County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide Number Page Voluntary MidPeriod Reports 44270H 1of 8 Revision Date July 1 2020 Background State regulations state customers may voluntarily report changes any time A voluntary report can never be late and there is no requirement for an Assistance Unit AU to report a voluntary change within 10 days If the change is verified midperiod the customer is not required to report the change again However gross income received in the Data Month must still be reported and verified Midperiod reports may be made in writing fax online email by phone inperson or on a MidPeriod Status Report Purpose This section is being revised to clarify the midperiod reporting rules for adding a newborn and second parent to an existing Pregnant Person Only PPO case Policy Action on Voluntary Reports Take action midperiod for a voluntary report when Verification has been provided that results in an increase in CalWORKs benefits or There is a request for discontinuance for an individual or entire AU When midperiod action is not required or verification for a potential increase in benefits has not been received Changes will be entered in the data system for followup at the next SAR 7 or annual redetermination whichever comes first A No Change Notice of Action NOA will be issued to the AU The budget calculation must be included on the CalWORKs No Change NOA for the AU to see how the County determined that the reported change did not result in a midperiod increase in benefits Establishing Effective Date of Benefit Increase The effective date of the increase in CalWORKs is based on when the change is reported and not when the change actually occurred This is determined based on the type of change reported If the voluntary report is a Decrease in income CalWORKs benefits will increase effective the first of the month in which the change occurred or is reported whichever is later New household member CalWORKs benefits will increase the first of the month following the report of the change Example 1 Verification received within 10day timeframe An AU is in the January June Payment Period SemiAnnual Reporting SAR Cycle 1 Scenario Mom voluntarily reports a decrease in income on March 25th A request for verification was sent on March 28th with a 10day due date of April 7th The verification is provided timely on April 3rd The grant will be recalculated for March June and a supplemental payment will be Outcome issued for March no later than April 13th The AU will also be notified of any changes in the Income Reporting Threshold IRT County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide Number Page Voluntary MidPeriod Reports 44270H 2of 8 Example 2 Verification received after 10day timeframe Same scenario as Example 1 above however the requested verification is not Scenario received until April 10th after the 10day due date Since the verification was provided after the 10day timeframe April 10th will be considered as the new report date and no supplemental payment will be issued for Outcome March Benefits will be recalculated for April June and a supplemental payment will be issued for April The AU will also be notified of any changes in IRT Example 3 Submit Month change reported on SAR 7 An AU is in the January June Payment Period SAR Cycle 1 A timely May SAR 7 is submitted on June 4th A report is made that the June income Scenario will be lower than previously anticipated and that the income will continue at that lower level On June 7th acceptable verification is provided of the decreased income Benefits will be recalculated for the month of June and a supplemental payment Outcome issued if eligible Benefits for the new SAR Payment Period July December will be reevaluated and timely notification of any changes in IRT will be provided Example 4 Decreased income reported for one month only An AU is in the JanuaryJune Payment Period SAR Cycle 1 The current grant amount is based on the AUs current earned income of Scenario 1000month On March 25th a report is made that two weeks of work were missed due to illness and the AU anticipates only receiving 500 for March The regular monthly income of 1000 will resume in April Upon receiving timely verification of the decreased income benefits will be recalculated for March only and a supplemental payment will be issued Benefits for Outcome April May and June will remain at the previous level Since the decrease in income for March was only temporary the AUs IRT will not be recalculated Changes in Exempt and NonExempt Maximum Aid Payment MAP Status Midperiod action to change an AUs exemption status will only be taken if the change will result in an increase to the CalWORKs grant When the exempt MAP status is due to the receipt of certain disabilitybased income a determination must be completed if CalWORKs will increase when using the new disabilitybased income together with the higher exempt MAP amount If the change results in an overall decrease in CalWORKs the MAP exemption status will remain unchanged and the lower MAP will be used until the next SAR Payment Period Household Composition Changes If a change in household composition is voluntarily reported during the SAR Payment Period midperiod action will be taken if the change results in an increase in benefits or if there is a request for discontinuance for an individual or the AU The AU will continue to receive CalWORKs at their current level for the remaining months of the SAR Payment Period if the change results in a decrease in benefits unless there is a change in eligibility due to other reasons Verification must first be requested and evaluated before benefits can be increased midperiod The new individual must be eligible and if added must meet all linking and nonlinking eligibility factors before aid is authorized When an AU voluntarily reports a new individual in the home First determine if the new individual if added to the AU would still meet all eligibility conditions County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide Number Page Voluntary MidPeriod Reports 44270H 3of 8 Then determine the effect the addition will have on the cash grant if it would cause an increase or decrease to the grant amount or if the addition would render the entire AU ineligible If the addition of the new individual would result in an Increase in aid but the new individual does not meet all eligibility conditions before aid is authorized do not add the individual nor discontinue the existing AU midperiod Decrease add the new individual the first day of the next Payment Period after all eligibility conditions have been met If the household does not report a new household member on the SAR 7 or at annual redetermination and the addition of the individual would have resulted in a decrease in benefits an overpayment will be established AU Composition Due to Changes of Income Circumstances may change over time and this may result in a different AU composition midperiod at SAR or annual redetermination than the AU reported at the time of initial application When the AU reports income in excess of the IRT in any month except the last month of the current payment period the county will determine if the reported income is reasonably anticipated to continue and whether the AUs net nonexempt monthly income determined for the remainder of the current payment period will result in a lower grant amount or will exceed the income eligibility limits for CalWORKs If the income is reasonably anticipated to continue and will result in a lower grant amount for the remainder of the payment period the county will recalculate the AUs grant amount for the remainder of the payment period If the income is reasonably anticipated to continue to exceed the AUs income eligibility limits for the remainder of the payment period the county will determine the AU financially ineligible and will discontinue the AU at the end of the month in which the AU first received the income that exceeded the AUs eligibility limits with timely and adequate notice When an AU is determined no longer financially eligible to CalWORKs due to a mandatory midperiod report of income over the CalWORKs limits the county will discontinue the AU at the end of the month in which the AU first received the income that exceeded the AUs eligibility limits with timely and adequate notice If the income reported is not reasonably anticipated to continue the report of income over the IRT will not affect ongoing benefits for the current payment period When an AU reports income in excess of the IRT in the last month of the current payment period the county will determine if the reported income is reasonably anticipated to continue If the income will continue the county will use that information together with the SAR 7 or SAWS 2 PLUS information to prospectively determine eligibility and cash aid amount for the next payment period If the AUs new income is reasonably anticipated to continue and will make the current AU ineligible the county will determine if continued eligibility exists for any of the members of the current AU Any change in deprivation reported on the SAR 7 or the SAWS 2 PLUS and any change in eligibility or the grant amount that results from the new AU shall also be effective the first day of the next payment period Example 1 New household member reported midperiod An AU of 3 A Parent and two children is in the January June Payment Period SAR Cycle 1 The AU has no income Scenario In February the parent voluntarily reports that the second parent has moved into the home and has income County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide Number Page Voluntary MidPeriod Reports 44270H 4of 8 It was determined that adding the second parent to the AU will result in a decrease in benefits Outcome A No Change NOA is sent to the AU and the information is noted as a Held Change for followup at the next SAR 7 or annual redetermination whichever comes first Example 2 Followup at SAR 7 Parent submits the May SAR 7 in June but does not report the second parent or that parents income on the SAR 7 Scenario The Human Services Specialist calls the parent regarding these omissions and the parent explains that the second parent left the home in April Unless there is conflicting information benefits for the upcoming SAR Payment Period July December will continue to be calculated based on the AU of 3 with no Outcome income The second parents three months in the home February April will have no effect on the benefit level for this AU Example 3 New household member results in Ineligibility An AU of 2 Parent and one child are in the JanuaryJune Payment Period SAR Cycle 1 In February the parent voluntarily reports that the second parent moved Scenario into the home in February The second parent has income It was determined that adding the second parent to the AU will result in ineligibility to CalWORKs No midperiod action will be taken and a CalWORKs No Change NOA including the required budget will be issued The change will be noted in Held Change for followup at the next SAR 7 or at annual redetermination whichever comes first MediCal Outcome will be evaluated for the second parent CalWORKs will be discontinued effective June 30th at the end of the SAR Payment Period after the second parents income is reported on the SAR 7 or redetermination All household members will be evaluated for continuing eligibility to MediCal Request to Discontinue an AUOptional Member An individual who left the home may request their own discontinuance from the AU An optional AU member who no longer wants to receive CalWORKs may also request to be discontinued from the AU for their CalWORKs time clock to stop Midperiod action will be taken to adjust benefits for the remaining AU members per customer request regardless of whether the AU had reported the change Death of a Household Member There is no requirement for the AU to report that a household member is deceased until the next SAR or annual redetermination whichever comes first If a death of a household member is voluntarily reported by the AU or discovered through a thirdparty countyinitiated action must be taken to discontinue the deceased household member When a death of a child is voluntarily reported the child will continue to be included as a member of the AU in the month which the death occurred and the following month CPG 44270I Newborns When the birth of a child is voluntarily reported midperiod and required verification has been provided if adding the newborn to the AU will result in an County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide Number Page Voluntary MidPeriod Reports 44270H 5of 8 Increase in aid discontinue the pregnancy special need PSN payment at the end of the month Add the newborn the first of the month following the report of the birth after PSN is discontinued Decrease or no change in aid continue the PSN through the end of the payment period The newborn will be added first month of the next SAR Payment Period after PSN ends Example Adding a newborn An AU of 2 pregnant Mom and her child is in the January June Payment Period Scenario SAR Cycle 1 In February Mom voluntarily reports that she gave birth in January It was determined that adding the newborn will result in increase of aid The newborn will be added to the AU effective March 1st pending required Outcome verification PSN will be discontinued at the end of February The newborn is deemed eligible to receive MediCal effective January 1st regardless of when verification is provided to add the newborn to the AU Adding the Newborn and the Second Parent to the PPO Case For a PPO AU if the second parent of the unborn child is living in the home the second parent will be excluded from the AU until the child is born If the second parent was not previously living in the home or was not included on the Statement of Facts at initial application the second parent is required to complete the CW 8 interview and provide all documentationverifications The newborn and second parent are treated distinctly and a separate analysis may be required to determine how each would affect the grant for the existing AU The newborn and second parent may be added to the case separately when the circumstances allow to maximize the cash aid After all conditions of eligibility have been met and verification provided If adding the newborn to the existing AU results in an o Increase in cash aid the newborn will be added the first of the month after the birth is reported PSN will be discontinued at the end of the month in which the birth was reported 10day notice is not required o Decrease in cash aid the newborn will be added the first day of the next SAR Payment Period PSN will continue through the end of the current SAR Payment Period If adding the second parent results in an o Increase in cash aid the second parent will be added the first of the month after the birth is reported o Decrease in cash aid the second parent will be added the first day of the next SAR Payment Period after the reported birth Notes Any income received by the second parent at application is considered when determining financial eligibility for the initial AU Therefore any income under the AUs IRT receivedreported by the second parent after the PPO case has been established is considered a voluntary midperiod report All parents regardless of their age or marital status are responsible to the extent of their ability for the support and care of their children including an unborn child When new household members are added to an existing AU the AU is subject to the recipient financial eligibility test County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide Number Page Voluntary MidPeriod Reports 44270H 7of 8 If adding the second parent and the income result in a decrease in cash aid for an AU of three wait until the following SAR payment period before adding the second parent to the AU assuming all eligibility conditions are met Example 3 Employed Second Parent Moves into the Home After the PPO is Established Scenario Outcome PPO AU is granted in January with absent parent deprivation and the SAR payment period is January through June In April it was reported that the child was born in February and the fully employed second parent moved into the home in March Deprivation changes are not acted on midperiod Therefore each voluntary midperiod report must be determined separately and sequentially Although deprivation existed at birth the newborn no longer meets the financial eligibility criteria as the income from the second parent exceeds the eligibility limit for an AU of three As this results in a negative action to the case the eligibility determination for the newborn and the second parent will be deferred until the following SAR payment period The existing PPO AU maintains current eligibility including the PSN payment until the end of the current payment period Had the birth been reported in February and the child added to the AU prior to the second parent going into the home the AU of two would have remained eligible for the remainder of the SAR payment period Combining AUs When a change in household composition results in combining separate AUs midperiod a determination must be made if the change will result in an increase or decrease in aid for the separate AU A comparison of the monthly CalWORKs grant of the combined AU to the total monthly grants of the separate AUs must be completed If the monthly grant of the combined AU is Higher than the total month grants of the separate AUs the AU will be combined effective the first of the month following the voluntary report Lower than the total monthly grants of the separate AUs the AUs will be combined effective the first month of the next SAR Payment Period after the change is reported on the SAR 7 or at the annual redetermination If the two AUs have different SAR cycles the AUs will be combined at the beginning of whichever SAR Payment Period comes first Request for Special Need Payments When a customer voluntarily reports having a special need and verifications are provided the special needs payment will begin effective the month that the request was made if verification is received timely and terminate at the end of the SAR Payment Period in which the special need is expected to end based on the verification PSN may discontinue midperiod if adding the newborn will result in an increase to the CalWORKs grant If the duration of the special need is Permanent verification must be provided once per year at annual redetermination or when the current verification expires Temporary special need payments will be allowed through the end of the SAR Payment Period in which the special need is expected to end County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSACalWORKs Program Guide Number Page Voluntary MidPeriod Reports 44270H 8of 8 Unknown verification must be provided once per semiannual period References EAS 40103 40107 40181 44316 ACLs No 1225 1225 Errata ACINs No I0320 I1620 Sunset Date This policy will be reviewed for continuance by July 31 2023 Rick Wanne Director Eligibility Operations