Page 21

17

The local rape crisis centers also provide direct client services, including counseling services to their clients, through federal Violence Against Women Act funds, which are administered in California by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

SPECIAL PROVISIONS

vii. Indicate whether the state intends to treat families moving into the state from another state differently than other families under the program, and if so, how the state intends to treat such families under the program.

California does not treat families moving into the state from another state differently from other families under the program.

viii. Indicate whether the state intends to provide assistance under the program to individuals who are not citizens of the United States, and if so, include an overview of such assistance.

California uses TANF funds to serve qualified noncitizens in accordance with TANF provisions. California also assists some legal noncitizens who are not eligible for TANF. This assistance aligns with TANF but is funded with state-only general funds. These noncitizens must meet the same financial criteria and are subject to the same work requirements as CalWORKs recipients.

ix. Set forth objective criteria for the delivery of benefits and the determination of eligibility and for fair and equitable treatment, including an explanation of how the state will provide opportunities for recipients who have been adversely affected to be heard in a state administrative or appeal process.

CalWORKs establishes uniform objective criteria for determination of eligibility for cash assistance, diversion services and supportive services to families with (or expecting) a needy child. Eligibility is based upon need as indicated by age, citizenship, deprivation, income, resources, and residency. In addition, continued eligibility is based on compliance with work requirements, as applicable, and the reporting of specific information, and is limited to 60 months. Exemptions to work requirements and time limits are defined. Fleeing felons are ineligible for benefits under this program.

A parent or caretaker relative of a child in a CalWORKs AU can elect to receive full child support payments for a stepsibling or half-sibling of an eligible child in the AU in lieu of cash assistance for the step/half=sibling and exempts those child support payments from consideration in determining CalWORKs eligibility or grant amounts. The step/half-sibling would remain eligible for other cash-linked programs and services (CalFresh and Medi-Cal) provided they continue to meet all other eligibility requirements.