: Proof of relationship due for (name of
client)
Due Date: 90 days from date of request
NOTE: If verification is not received in 90 days, workers are to
determine good cause. If good cause does not exist, discontinue
case with timely and adequate notice.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 14 of 61

AU COMPOSITION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS


Adoption of
Sibling or
Half-Sibling

Question:
When a sibling or half-sibling to an applicant child is adopted, does
the adoption sever the sibling relationship of the children?
Answer:
Yes, adoption severs the sibling relationship. The children would
no longer be considered to be related as siblings or half-siblings
even though they have a biological mother or father in common.
NOTE: For purposes of caretaker relative status only, adoption
does not sever any familial ties.

Adoption
Assistance
Program

Question:
Can an adopted child who is receiving aid under the Adoption
Assistance Program (AAP) be included in a CalWORKs AU?
If yes, how is the AAP payment used?
Answer:
Yes, a child in receipt of AAP must be included in the CalWORKs AU
as long as the child meets all eligibility requirements and the
adoption is final.
AAP payment is not used as income when computing CalWORKs
eligibility and grant amount.
NOTE: This AAP payment is income in the CalFresh case.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 15 of 61

NEEDY OR NON-NEEDY CARETAKER RELATIVES


82-820
Rule

Caretaker relatives, other than a parent may choose to be in the


AU or may choose not to be in the AU.
IF
CARETAKER
RELATIVE
Chooses to
be in the AU

THEN

They are called needy caretaker relatives


(NCR)
Their income and resources are included in
determining the AUs eligibility and grant
amount

NOTE: Income of the NCRs spouse is used only


to the extent it is voluntarily made available to
the AU.
Chooses not
to be in the
AU

Definition

They are called non-needy relatives (NNCR)


If NNCR and/or their spouse makes any income
available to the AU it will be used in
determining the AUs eligibility and grant
amount
NNCRs resources are NOT included in
determining the AUs eligibility

A non-needy caretaker relative is a person who:


Meets the degree of relatedness criteria, and
Is other than the birth or adoptive parent, and
Chooses not to be included in the AU and requests aid for the
eligible children only

Worker
Process

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
STE
P
1

2
3

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ACTION

Check MEDS to determine if potential NNCR is currently on


aid at:
Intake application
Redetermination
Payee change
If currently on aid, determine if AUs must be combined, i.e., if
the children are all filing unit members (siblings or halfsiblings)
Verify NNCRs relationship to the eligible child meets the
degree of relatedness criteria
If NNCR makes any income available to AU, it is used in the
budget

DETERMINING CARE AND CONTROL


82-808
Rule

Review the actual circumstances in each case to determine which


person has primary care and control responsibilities for each
eligible child.
An AU may have more than one caretaker relative. However,
an eligible child can have only one caretaker relative at one time.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

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NOTE: Document in case who is the caretaker of each child and


how the determination was made.
Care and
Control
Factors

The following factors shall be considered when determining


responsibility for care and control. One factor may not be the sole
basis for the determination of who is the caretaker relative.
Factors include, but are not limited to:

Shared
Custody

Deciding where the child attends school or childcare

Dealing with the school on educational decisions and problems

Controlling participation in extracurricular and recreational


activities
Arranging medical and dental care services

Claiming the child as a tax dependent

Purchasing and maintaining the childs clothing

When the child stays alternately with each parent, the caretaker
relative must be designated using the following chart.

When
Child stays with
one parent most
of the time
Child stays with
one parent most
of the time
Child spends
equal time with
each parent and
each parent has
equal care and
control
responsibilities
When
Child spends
equal time
with each
parent and

And
The parent has
majority care and
control
The other parent has
majority care and
control
One parent applies for
aid on behalf of the
child

Then
The caretaker relative is the
parent the child stays with
most of the time
The caretaker relative is the
parent who has majority care
and control
The parent who applies for aid
is the caretaker relative,
providing the other parent is
not currently applying for or
receiving aid on behalf of the
child

And
Then
Both parents apply for
aid on behalf of the same
child
And

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


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each parent
has equal care
and control
responsibilitie
s
1) One parent is
designated by court
order as the primary
caretaker for
purposes of public
assistance
2) A parent is already
receiving aid for the
child and the other
parent applies for
the child
3) Both parents apply
for aid and only one
parent is eligible
4) Both parents apply
and both parents
would be eligible
5) Both parents apply,
both parents would
be eligible; however
parents cannot
agree or refuse to
designate a
caretaker relative
Temporary
Absence

1) The caretaker relative is


the parent designated by
the court order

2) The parent currently


receiving aid continues as
the designated caretaker
relative
3) The eligible parent is the
caretaker relative
4) Both parents are to
designate the caretaker
relative by completing the
CW 13, Caretaker Relative
Agreement
5) The caretaker relative is
the parent who applied
first

Eligibility and the caretaker relative determination do not change


while the child visits the non-custodial parent or non-caretaker
parent. The temporary absence of the parent or the child from the
home does not affect this determination.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
Birth Parent
Returns to
Home

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Page 19 of 61

When a child is being cared for by a relative, e.g., grandmother,


and the birth parent(s) moves into the home, a determination of
who has care and control responsibilities of the child must be
made.
IF
Caretaker Relative
continues to have
care and control
responsibilities

THEN
Birth parent(s) must be included in AU
with their child, even though nonparent remains childs caretaker
Non-parent caretaker relative may be
included in AU as optional person
NOTE:
Document reason parent has not
assumed caretaker responsibility.

Parent(s) assumes
care and control
responsibility

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 19

Birth Parent(s) must be included in AU


with their child
Delete non-parent relative, if aided,
and add the parent(s)

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 20 of 61

CARETAKER RELATIVE MINOR PARENT


82-808
Rule

A minor parent is a father, mother, or pregnant woman, married or


unmarried, who is less than 18 years of age.
A minor parent who is the caretaker of her/his child will not be
considered a child to establish eligibility for a senior parent when
the minor parent is the only eligible child of the senior parent.
If senior parent is caretaker of minor parent and minor parents
child, minor parent would be considered a child to establish
eligibility for senior parent and the minor parents child is optional.
However, the senior parent can also apply for the minor parents
child; then minor parent becomes mandatory as a parent and the
senior parent is an optional member.
IF FAMILY COMPOSED OF
FOLLOWING PERSONS
WHO ALL REQUEST CASH
AID:

Senior mother
Minor mother who is the
caretaker of her child
Minor mothers child

THEN

Establish one AU for minor mother


and her child. Senior mother is
not eligible even if she says she is
the caretaker of minor mother.
If senior mother is caretaker of
both the minor mother and minors
child, then senior mother is eligible
to be in the AU as an optional
person.

Senior mother
Minor mother who is
caretaker of her child
Minor mothers child
Minor mothers sibling
Senior parent is caretaker
of minor parents sibling

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 20

Establish one AU composed of


senior mother, her two children
and minor mothers child.
Minor mother is an eligible child
and is required to be in the same
AU with her sibling or half-sibling.

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 21 of 61
Minor mothers child is optional in
the AU.

IF FAMILY COMPOSED OF
FOLLOWING PERSONS
WHO ALL REQUEST CASH
AID:
Senior mother and
unemployed senior father
Minor mother who is
caretaker of her child
Minor mothers
husband/father of child
who is PE and full time
employed
Minor parents child in
common

Senior parent (requesting


aid)
Minor parent who turns
18 in March, but wont
graduate until June
Minor parents child
Senior parent is caretaker
of minor and minors child

THEN

There is no CalWORKs eligibility for


anyone. No eligible child in the
home.
Deny application

If senior parent applies for aid for


minor parents child, then the
mandatory AU is minor parents
child as the applicant child and
minor parent as the parent and
senior parent is an optional person
who can be in or out of the AU.
If senior parent applies for minor
parent as the applicant child the
mandatory AU is minor parent as
an eligible child and senior parent
as a parent. The minor parents
child is optional.
If this AU is
established the minor parent is
only eligible as an eligible child
until the last day of June.
Then the AU becomes an AU of the
minor parents child as the
applicant child, as long as senior

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 21

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 22 of 61
parent continues to be caretaker of
the minor parents child and the
minor parent is mandatory as a
parent.
The
senior
parent
becomes an optional person.
Minor parent may have own AU on
July 1st only if she is the caretaker
of her minor child.

IF FAMILY COMPOSED OF
FOLLOWING PERSONS
WHO ALL REQUEST CASH
AID:
Senior mother
Her two children (one of
them a minor mother)
Minor mothers child
21 yr. old father of minor
mothers child. He is PE
and meets U-parent
requirements.
Minor mother is caretaker
of herself and her child

THEN

Establish one AU composed of


senior mother, her two children,
minor mothers child, and father of
minor mothers child.
NOTE: Minor mother is required to
be in same AU with her sibling or
half-sibling.

Senior mother
Eligible child
Minor mother who is an
ineligible non citizen
Minor mothers child
Senior parent is caretaker
of child who is not a
minor parent and minor
parent is caretaker of her
child

Establish two AUs.


One AU
composed of senior mother and
her eligible child.
One AU
composed of minor mothers child.

Senior mother and Senior


father
Minor mother who is
caretaker of her child
Minor mothers

No eligibility for senior mother or


senior father as no eligible child.
Establish one AU for minor mother,
her husband/father and child in
common.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 22

Minor mother is not required to be


in same AU as her sibling because
she is not an eligible AU member
and therefore not an eligible
sibling.

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 23 of 61

husband/father of child
who is unemployed
Their child in common

Senior mother who is


currently aided as a
Pregnant Woman Only
(PWO) case.
Minor mother who is
requesting aid and who is
the caretaker of her child.

Establish a separate AU for the


minor mother since she is the
caretaker relative of her child.
Once the senior parent gives birth,
the minor parent and her child
would be required to be included in
the senior parents AU since the
minor mother is required to be
included in the same AU with her
sibling or half-sibling.

NEVER MARRIED MINOR PARENTS


89-201
Rule

Never married pregnant or parenting minors (under age 18) are


not eligible for cash aid unless the minor is living with one of the
following:

Senior Parent

Legal Guardian

State Licensed Maternity or Group home

Other Adult Relative (must meet caretaker relatedness


criteria)

NOTE:
Also includes undocumented non-citizen and SSI/SSP
minor parents.
Exemptions

The minor is exempt from this rule if one of the following is met:

The minor parent has no parent or legal guardian:


o
Who is living
o
Whose whereabouts are known
o
Who will allow the minor to live in his/her home

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 23

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 24 of 61

Children and Family Services (CFS) has determined the


physical or emotional health or safety of the minor and his/her
child would be at risk if they resided with senior parent or legal
guardian

The minor has lived apart from the senior parent or legal
guardian:
o For 12 months prior to the month of birth of the youngest
dependent child for cash applicants
o For 12 months prior to the date the minor signed the CW 25,
Supplemental Statement of Facts-Minor Parent for recipients

The minor parent is legally emancipated

WORKER PROCESS
CW 25
Supplementa
l Statement
of Facts
Minor Parent

All never married pregnant or parenting minors must complete a


CW 25, Supplemental Statement of Facts Minor Parent:

On all applications (including cash program adds)

When their living arrangement changes from exempt to one


that is not exempt

The CW 25 is used to:

Document the minor parents current living arrangement

Refer the minor parent to CFS when there is a health or safety


issue
Refer the minor parent and child to CFS for family
maintenance services if the minor meets an exemption and
lives apart from the senior parent, other adult relative or
licensed group home

Applications
and Add
Programs

IF
Minor claims a health
and safety exemption

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 24

THEN
Refer to CFS:
o Complete the County Use Only
section of CW 25 only after all

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 25 of 61
eligibility factors are met and
forward to CFS

Minor claims
Immediate Need and
health and safety
exemption
Minor has an
exemption other than
health and safety or
emancipation
CFS Referrals

IF
CW 25 returned from
CFS indicates no
health or safety issue

Follow existing IN rules and grant IN,


if eligible
Refer to CFS using the CW 25
Refer to CFS for review using the CW
25 as above
Determine payee and approve case

THEN
Deny application unless applicant
has another exemption or returns to
home of parents
Notify CFS

CW 25 returned from
CFS indicates a
health and safety
issue

Document results and approve case

Applicant becomes
ineligible after CFS
referral is made (i.e.,
withdraws
application. etc.)

Notify CFS
Deny case

STE
P
1

ACTION
Send CW 25 as soon as notified of minors pregnancy for
cases with never married pregnant or parenting minors.
Send CW 25A, Payee Agreement for Minor Parent,
to those minors living with parents, legal guardian, adult
relative or licensed group home unless minor is
determined to be own payee.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 25

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
2

Program Development and Support


Page 26 of 61
When CW 25 and CW 25A are received, review case and
determine if minor has an exemption or is living in an
acceptable living arrangement.

IF CW 25 IDENTIFIES
OR WORKER
DETERMINES

THEN

Minor does not meet


one of the exemptions
or is not living in an
acceptable living
arrangement

Minor claims a health


and safety issue

Minor has an exemption


other than
emancipation
NOTE: Emancipated
minors are not referred
to services.

Service
Referral

Discontinue in C-IV by deadline


Send notice of discontinuance to
be effective the end of the month
o 10 day notice rules apply
Repend program if minor meets
exemption prior to discontinuance
Refer to CFS using the CW 25
Set a task in C-IV for 20-day
follow-up
Type: Review
Long Description: CW 25
determination needed for (name
of minor parent)
Due Date: 20 days from date of
CW 25
If discontinued, repend program
pending CFS determination
Document case
Refer
to
CFS
for
Family
Maintenance Services using the
CW 25 as above

CFS must return the CW 25 to the worker documenting the


results of the Health and Safety Determination within 20

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 26

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
Results

Program Development and Support


Page 27 of 61

calendar days.
IF
CW 25 from CFS indicates no
health or safety issue

CW 25 from CFS indicates a


health or safety issue

THEN
Discontinue case with timely
notice unless client returns to
parents home or has another
exemption
Notify CFS of final
determination
Clients eligibility continues

PAYEE AGREEMENT
Rule

Unless the minor parent is exempt from the Minor Parent


Requirement, the cash aid payment on behalf of the minor parent
is paid to the adult living in the home or to the group/maternity
home.
Payee is assigned using the CW 25A, Payee Agreement for Minor
Parent. By signing the CW 25A, the responsible adult agrees to:

Use the funds for the support of the minor parents children

Make sure all written information sent by the county is


given to the minor parent, as the minor parent is
responsible for any required actions
Notify county within 5 days if the minor parent moves out
of the home
Return any payments received if minor parent is no longer
in the home

Note: Workers may determine it is in the best interest of the


minor parent and his/her children, that the minor parent be their
own payee instead of the adult living in the home.
Refusal

If the adult living in the home refuses to act as payee on behalf of


the minor parent, the minor parent can be the payee.
If the minor parent refuses or fails to cooperate in obtaining

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 27

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 28 of 61

verification of the adults consent or refusal to act as payee, the


minor parents AU is ineligible to CalWORKs.
Documentatio
n

The following documentation should be in the case file:

The payee understands the CalWORKs payments are for


the support of the minor parent and his/her dependent
children
Individuals agreement or refusal to act as payee
Minor parents refusal or failure to cooperate in obtaining
verification of adults consent/refusal to act as payee
Reasons or factors leading to the determination that it is in
the best interest of the minor parent and his/her children
for the minor parent to be the payee for his/her case rather
than the adult living in the home

NEVER MARRIED MINOR PARENTS


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
17, ACIN I-26-97
Beginning
Date of Aid

ACL 97-

Question:
What is the beginning date of aid when the minor parent applies
on 7/2 and alleges a health and safety factor which prevents her
from living with her parents and CPS determines on 7/18 the
minor parent can and must live with her parents? She returns to
her parents on 7/29.
Answer:
The beginning date of aid is 7/2 because minor met all eligibility
criteria prior to authorization of aid. If application was denied
prior to her return to her parents home, and minor provides
verification she has returned to her parents home within thirty
days of the denial notice, the denial will be rescinded and the
beginning date of aid would be 7/2.

Legal
Guardian

Question:
Can a legal guardian, as determined by the courts, be the adult
CalWORKs payee for a minor parent even though they do not
meet the caretaker relative relationship to the minor parent?

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 28

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 29 of 61

Answer:
Yes. However, there is no CalWORKs eligibility for the guardian
and none of the guardians income is used.

Payee

Question:
If the minor is currently the payee, and as a result of the minor
parent provisions, the senior parent becomes payee, is a notice
of action required?
Answer:
Yes, in accordance with MPP Section 22-001(a), adequate notice
requirements would apply. The minor parent is a CalWORKs
recipient who is affected by the payee status change.

Senior Parents
Live Out of
State

Question:
How do we treat a minor parent who recently moved to California
from another state and the senior parents are still living in the
other state?
Answer:
The same minor parent requirement applies to all minor parents
regardless of where they lived prior to applying for CalWORKs.
The minor parent must live in an acceptable living arrangement
or meet one of the exemptions to be eligible for CalWORKs.

Who Receives
Question:
Correspondenc When minor lives in an adult-supervised living arrangement, who
e and NOAs
receives the NOA and other correspondence from the county
welfare department (CWD)?
Answer:
The payee for the minor parents case will receive the NOA and
other correspondence from CWD. When the adult signed the CW
25A, he/she agreed to pass on all CWD correspondence to the
minor parent.
Confidentiality

Question:

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 29

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 30 of 61

How does confidentiality of both the minor and the senior parent
affect contact between the CWD and the senior parents?
Answer:
When the minor parent completes the CW 25, the minor gives the
CWD the authority to verify the information on the form. If the
senior parents have moved since the minor left that home, the
CWD should request the senior parents permission to release
pertinent information to the minor.

Parents
Whereabouts
Unknown

Question:
Is there an overpayment if the minor parent states her parents
whereabouts are unknown, aid is granted, and a few months later
the Office of Child Support locates the parents and discovers the
minor ran away from home shortly before applying for aid?
Answer:
Yes. An overpayment exists for the entire period she received
CalWORKs because she did not meet an exemption allowing her
to live independently.

Parents
Whereabouts
Unknown

Question:
What if the minor claims her parents whereabouts are unknown
but the CWD has information the parents are on aid in another
county?
Answer:
Other county CWD should be contacted for further information
regarding the minor parent and his/her family. A contact should
also be made to the senior parents informing them that the minor
has applied for CalWORKs. If the minor previously resided with
the parent at that address, the minor must return to the parents
home, live with another adult relative or meet another exemption
to be eligible.

Minors Child
Conceived as a
Result of Rape
or Incest

Question:
Can the minor be exempt from living in the senior parents home
if her child was conceived as a result of incest or rape by the
senior parent or an adult male residing in the home?

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 30

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 31 of 61

Answer:
Yes, CPS referral is made and CPS must make the determination
that it is unsafe for the minor to return to that home. Based on
the CPS findings, the worker will determine whether an
exemption applies.
Both Minor
Parents Live in
the Same
Home

Question:
If both minor parents live in the home and apply for CalWORKs,
who has to meet the exemption criteria?
Answer:
Each minor must be living in an appropriate adult-supervised
living arrangement or meet one of the specified exemption
criteria. If only one of the minors meets an exemption, only that
minor and child is aided. The minor not meeting the exemption
is excluded from the AU.

Minor Resides
With Adult
Father of Child

Question:
If minor lives with the adult father of her child, does she meet the
definition of living in an acceptable adult-supervised living
arrangement?
Answer:
No. The adult father is not the caretaker relative of the minor
mother. However, if the minor meets an exemption and there is
deprivation, there is eligibility for all.

SSI/SSP Senior
Parent

Question:
How is the minor parents grant computed if the senior parent
receives SSI/SSP?
Answer:
As long as the minor parent lives in the home of the senior
parent, the senior parent deeming rules apply. If the senior
parent receives SSI/SSP none of the senior parents income is
counted.

Minor Turns 18

Question:
Does the calculation of the senior parents income stop in the
month the minor turns 18?

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 31

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 32 of 61

Answer:
If the minor is aided in their own AU, the calculation using senior
parent income no longer applies beginning with the month
following the minors 18th birthday. For example, if the minor
turns 18 in June, the first month senior parents income will not
apply would be July. If the minor is aided in the senior parents
AU, the minor may be aided in their own AU if age requirements
are met. Then the senior parents income would not apply to the
minors case.
Minor Mother /
Minor Father
Live in Senior
Parents Home

Question:
How is the grant computed when the minor mother and minor
father of baby live with the minor mothers senior parent?
NOTE:
Deprivation for the minor parents child must be
established first.
Answer:
Minor dad must meet an exemption to be included in the AU.
Treat minor dad as an excluded parent if he does not meet an
exemption. Senior parent deeming rules apply.

AU is Minor
plus Minors
Child
Senior
Parents
Income
Exceeds
Financial
Eligibility Tests

IF
New application and the
senior parents income is
expected to continue to
exceed the financial
eligibility tests (applicant
and recipient tests)
Continuing case and the
senior parents income is
expected to continue to be
over the financial eligibility
tests

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 32

THEN
Deny application

Discontinue case

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 33 of 61

ESTABLISHING NUMBER OF ASSITANCE UNITS


82-824
One AU

Only one AU is established when:

A minor parent (including a pregnant woman only) can be


an eligible child in senior parent or other caretaker
relatives AU
o A minor parent who is the caretaker of a child cannot be
a child for purposes of establishing eligibility for the
senior parent

Two caretaker relatives are married or unmarried and have


separate children and an eligible common child

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 33

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 34 of 61
o If either caretaker refuses to be in the AU, all members
are ineligible

Two caretakers are married to each other and have


separate children

Two caretaker relatives are each the caretaker of children


who are siblings or half-siblings, all living in the same home
o An AU may have more than one caretaker relative
o Document who the caretaker is for each child
o Caretakers decide who will be payee

Two AUs

Two AUs are established when:

Parents of an unborn are unmarried and have no common


child, and are caretakers of their separate children
o At birth of unborn, combine the two cases into one
AU if deprivation exists for the child in common

Parents of an unborn are unmarried, have no common


child, and father is caretaker of an eligible child not related
to the pregnant woman e.g. his separate child
o Combine cases at birth of common child

Two caretakers are unmarried and have separate children


and have an ineligible common child

AU COMPOSITION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS


Number of AUs

Question:
An aunt is non-needy caretaker relative for two nieces.
The father of the girls and his minor son move into the aunts
home. The aunt remains the caretaker of the girls. The father
remains the caretaker of his son.
Who may be included in the AU? How many AUs?
Answer:

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 34

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 35 of 61

The father, his daughters and his son must all be included in the
same AU, as they are mandatory AU members, even though the
father is not his daughters caretaker.
The aunt may be included in the AU as an optional person as the
non-parent caretaker relative of her nieces.
Shasta Countys policy is to add the father and his minor son to
the aunts AU because they moved into the aunts home.
Question:
Two sisters are each the separate caretaker relative of two
nephews.
The children are siblings. All of them live in the same home.
Who may be included in the AU? How many AUs?
Answer:
The children must be included in the same AU as they are
siblings.
Both aunts may be included in the AU as optional persons since
they are both non-parent caretaker relatives.
The aunts must decide which of them would be the payee for the
children.

ENTIRE AU INELIGIBLE
40-126.3, 40-205, 44-103.2, 44-205, 63-206.2, 82-610612, 82-820.5
Rule

The entire AU is ineligible when:

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 35

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 36 of 61

Mandatory included person whom the county has


instructed to file a UIB claim:
o Fails to file for UIB, or
o Fails to accept UIB, or
o Fails to meet the conditions of eligibility for UIB (if
WTW registered, fails without good cause to meet
conditions of eligibility for UIB)

Federally eligible caretaker parent in the home is


participating in a strike on the last day of the month;
Ineligibility covers that month and continues until strike
participation ceases
Example: Mother and two children are on aid. Mother
reports she went on strike May 23rd and returned
to work June 22nd. The family is ineligible for May
& June but could be eligible July 1st since she
returned to work prior to June 30th.

Family is in a period of ineligibility due to a transfer of


property or income

An individual in the AU or a non-needy caretaker relative


refuses to cooperate in a quality control review

AU refuses to apply for a mandatory filing unit member

Applicant/recipient fails or refuses to provide information


necessary to determine income
o Applicant AU is ineligible when they fail/refuse to
provide evidence to establish current or past
eligibility

Mandatory included AU member fails to seek or accept


potentially available income

PWO, who is not a Cal-Learn teen, in the 1 st trimester of


pregnancy

PWO, Cal-Learn teen reaches age 19 or obtains a high


school diploma or GED, and is not in the 2 nd or 3rd trimester
of pregnancy

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 36

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 37 of 61

MINIMUM BASIC STANDARD OF ADEQUATE


CARE (MBSAC) / FAMILY MAP
44-113
Definition

The MBSAC/Family MAP includes members of the AU and certain


Non-AU family members living in the home who are related by
blood or marriage to an AU member with some exceptions.
The following persons are included in the MBSAC/Family MAP even
when excluded from the AU by law or sanction:

Applicant child (child in the AU, MFG)

Birth or adoptive parent(s) of the applicant child

Spouse of the birth or adoptive parent(s) (stepparents) and

Sibling or half-sibling of applicant child under age 18

Exceptions:

The needs of sanctioned individuals are not included in the


MBSAC/Family MAP; however, their income is used
MFG childrens needs are included in the MBSAC only
(applicants test), but not in the Family MAP
SSI/SSP persons income is not used and their needs are not
included in the MBSAC/Family MAP

Unmarried
The unmarried father and child in common with no deprivation are
Father with
never included in the MBSAC/Family MAP.
In addition, their
Common Child income is not used.
When deprivation exists they become mandatory members of
the AU.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 37

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Non-AU
Members
Included In
MBSAC /
Family MAP

Program Development and Support


Page 38 of 61

Non-AU childrens and their parents needs are considered in the


MBSAC/Family MAP when the Non-AU parent of that child has
countable income after expenses and is also responsible for one
or more persons in the AU.
If the Non-AU parent has no income, their needs are not
considered nor are those of their Non-AU children.

The stepparents and their unaided children (step


siblings and unaided half-siblings with no deprivation)
are included if the stepparent has countable income
The senior parents unaided other children/dependents
are included if the senior parent has countable income
(siblings of the minor parent under the age of 18)
The senior parents unaided spouse (stepparent to
minor parent) is included if the senior parent has
countable income

The income of the unaided children listed above, and the income
of the senior parents spouse (minors stepparent) is never used.

CHILDS HOME ALTERNATES


82-808
Rule

The caretaker parent must be determined when the child stays


alternately with both parents. If child stays with each parent for
periods of one more than one full calendar month, then caretaker
relative will be the parent the child stays with at that time. The
parent will need to apply for aid on behalf of the child each time
the child moves between homes.
Follow beginning Date of aid regulations when aid has not been
paid for the child in that month and child moves that month.
Note: If the child stays in the home for one month or less, use
rules provided under Determining Care and Control.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 38

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 39 of 61

CHILD MOVING INTO AU MID-PERIOD


40-161, 40-181,
44-316, 82-808
Overview

When a family applies for CalWORKs benefits for a child who is


currently aided in another AU, a prompt determination of
eligibility is critical in order to reduce the time before the new
AU can receive CalWORKs, if eligible.
In general, if the worker determines the child should be aided in
the applicant AU the worker will:

Discontinues aid for the child in the former AU mid-period,


and
Grant CalWORKs benefits to the new AU

If the child was the only eligible child in the former AU, and the
remaining adult is not an eligible pregnant woman the worker
will:

Discontinue CalWORKs for the entire AU, and


Transitional CalFresh (TCF) benefits would be provided to
the remaining AU member(s), if appropriate

Determine
Care and
Control

When CalWORKs is requested for a child who is already part of


another aided AU, the worker must verify who has care and
control of the child prior to discontinuing the child from the
current AU and granting CalWORKs to the applicant family.

Care and
Control
Criteria

Criteria includes, but is not limited to who:

Decides where the child attends school or childcare

Deals with the school on educational decisions and


problems
Controls participation in extracurricular and recreational

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activities
Arranges medical and dental care services
Claims child as a tax dependent
Purchases and maintains childs clothing

Questionable
Care and
Control

If the worker determines care and control is questionable:

Confidentiality

Due to confidentiality requirements, workers are not to


acknowledge receipt of aid to the applicant or any other person
involved in the situation.

Contact the currently aided parent or caretaker relative by


sending a request for a completed Statement of Shared
Custody and Visitation (DSS 8105 )
Gather evidence of care and control, such as sworn
statements by witnesses, information from child welfare
agencies, etc.
Check with the childs school or daycare provider to see
who drops off/picks up the child and who is listed as the
emergency contact person
o Generate an ABCDM 228 (Applicants Authorization
for Release of Information) from C-IV to obtain
written permission from the currently aided parent or
caretaker relative prior to contacting school
Note: This document is valid for one year for the
purpose specified
A home visit may be required when living arrangements
or other factors cannot be satisfactorily determined
without such a visit

In addition, if either AU parent is a victim of domestic abuse,


workers should be alert to the possibility one parent may be
making false claims to harass, intimidate, and control the other
parent.

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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
Care and
Control
Determination
and Timely
Noticing
Requirements

Program Development and Support


Page 41 of 61

CalWORKs cannot be discontinued in the open case, or granted


in the new case, until the care and control determination is
complete. For this reason, workers must complete this
determination as soon as possible. This will allow the worker to
grant aid to the applicant family, if found to have custody of the
child, at the earliest opportunity.
If the window of opportunity permitting discontinuance at the
end of the month pursuant to a timely and adequate 10-day
notice is fast approaching, (e.g. it is the 18th or 19th of the
month) the worker should do everything possible to complete
the determination of care and control before the 10-day notice
deadline so the new AU does not have to wait an additional
month before he/she can begin receiving aid for the child in
their care.

Emergency
Services
During
Application
Process

The new applicant will not have apparent eligibility for


CalWORKs until care and control is determined and the child is
removed from the former AU with timely and adequate notice.
This prevents the applicant, unless other eligible children are in
the home, from receiving emergency benefits (homeless
assistance, immediate need), in the month of application.
In order to decrease a hardship on the applicant family, counties
should direct them to any local resources available to help
during this time of transition.

Timely Notices
for
Discontinuanc
e

When discontinuing the child from the first AU, the worker must
provide the AU with timely and adequate notice and may not
grant aid to the applicant AU until the first of the month after
the childs current benefits have been discontinued.
The first AU may be discontinued at the end of the current
month without timely (10-day) notice only if the caretaker in the
first AU requests a mid-period discontinuance in writing.

Reporting
Child Out of

Since reporting AU composition changes is a voluntary midperiod report, no overpayment may be assessed on the current

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 41

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
AU and
Overpayments

Program Development and Support


Page 42 of 61

AU for failure to report the child leaving the home outside of the
semi-annual reporting timeframe, not requesting a mid-period
discontinuance, or the inability of the county to discontinue aid
due to timely notice requirements.
If it is determined the new applicant has care and control of the
child(ren) being aided in another household, and that fact had
not been reported timely under semi-annual reporting rules, an
overpayment should be initiated against the former (now noncustodial) head of household.

Example 1

A single-parent AU has one eligible child and is receiving


CalWORKs benefits.

May 15th, a man applies for CalWORKs for himself and that
same child
o Worker immediately realizes the child is already on
aid with his mother
o There are no other eligible children in the applicants
family

Worker contacts the current aided parent who states her


child resides with her

The applicant parent states there is an open child welfare


case against the mother, and he has been asked to take
custody of their son
o Worker contacts Child Welfare Services (CWS) who
confirms the arrangement is expected to continue for
more than 30 days

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 42

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Example 2

Program Development and Support


Page 43 of 61

The county discontinues aid for the mothers AU by May


20th with timely and adequate notice and the fathers
application is approved for CalWORKs and CalFresh as of
June 1st
o The mother would be eligible for TCF benefits for
herself only upon termination from CalWORKs and
CalFresh

Same scenario as above, but the father does not apply for
benefits until May 22nd

Even though the county gets confirmation of the living


arrangements from CWS before the end of the month, the
worker cannot discontinue aid to the mothers AU without a
timely 10-day notice

Unless, the mother gives the worker written permission to


discontinue her case at the end of May, or if CWS gets a
court order or voluntary agreement from the mother (MPP
Section 22-072.2(f) requires adequate but not timely notice
in these cases) CalWORKs for the applicant family cannot
be approved until July 1

In this situation, the county should make every effort to


provide the applicant family with referrals to any other
community resources available to help them until the
CalWORKs application can be approved

TEMPORARY ABSENCE
82-812, ACL 14-04
Rule

Any member of the AU is considered temporarily absent when


absent from the home for one full calendar month of less. A child
is considered to be living in the home of a caretaker relative even
though the child and/or caretaker relative is temporarily absent

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CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

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from the home.


The caretaker relative must continue to exercise responsibility
for care and control of the child.
One Full
Calendar
Month

One full calendar month is from the 1 st of the month through the
last day of the month.
Examples:
On February 2nd, a member of the AU leaves the home to
visit an uncle in Nevada and returns on March 16th. The
person was not gone for one full calendar month (March 1 st
March 16th) and would be considered temporarily absent
On April 16th, a member of the AU leaves home because of
a death in the family. The person does not return until June
3rd. The person was gone more than one full calendar
month May 1st May 31st) and was not eligible for aid in
June
In a non-leap year an individual leaves the home on
February 1. The individual is not considered permanently
absent until March 3, after 30 days away from the home

Determining
Factors

Consider the following factors when determining temporary


absence status:
The actual family circumstances (even if it is inconsistent
with a court custody order)
If the caretaker relative is involved in making the major and
minor decisions regarding the child
If the person has the ability to return or the caretaker
relative has the ability to require the return of the child to
the home
If the person intends to return to the home
If the person is contributing to the costs for the childs
needs

Exceptions

Exceptions to the one full calendar month time limitation must be


reviewed when determining temporary absence.
A child or

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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 45 of 61

parent may be considered temporarily absent under an exception


for:
The duration of a hospital stay
o Hospital includes medical hospital, psychiatric care
facility, or drug/alcohol rehabilitation treatment
facility
The duration of time absent from the home due to
employment or other job activity
The duration of time absent due to attending an institution
of higher learning, an educational school leading to a high
school diploma or equivalent, or a vocational school leading
to employment, when:
o There is no program within the vicinity of the persons
home
The duration of time a child spends attending a school
which meets the special needs of the child when:
o There is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and
there isnt a school that meets the childs needs
located close enough to the childs home to allow the
child to live at home while attending school
The duration of a crisis situation that results in a childs stay
in a group home when:
o The licensed group home is not receiving AFDC Foster
Care for the child and
o The caretaker continues to have care and control
concerning major health and welfare decisions
o Crisis includes hospitalization or incapacity of the
parent, parents receiving respite services to maintain
family stabilization, etc.
The county must document thoroughly the basis of
temporary absence.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 45

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


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PERMANENT ABSENCE
82-812
Rule

Temporary absence does NOT exist when a person is considered


permanently absent. Permanent absence includes, but is not
limited to when the person:

Is not in the home because of a factor which would result in


continued absence
o Example, a mother calls and reports her 17 year old
son has left and she does not know where he is

Is an inmate in an institution on the first of the month and is


expected to remain for one full calendar month or more
o Applies to both children and adults
o By definition - an inmate cannot leave the facility
based upon their own decision, inmate needs
permission to leave

INSTITUTIONAL STATUS
80-301, 82-812
Rule

Temporary absence does NOT exist when a person is considered


permanently absent. Permanent absence includes, but is not
limited to when the person:

Is not in the home because of a factor which would result in


continued absence
o Example, a mother calls and reports her 17 year old
son has left and she does not know where he is

Is an inmate in an institution on the first of the month and is


expected to remain for one full calendar month or more
o This applies to both children and adults
o An inmate cannot leave the facility based upon their

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Page 46

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


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own decision

Inmate in
Public
Institution

An inmate is a child or adult who is living in or being cared for


in a public institution (i.e. cannot leave the facility).
IF
Inmate in
a public
Institution

THEN
Discontinue recipient effective the last day of the
month they enter the institution and stay for one
full calendar month or more.
NOTE: If child living with parent and parent is an
inmate in an institution, the child can receive
CalWORKs based on continued absence of the 2 nd
parent, if otherwise eligible. The institution is
considered the childs home as long as the child
is living with the parent. Workers are to
determine income-in-kind for the child if the
institution is providing any full item of need for
the child.

Other
Institutional
Situations

Applicant/recipient in other institutional situations must be


evaluated based on whether the absence meets the temporary
absence criteria (See Temporary Absence).
Example: An adult recipient is living at the Empire Hotel to
receive treatment for alcoholism. She continues to be the
caretaker relative of the eligible child and intends to return to
the home when her treatment is completed. Her absence
meets the temporary absence criteria.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 47

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 48 of 61

KIN-GAP
90-100
Definition

The Kin-GAP Program, established 1/1/2000, is a cash aid


program for children who were dependents of the court and are
entering into guardianship with a relative.
Before this program was implemented, children who were
receiving Foster Care benefits were discontinued and no longer
received payments once the child was placed with a relative and
the relative assumed guardianship. The only aid available to the
child was CalWORKs which was considerably less than Foster
Care benefits.
The Kin-Gap Program prevents the gap in benefits because the
payments to the relative guardian are the same amount as
Foster Care payments
Children may be eligible for Kin-Gap if:

They have lived with the relative for at least 12 months,


and
Legal guardianship has been established, and
Juvenile court dependency was dismissed any time after
January 1, 2000, and
The child was receiving either Foster Care or CalWORKs
payments before entering the Kin-Gap Program

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 48

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Specialized
Caseload

Program Development and Support


Page 49 of 61

A worker in the Foster Care unit will determine the childs


eligibility to Kin-Gap benefits.
The Kin-GAP case is a child only case. CalWORKs assistance unit
of one may be established for an otherwise eligible needy
caretaker relative of a Kin-GAP recipient child if the caretaker is
not included in another AU.

Worker
Responsibility
- Processing

When caretakers inquire about eligibility to Kin-GAP, the case


carrying worker must:

Advise client to contact Social Worker, if there is an open


social services case or the worker in the Foster Care Unit
for more information
Do not transfer any cases to the Foster Care worker
unless requested by the worker

NOTE:
Eligibility for Kin-GAP is not automatic. Foster Care
staff will assess each child and make recommendation.
Worker
Responsibilit
y Direct
Services

If direct services worker reviews a CalWORKs application and


identifies a potential Kin-GAP eligible child, the Foster Care Unit
must be contacted. The Foster Care Unit will take the application
if it is deemed to be eligible.

Kin-Gap
Overview

Eligibility requirements for the Kin-GAP Program are based upon


CalWORKs regulations with some minor differences:

Payment rates for Kin-GAP are found in 11-300

Existing CalWORKs cases may contain a potential KinGAP child


Kin-GAP children are treated as recipients as opposed to
applicants when transferring to Kin-GAP - not subject to
the applicant test
There is no break in aid
Kin-GAP children have their own assistance unit even if
there are other siblings or a needy caretaker in the home
Children who receive Kin-GAP are excluded by law from
receipt of CalWORKs cash aid
There is no duplication of benefits for these children

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 49

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Aid Codes
and Medi-Cal

Program Development and Support


Page 50 of 61
The child of a Kin-GAP child is also excluded by law from
receiving CalWORKs cash aid
o This applies to a child who resides in the home with
the minor parent who is a Kin-GAP recipient
o If the child of the Kin-GAP minor mother is not a
court dependent and not Kin-GAP eligible, the related
legal guardian is entitled to receive an Infant
Supplement the same as in the Foster Care Program
Legal guardian relatives may be needy or non-needy
A Kin-GAP child qualifies the relative for CalWORKs as an
AU of one
Income and aid payments of Kin-GAP recipients are not
considered available in their relatives CalWORKs cash aid
case
o Any income of the Kin-GAP child is considered income
to the child and is used in the Kin-GAP case
The grant computation is based on CalWORKs budgeting
methods

Kin-GAP aid codes are:

4F for federal Kin-GAP and

4G for State eligible (non-qualified non citizens) KinGAP children


Both aid codes are eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal with no share of
cost

CalFresh

Kin-GAP children are considered boarders for CalFresh purposes

CAL-LEARN
42-762, ACL 12-60
Rules

Senate Bill (SB) 35 established the Cal-Learn Program to address


the unique educational, vocational, training, health and other
social service needs of AFDC dependent teens and teenage
parents to help them achieve self-sufficiency. In California, the
Cal-Learn Program provides fiscal incentives and disincentives,
supportive services and intensive case management to
encourage teen parents to stay in or return to school and
graduate.

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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

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Teens, male or female, who must participate in Cal-Learn are


those who:

Is a CalWORKs recipient under the age of 19, and

Has not obtained a high school diploma or equivalent, and


Resides with his/her child in the same AU including an
Maximum Family Grant (MFG) child, or
Is pregnant and the pregnancy is verified

Implementati
on Period

The Cal-Learn program was suspended FFY 2011-12. Restoration


of the program occurred between July 1, 2012 and March 31,
2013. Shasta County restored Cal-Learn effective January 1,
2013.

Exception

Between July 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012, a pregnant teen,


who had not obtained a high school diploma or equivalent and
had no other children, may have qualified for aid and services in
the first and second trimester of her pregnancy, even if the
County had not restored Cal-Learn.

CalWORKs
Eligibility

Effective January 1, 2013, a pregnant teen with no other children


(AU of one) who has entered the Cal-Learn Program under Section
42-7641 shall be eligible for CalWORKs and the pregnancy special
need (PSN) payment under Section 44-211.6 during her first and
second trimester of pregnancy.
Reminder: Effective January 1, 2013, a pregnant teen with no
other children, who does not qualify for Cal-Learn because the
teen is a high school graduate, will continue to receive CalWORKs
and PSN during the first and second trimester under expanded
eligibility rules (ACL 14-04).

Cal-Learn
Referral
Process

Refer custodial teen parents/pregnant teens under age 19 to CalLearn:

When aid is authorized for an applicant teen

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 51

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 52 of 61

When the Worker first becomes aware a teen is eligible to


Cal-Learn

STE
P
1

ACTION
Determine if the teen parent/pregnant teen meets the
following criteria:
Is a CalWORKs recipient under the age of 19, or
Is 19 years old, previously participated in Cal-Learn
and wants to volunteer
Has not obtained a high school diploma or its
equivalent (GED)
Resides with his/her child in the same AU : or
Is pregnant and the pregnancy is verified
C-IV System:
The C-IV System automatically determines a program
person is a mandatory participant in the Cal-Learn
program if the person meets the following Cal-Learn
requirements:
Is a Member or Medi-Cal Member Only with a role
reason of MFG only
Age is less than 19
Pregnant with an expected delivery date after the
current date or parenting
Has not completed high school
Does not have a GED or High School Diploma
Is active on CalWORKs
When the above criteria have been met and CalWORKs
EDBC is accepted and saved, the C-IV System creates a
Cal-Learn program if one does not exist.
If a Cal-Learn program exists for the person, then
the status is updated
The Cal-Learn program status is set to Active
when the Automated Program Action Status is
Active and the Cal-Learn program Status Reason
is set to Mandatory
The Cal-Learn program begin month is set as the
CalWORKs EDBC benefit month
The Cal-learn Auto Assign will be displayed on

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 53 of 61
EDBC Results page if criteria is met
The Case Summary page will display a Cal-Learn
program section once EDBC is saved

STE
P
3

ACTION
C-IV Work Registration page
Enter the WtW Work Registration page for new CalLearn Teens as Exempt with Reason Code of CalLearn.
Once a work registration page is completed, the
Case Summary page will display the CalWORKs
program and a second Cal-Learn program

Time Limits
During the suspension of the Cal-Learn program, from
July 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012, the 308 exemption
reason was utilized to prevent the CalWORKs Time
Clock from ticking

Cal-Learn WtW
Participation
42-712.4

Use OR1 to send referral to Welfare-to-Work


Check Cal-Learn box

Pregnant teens and custodial teen parents under the age of 19


receiving CalWORKs cash aid, who have not obtained a high
school diploma or its equivalent, must participate in the Cal-Learn
program instead of Welfare to Work (WtW) activities.
IF

THEN

The client is a pregnant


or custodial parent 19

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 53

Refer to WtW unless exempt


Refer if exempt and wants to

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 54 of 61

years old, and


Does not have a high
school diploma or
general equivalency
diploma (GED)

IF

volunteer (Can volunteer if


participated in Cal-Learn
before)
NOTE: Cal-Learn parent is not
eligible to exemption based on
care of a child, must participate in
WtW to obtain high school
diploma/GED

THEN

The client is a pregnant


or custodial parent
under 19 years old,
and
Does not have a high
school diploma or GED

The client is a pregnant


or custodial teen
parent, regardless of
age, who has a high
school diploma or GED

Client is participating in
Cal-Learn and turns age
19, or
Is 19 and previously
participated in CalLearn, and
Has not obtained high
school diploma or GED,
and
Is participating in a high
school or equivalent
program and attending
full time as defined by
the school or has good
cause for not full time

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 54

Refer to Cal-Learn Program


WtW exemptions and current
WtW sanctions do not apply
Once a Cal-Learn Teen is a
participant and obtains a high
school diploma/GED, the CalLearn Teen is not eligible to the
exemption based on care of a
child as the Cal-Learn program
exists
Refer to WtW unless exempt
Refer if exempt and wants to
volunteer
All exemptions are applicable
May volunteer to participate in
Cal-Learn until the age of 20 or
until receives high school
diploma or equivalent

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 55 of 61

requirement
NOTE: C-IV will close out the Cal-Learn program for 19 year old
volunteers when batch runs. The program must be re-opened
when this occurs.

CAL-LEARN TIME LIMITS


Time Limits
Reason

Description

Cal-LearnHead of
Household
308
Exemption
Cal-LearnNon-head
of
Household
307
Exemption
Cal-LearnSanctione
d Teen
206
Exemption
Cal-LearnSanctione
d Teen
Head of
Household
207

Individual who is
eligible for participation
in, or exempt from, CalLearn Program when
receiving aid in own AU
Individual who is
eligible for participation
in, or exempt from, CalLearn Program when
receiving aid in their
parents AU
Cal-Learn sanction
Aided adult in AU
containing a Cal-Learn
Teen who is sanctioned
Cal-Learn sanction
Head of Household Teen
Parent, aided as an
adult, who is sanctioned

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 55

TANF
Does TCAL
TANF Clock
Tick? Symb
ol

CalWORKs
Doe KCAL
s
Clock
CW
Symb
Tick ol
?

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
Exemption
Cal-Learn
Suspensio
n

Time Clock
Questions and
Answers

Program Development and Support


Page 56 of 61
July 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012 - During the
suspension the 308 Exemption was utilized.

Question:
Does the time clock tick for a child age 18 or 19 who is aided
until they graduate?
Answer:
No, per 42-302.1 the time clock only ticks for those individuals
who are aided as adults
Question:
Do Cal-Learn bonuses get entered under grant amount when the
AU includes a Cal-Learn child?
Answer:
No, do not add Cal-Learn bonuses
Question:
How does the 60-month time limit (TANF) apply to sanctioned
Cal-Learn teens?
Answer:
Federal requirements specify that TANF funds shall not be used
to provide assistance to a teen parent who has not graduated
from high school and is not participating in an educational or
training activity. TANF funds are not used to aid the entire AU
of the sanctioned Cal-Learn teen. The CalWORKs assistance
received by the AU only counts towards the CalWORKs time
limit of the parent(s) of the Cal-Learn teen. It would not count
for the Cal-Learn teen since the time limit exemption applies
even for Cal-Learn teens who are under sanction.

CAL-LEARN BONUSES AND SANCTIONS


Cal-Learn
Supportive
Services and
Bonuses

Cal-Learn participants receive supportive services and CalLearn bonuses.


Supportive Services include child care, transportation and
ancillary expenses.
These services are limited to those
services teen parents need to enroll in school and to attend

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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

Program Development and Support


Page 57 of 61

his/her school programs regularly.


Cal-Learn bonuses include:

$100 for satisfactory progress


o A Cal-Learn participant will receive up to four $100
bonuses in a 12-month period for each teen
providing a report card which reflects satisfactory
progress in his/her school program
$500 for obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent
o Once documentation is received verifying the CalLearn participant has graduated high school (or
equivalent), a one-time $500 bonus is issued as a
supplement to the CalWORKs payment issued for
the month
o The $500 bonus is to be paid to each Cal-Learn
participant graduating high school, even if he/she
turns 19 or 20 years old within the month of
graduation

Note: The $100 bonus shall not be initiated when the teen
parent will receive the $500 bonus.

The employment and training worker will identify when/if a bonus


should be issued. If a bonus is appropriate one of the two e-mails
below will be sent to the CalWORKs processing supervisor:

Issue $100 Cal-Learn Bonus Case # and effective date, or


Issue $500 Cal-Learn Report Card Case # and effective
date

Upon receipt of the e-mail, the eligibility worker is to issue the CalLearn bonus. C-IV Job Aid Cal-Learn Program Processing and
Payment Issuance provides instructions on how to issue the bonus
payment.
Cal-Learn
Sanctions
and
Penalties

Cal-Learn participants are subject to Cal-Learn sanctions.


Sanctions are imposed for the following reasons:

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

C-IV Task
Applying
Sanction

Program Development and Support


Page 58 of 61

Failure to demonstrate adequate progress in assigned school


activity
o An AU with a teen parent will receive a $100 sanction
up to four times in a 12-month period for each teen
parent who fails to make adequate progress in his or
her school program without demonstrating good cause
o Determined by submission of report cards
o This sanction is applied over two consecutive months
($50 each month, unless grant is less than $10, then
no sanction is applied)

Failure to submit report card


o Employment and training worker will apply either
$100 or $50 sanction depending on the teen parents
circumstances and good cause criteria
o If $100 sanction is applied, worker will apply over two
consecutive months ($50 sanction per month, unless
grant is less than $10, then no sanction is applied)

The employment and training worker will determine if a sanction


should be applied. If a sanction is appropriate, the employment
and training worker will notify the eligibility worker by setting a CIV task
Add Task to Case DO NOT send as e-mail
Program: Cash/Cal-Learn
Type: Sanction/Penalty
Long Description:
Please sanction <Person Name>
effective <Date>
Due Date: Next Day
The eligibility worker will process the task and apply the sanction
to the case.

C-IV Task
Stop a
Sanction

Cal-Learn sanctions are applied over two consecutive months.


When applying the sanction, the eligibility worker will set a C-IV
task. This task is used to alert a worker EDBC must be run in the
second month to stop the sanction from being applied in ongoing
months.
Add Task to Case DO NOT send as e-mail

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Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

History
Corrections

If:

Program Development and Support


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Program: Cash/Cal-Learn
Type: Sanction/Penalty
Long Description: Run EDBC to stop Cal-Learn sanction
<Person Name> effective <Date>
Due Date: First Day of Following Month

Cal-Learn teen is nested (being aided in their parent(s) AU),


Is sanctioned, and
AU is a TANF AU (mixed AU and/or CalWORKs timed out),

Then:
Worker must do a history correction to Fiscal
Example: AU consists of Senior Mom, her 3 children, one is a
Minor Parent/Cal-Learn sanctioned teen, and the minor parents
child. The AU is aid code 30. The two months that the CalLearn teen is sanctioned must be funded with State-Only funds.
There is no aid code to move them into, so a history correction to
Fiscal is needed indicating the months of sanction from Federal
participation to State participation to correct the funding. For
WDTIP purposes, we need to change the Senior Moms TCAL Y
participation code to an N participation code.

APPLYING SANCTIONS - EXAMPLES


Example 1
Grant Less
Than $10

A teen parent fails to achieve adequate grades. Her employment


and training worker notifies the eligibility worker on July 10 th that
a sanction is due. In August the teen parent's AU is eligible for a
grant of $8.
No sanction can be applied in August. In September the AU is
eligible for a grant of $58. The eligibility worker applies the
apportioned $50 sanction amount and the AU receives a grant of
$8.

Example 2
Sanction

In February an AU is eligible for a grant of $35. The teen parent's


apportioned sanction amount is $50.
Since the grant amount is less than the apportioned sanction

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 59

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014
Amount Not
Collected

Program Development and Support


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amount, the grant will be zero.


In March the AU is eligible for a grant of $75. The eligibility worker
will apply the second apportioned sanction amount ($50) and issue
a grant of $25.
No remainder of the first month's apportioned sanction is applied
to the second month's aid payment.

Example 3
Two Teen
Parents
Sanctioned

Example 4
Multiple
Sanctions

An AU contains two teen parents, who both fail to achieve


adequate grades for the report card period ending in June. The
employment and training worker notifies the eligibility worker on
July 10th that each parent is sanctioned.
The eligibility worker will apply a $100 sanction in August ($50 for
each teen parent) and a $100 sanction in September ($50 for each
teen parent).
A teen parent fails to achieve adequate grades for the report card
period ending in June. The employment and training worker is
unaware of this situation until October 1 st and notifies the eligibility
worker that a sanction is due on October 5th.
On October 10th the employment and training worker notifies the
eligibility worker that the same teen parent is due a sanction for
the report card period ending in September.
The eligibility worker applies a $50 sanction in November,
December, January, and February.

Example 5
New AU

A teen parent moves out of his/her mother's home and establishes


an AU of his/her own. The teen parent is discontinued from the
mother's AU at the end of June and is eligible in the new AU
effective July 1st.
On July 10th the employment and training worker determines a
sanction is due for the report card period ending June 30th.
The eligibility worker applies the sanction to the new AU in the
months of August and September.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 60

Shasta County
CalWORKs Program Handbook
Section: AU Composition
Issue Date: 01.05.2014

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TERMINATION FROM CAL-LEARN


Conclusion of
Cal-Learn
Participati
on

Eligibility for the Cal-Learn program stops when the teen:

Ages out of the program


o End of the month in which the teen parent turns
19 years old or,
o End of the month the voluntary participant turns
20 years old
Receives a high school diploma or its equivalent
Stops receiving CalWORKs
No longer lives in the home of his/her child
Goes into Foster Care

Employment and training workers are responsible for notifying


the teen parent with the appropriate Notice of Action
discontinuing his/her participation in the Cal-Learn program.
Transition to
Welfare to
Work
Activities

Once eligibility to Cal-learn is terminated, the employment and


training worker will make a determination to exempt the teen
parent or transition him/her to welfare to work activities.
The teen parents time clock will be updated to reflect accurate
time on aid, current exemption status or current mandatory
participation in welfare to work.

CalWORKs Handbook: AU Composition


Page 61

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