County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA CalFresh Program Guide Mandatory MidPeriod Reports Number Page 63283 1 of 7 Revision 08012021 BackgroundHouseholds have limited mandatory reporting requirements during the period between eligibility reports On April 15 2019 the Food and Nutrition Service FNS published a final rule for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP which included provisions for implementing the Agricultural Act of 2014 Purpose This section describes mandatory midperiod reporting requirements The purpose of this material is to notify staff of recent changes to reporting requirements related to lottery and gambling winnings Households that receive substantial winnings must immediately become ineligible for benefits and remain ineligible until they meet financial resource and income eligibility requirements PolicySemiAnnual Reporting SAR households are notified of their mandatory reporting responsibilities via the recorded Rights and Responsibilities and the Reporting Changes for Cash Aid and CalFresh SAR 2 informing notice The SAR 2 is issued when the case is initially approved every 6 months and when the Income Reporting Threshold IRT changes during the certification period The SAR 2 informs households of the following The requirement to report within 10 days when gross monthly income exceeds the IRT The consequences for failure to report The current IRT amount for the household size and current gross monthly income Staff are required to take action on specified changes reported on the SAR 7 recertification or during the certification period midperiod Midperiod changes include changes that result from Mandatory reports Voluntary reports CountyInitiated actions All households may report midperiod changes in writing online verbally or in person at any Family Resource Center FRC SAR households may also report changes in writing using one of the forms below SAR 3 MidPeriod Status Report for Cash Aid and CalFresh CF 3775 SAR CalFresh MidCertification Period Status Report These forms must be made available at initial application recertification or any time the household requests the forms 1 CalFresh Mandatory MidPeriod Reports All CalFresh households subject to SAR are required to report midperiod when County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA CalFresh Program Guide Mandatory MidPeriod Reports Number Page 63283 2 of 7 The households income exceeds the CalFresh IRT for their household size See 631101 for the current CalFresh IRT AbleBodied Adults Without Dependents ABAWD work hours drop below an average of 20 hours a week or 80 hours a month total per month The household receives substantial lottery or gambling winnings Substantial winnings are defined as a cash prize won in a single game purchase of a ticket hand or similar bet which is equal to or greater than the resource limit for elderlydisabled households See 631101 for the current resource limit 2 Changes must be reported Households are required to report mandatory changes within 10 calendar days of the date the changebecomes known to the household The date the change becomes known to the household is the date The household first receives the income exceeding the IRT The ABAWDs work hours drop below 20 hours a week or 80 hours a month or The household receives the substantial lottery or gambling winnings 3 Income Reporting Threshold The IRT is an income threshold that informs the household when they are mandated to make a midperiod report of an increase in income The CalFresh IRT is the amount likely to make a family ineligible for CalFresh See Processing Guide 28301 for additional information regarding IRT See 631101 for the current CalFresh IRT The IRT is updated every October using the Federal Poverty Level FPL that was published the previous January See 631101 for the current CalFresh IRT 4 Evaluation of Over IRT Mandatory MidPeriod Report The household is required to report midperiod when their income exceeds their IRT The IRT limits apply to all members of the household including ineligible noncitizens Below are examples of over IRT mandatory midperiod reports Example 1 Scenario On April 15th a SAR household reports midperiod that their income has increased over the IRT The household expects the income will continue at this level Send the CF 32 requesting proof of income allowing 10 days to provide If Outcome the household fails to provide verification of income by the due date discontinue the case with timely notice effective May 31st for failure to provide information Example 2 Scenario A household with SAR cycle 1 reports a midperiod increase in income The income could be over IRT The income change is expected to continue County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA CalFresh Program Guide Mandatory MidPeriod Reports Number Page 63283 3 of 7 Request income verification via the CF 32 If the household sends the Outcome verification timely terminate or decrease benefits with timely notice Even if the verification shows the income is under IRT the report is now Verified Upon Receipt VUR the household sent the verification Examples of IRT for Households with Excluded Members Example 1 Scenario A household of three with no income includes one ineligible noncitizen The households IRT for three is 2353 effective 10012020 The household reports on the SAR 7 that the noncitizen member found work which is expected to continue The monthly income is 3000 Outcome Prorate the noncitizens income to determine if the income is over the IRT 3000 3 1000 1000 x 2 2000 The household is not over the IRT Update the CalFresh budget effective the month after the submit month with timely notice Example 2 Scenario Same household situation as above However one of the eligible members earns 1000month The household reports on the SAR 7 that their income is now 4000 with the ineligible noncitizen earning 3000month Outcome The worker will prorate the noncitizens income and add it to the eligible household members income 3000 3 1000 1000 x 2 2000 2000 1000 3000 The household is over the IRT Reevaluate the households budget and decreasediscontinue the case with timely notice NOTE Due to the income proration computation households with noncitizens may not always know when their income may be over the IRT or if an income change may increase their benefits Encourage households with noncitizens to report all changes to be able to issue additional benefits timely or to avoid overissuances 5 California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids CalWORKsPublic Assistance CalFresh PACF Cases Some midperiod changes are required to be reported for the CalWORKs program that are not required to be reported for CalFresh CalWORKs households are required to report the following changes within ten days When income exceeds the CalWORKs IRT County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA CalFresh Program Guide Number Page Mandatory MidPeriod Reports 63283 4of 7 Drug felony convictions no action for CalFresh Fleeing felon status Violations of conditions of probation or parole Address changes For CalWORKsPACF cases if the Assistance Unit AU reports a change that is mandated to be reported for CalWORKs take action on the PACF case to reduce or discontinue benefits only if CalWORKs takes action on the change If an AU reports income that is over the CalWORKs IRT that results in a change in the CalWORKs case the worker will also take action on the CalFresh case and recalculate the allotment Example 1 Scenario A nonexempt AUhousehold of three has gross earned income of 1200 per month The SAR Payment Period is January through June and benefits have been determined using monthly income of 1200 On February 15 the mother reports that her monthly earnings increased to 1800 which is greater than her CalWORKs IRT of 2196 the CalWORKs Tier 1 IRT for an AU of three effective 1012020 and that she anticipates this income will continue at that level Outcome After applying the appropriate income disregards the CalWORKs worker determines that the AU is financially ineligible for CalWORKs Discontinue the CalWORKs case without waiting for verification of the new income effective February 28 The family is no longer Categorically Eligible for CalFresh once cash aid is discontinued due to financial ineligibility Discontinue CalFresh effective February 28 because action has been taken on a CalWORKs mandated report Transitional CalFresh TCF would begin March 1 with an allotment amount equal to the last month of CalWORKs eligibility adjusted for the loss of the CalWORKs grant 63321 Example 2 Scenario A nonexempt AU of three has no income and is currently in the July through December SAR Payment Period Their grant amount is 983 CalWORKs Tier 1 IRT of 996 effective 1012020 On September 25 the household reports that the mother got a new job in August and will be paid twice a month She received her first two paychecks of 500 on August 15 and 31 The AUs grant and allotment amount is recalculated based on this new income Outcome Because the AU exceeded their IRT on August 31 and the household did not report the income over IRT timely for CalWORKs by September 10 within 10 days of receipt and there is no time to decrease the grant amount for October her grant will be recalculated effective November 1 but she will have a CalWORKs overpayment for September and October County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA CalFresh Program Guide Number Page Mandatory MidPeriod Reports 63283 5of 7 The CalFresh allotment amount will also be recalculated effective November 1 because this is a mandatory report for CalWORKs and CalWORKs is taking action on the case Do not establish an overissuance for CalFresh because the CalWORKs IRT report is not a mandatory report for CalFresh 6 Report of Fleeing Felon Status ParoleProbation Violations for CalWORKs When a CalWORKsPACF household reports a change in fleeing felon status or a paroleprobation violation that is confirmed for the CalWORKs case take action on the reported information in the CalFresh case because action is being taken on a CalWORKs mandated report Discontinue the individual from CalFresh at the same time as CalWORKs at the end of the month with timely notice NOTE NonAssistance CalFresh NACF households are not required to report a change in fleeing felon status or probationparole violations during the certification period 7 CaWORKsPACF Cases Voluntary Reports If the AUhousehold voluntarily reports a change that is not required to be reported for CalWORKs take action on the PACF only if the reported change is VUR regardless of whether or not CalWORKs takes action Example 1 Scenario An AUhousehold is in the semiannual period of January through June On March 20 the AU reports timely that the mother is a fleeing felon effective March 10 Outcome This is a mandatory report for CalWORKs Discontinue the mother from CalWORKs and CalFresh effective April 1 with timely notice Assess a CalWORKs overpayment for April and Do not establish an overissuance for CalFresh because the fleeing felon report is not a mandatory report for CalFresh Example 1 Scenario The AUhousehold reports that a household member has left the home Outcome CalWORKs Since this is a voluntary report for CalWORKs do not take action to discontinue the person from CalWORKs CalFresh The report is considered VUR for CalFresh Therefore discontinue the household member from CalFresh midperiod with timely notice When an AUhousehold reports an income change midperiod that is under the CalWORKs IRT and CalWORKs does not take action take action on the CalFresh case only if the report is VUR Example 2 Scenario An AUhousehold reports midperiod an increase of income they believe is over the CalWORKs IRT At the same time as the report the household provides County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA CalFresh Program Guide Number Page Mandatory MidPeriod Reports 63283 6of 7 Outcome verification of the new income and expects the income increase will continue for the remainder of the certification period CalWORKs The AU is not required to report the income increase and the income is not over the CalWORKs IRT Do not decrease CalWORKs benefits CalFresh Since all the information and verification was received and there is no need to contact the household for additional information decrease CalFresh benefits midperiod with timely notice because the report is considered VUR Example 3 An AUHousehold reports midperiod a pay increase of 50 cents per hour The income is below the CalWORKs IRT Scenario Outcome CalWORKs The AU is not required to report the income increase Verification is not required because the income increase is clearly below the CalWORKs IRT Do not take action to decrease benefits CalFresh Since the report is voluntary and CalWORKs did not take action and did not require verification do not decrease CalFresh benefits because the report is not VUR 8 Report of Reduction in ABAWD Work Hours ABAWDs are required to report all changes that would affect CalFresh eligibility on a semiannual basis on the SAR 7 or recertification In addition ABAWDs who are meeting the work requirement through employment are required to report within 10 days when hours of work drop below 20 hours per week or 80 hours per month Determine ABAWD status prospectively on a semiannual basis NOTE ABAWDs reporting requirements are not currently in force because a waiver is currently in effect exempting ABAWDs from work requirements 9 Report of Substantial Lottery or Gambling Winnings Households must report receipt of substantial winnings anytime during the certification period The dollar amount of the substantial winnings is determined before taxes or any other withholding Households that receive substantial winnings must immediately become ineligible for benefits and will remain ineligible until they meet financial resource and income eligibility requirements When a household discontinued due to the receipt of substantial winnings reapplies the household is not considered categorically eligible CE or modifiedcategorically eligible MCE If the household member shared the winnings with a nonhousehold member the portion allocated to the household must be considered to determine if they are required to report midperiod This requirement applies even if the household immediately spends or loses a substantial portion of the winnings and the remaining winnings are below the resource limit for elderlydisabled households See Processing Guide 28301 for more information regarding Substantial Winnings including actions to take when a discontinued household reapplies County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA CalFresh Program Guide Mandatory MidPeriod Reports Number Page 63283 7 of 7 Other Program ImpactsNo Impact References CFR 2721 2722 27217 2738 2739 27310 27311 27312 27313 and 27318 ACL 1225 1225E 1259 1308 1317 1326 1380 1542 and 20132 ACIN I5813 and I5813E Processing Guide 28301 Sunset Date This policy will be reviewed for continuance by 07312024 Approval for Release Rick Wanne Director SelfSufficiency Services