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school session. If needed supportive services are not available, the recipient has good cause for not participating.

Child care vouchers are available to current or former cash assistance recipients who are eligible to receive assistance with paying for child care with a provider of their choice. Child care services in CalWORKs ensure that access to stable child care is never a barrier to fully engaging in the CalWORKs program. Child care vouchers are provided for children through the age of 12, and for children with exceptional needs and severely disabled children up to age 21. Child care payments are paid directly to the child care provider or the parent in specific situations without the use of income disregards.

CalWORKs Stage One Child Care may be authorized immediately and continuously for 12 months upon cash aid approval, or until participants are transferred to Stage Two. This applies to every WTW eligible participant, including a sanctioned participant who indicates an intent to cure their sanction by participating in a program activity or employment, or who expresses a need for child care in order to successfully engage. Child care shall be authorized on a full-time basis unless the participant requests part-time care.

Counties must verify that child care has been secured before mandating any early engagement activities. In addition, counties shall inform participants of the availability of paid child care at several times throughout their time in CalWORKs.

Special supportive services and intensive case management services are also available for pregnant and parenting teens. These services are provided through the Cal-Learn Program, which is designed to encourage pregnant and parenting teens to complete high school or its equivalent. Participation in Cal-Learn is mandatory for pregnant or parenting teens who have not completed high school or its equivalent and are ages 18 and under and is voluntary for specified 19-year old’s receiving CalWORKs. Cal-Learn teens may earn a $100 bonus up to four times a year for making satisfactory grades on their report card. A $500 graduation bonus is given to each Cal-Learn teen upon earning a high school diploma or equivalent. A Cal-Learn teen who is non-participatory, fails to demonstrate adequate grades, or does not have a good cause determination will be sanctioned $100 up to four times in a twelve-month period. The sanction will be applied to the Cal-Learn teen’s AU. A county must determine the Cal-Learn teen’s progress four times in a twelve-month period. At any given reporting time a Cal-Learn teen will receive a bonus for satisfactory progress, a sanction for failing to demonstrate adequate progress or will receive neither a sanction nor bonus for achieving adequate progress.

CalWORKs Home Visiting Program (HVP)

This county-optional voluntary program serves pregnant individuals and parents or caretaker relatives with a child under the age of 24 months at the time of enrollment. Individuals must also be a member of a CalWORKs assistance unit,