County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide CalWORKs Family Reunification Program Number Page 40183D 1 of 2 Revision Date August 1 2018 Background CalWORKs recipients whose eligibility ends because their children were removed from the home by Child Welfare Services CWS may continue to participate in WelfaretoWork WTW activities and receive supportive services if the CWS Social Worker or Juvenile Court deem services necessary to reunify the family Purpose The purpose of this revision is to notify staff that Family Reunification FR families may receive TemporaryHomeless Assistance THA benefits if otherwise eligible if the county determines that THA is necessary for reunification to occur Policy The CWS Social Worker or the court may authorize FR services for up to 180 days from the date the children are removed from the assistance unit AU The court may also grant the parent a good cause extension to the 180day period Eligibility to FR Services To receive FR services all of the following conditions must be met A CWS Social Worker or the court have determined that the provision of FR services is necessary for family reunification The children have been removed from the home and placed in outofhome care The AU had been receiving CalWORKs when the children waswere removedNote SSI recipients undocumented noncitizens or timedout parents are ineligible to FR services because they were not eligible to receive CalWORKs benefits When there are multiple children in the AU but not all the children are removed and the AU becomes ineligible to CalWORKs due to income the parents may be eligible to FR services if there is a courtordered reunification plan for the children who were removed THA Effective January 1 2018 FR cases that are experiencing homelessness may be eligible for THA benefits if the county determines these benefits are necessary for reunification and the family is otherwise eligible Since THA only covers 16 days of temporary shelter assistance staff should connect families to any additional housing interventions available including but not limited to Family Stabilization FS and the Housing Support Program HSP for further assistance Additionally once the children are returned to the home and are added back into the AU the family may be eligible for Permanent HA if otherwise eligible WTW The court ordered reunification plan will be used to develop the WTW plan Individuals who fail to participate in WTW activities or any other activities required under the FR plan are not subject to the WTW noncompliance or sanctioning process WTW services will continue to be provided until the FR plan is terminated by the CWS Social Worker Aid Codes Family Reunification cases will be identified under aid codes 4P or 4R 4P aid code All Families Provides for continuance of FR services no cash aid to all families except twoparent families County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide CalWORKs Family Reunification Program Number Page 40183D 2 of 2 4R aid code Two Parent Households Provides for continuance of FR services no cash aid to twoparent families Eligibility for MediCal FR parents are ineligible to cashlinked MediCal through CalWORKs therefore an evaluation for MediCal must be completed Eligibility for CalFresh FR households do not receive a cash grant therefore FR families are eligible for Transitional CalFresh benefits TCF in the month in which CalWORKs benefits are reduced to zero when FR services begin Periodic Report Reunification families are not required to submit a periodic report for CalWORKs Redetermination Redetermination of eligibility will be made at sixmonth intervals in coordination with the Juvenile Courts review of the family reunification plan If they are determined eligible the existing certification period will be changed to align with the reunification plan When a family is reunified a CalWORKs redetermination must be completed to reopen the CalWORKs case Once a redetermination is completed if they are eligible CalWORKs benefits will be issued effective the first of the following month after the family is reunified Procedure CPG Processing Guide 40183D1 Program Impacts Automation BEnDS 1443 Forms and Document Capture All manual forms and notices must be imaged in to CERMS References Assembly Bill AB Nos 429 and 236 EAS 427111512 803013 82812678 ACIN No I4904 ACL Nos 0236 0352 1104 1698 and1871 Sunset Date This policy will be reviewed for continuance on or by August 31 2021 Approval for Release Rick Wanne Director Eligibility Operations