2.1 Reducing Barriers to Family Enrollment and Redetermination

Lead Agency enrollment and redetermination policies may not unduly disrupt parents’ employment, education, or job training activities to comply with the Lead Agency’s or designated local entity’s requirements. Lead Agencies have broad flexibility to design and implement the eligibility practices that reduce barriers to enrollment and redetermination. Examples include developing strategies to inform families and their providers of an upcoming redetermination and the information that will be required of the family, pre-populating subsidy renewal forms, having parents confirm that the information is accurate, and/or asking only for the information necessary to make an eligibility redetermination. In addition, Lead Agencies can offer a variety of family-friendly methods for submitting documentation for eligibility redetermination that considers the range of needs for families in accessing support (e.g., use of languages other than English, access to transportation, accommodation of parents working non-traditional hours). 2.1.1 Eligibility practices to reduce barriers to enrollment a. Does the Lead Agency implement any of the following eligibility practices to reduce barriers at the time of initial eligibility determination? Check all that apply and describe those elements checked. i. ☐ Establishing presumptive eligibility while eligibility is being determined. Describe the policy, including the populations benefiting from the policy, and identify how long the period of presumptive eligibility is. Not applicable. ii. ☐ X Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe: Effective January 1, 2024, if a member of the family has been certified as eligible to receive benefits or services in any of these means-tested government programs, Medi-Cal, CalFresh, California Food Assistance Program, California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children , The Federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Head Start, Early Head Start, or if an agency has determined a member of the family to be eligible for Head Start or Early Head Start, they are considered categorically eligible, as well as those receiving CalWORKs services. iii. ☐ X Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: California received a notice of possible non-compliance on May 8, 2024, from the Office of Child Care based on the January 2024 Cycle 2 monitoring visit. California Department of Social Services will begin the legislative and budgetary processes to make changes to Welfare and Institutions Code and regulations and will provide contractors additional technical assistance to ensure clear processes are in place for incorporating an additional family member during the existing eligibility period that ensures a minimum of 12 months eligibility for that child. iv. ☐ Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: Not applicable. v. ☐ X Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vi. ☐ X Consultation available via phone. vii. ☐ X Other. Describe the Lead Agency policies to process applications efficiently and make timely eligibility determinations: Agencies are required to mail or deliver a completed Notice of Action, Application for Services, within 30 calendar days from the date the application was signed by the parent(s). viii. ☐ None. b. Does the Lead Agency use an online subsidy application? ☐ X Yes. c. No. If no, describe why an online application is impracticable. Not applicable. d. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? ☐ Yes. If yes, describe the policies: Not applicable. ☐ X No. 2.1.2 Preventing disruption of eligibility activities a. Identify, where applicable, the Lead Agency’s procedures and policies to ensure that parents do not have their employment, education, or job training unduly disrupted to comply with the State’s/Territory’s or designated local entity’s requirements for the redetermination of eligibility. Check all that apply. i. ☐ X Advance notice to parents of pending redetermination. ii. ☐ Advance notice to providers of pending redetermination. iii. ☐ Pre-populated subsidy renewal form. iv. ☐ X Online documentation submission. v. ☐ Cross-program redeterminations. vi. ☐ X Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vii. ☐ X Consultation available via phone. viii. ☐ X Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. ix. ☐ X Other. Describe: The contractor must make every effort to make the recertification process convenient for the families by providing early morning, evening, weekend appointments, or appointments at alternative locations as necessary. The contractor may use technology to complete the recertification process if there is no other reasonable way for the family to complete the process in person. COVID 19 restrictions created opportunities for contractors to establish new processes and extra efforts were encouraged to allow families to recertify remotely. b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? ☐ Yes. If yes, describe the policies: Not applicable. ☐ X No.