42-762 INTRODUCTION TO THE CAL-LEARN PROGRAM

HANDBOOK BEGINS HERE

.1 Background

Social science research has established a strong connection between teenage parenting and longterm welfare dependency. Health research also indicates a strong relationship between early childbearing and increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Senate Bill (SB) 35, Chapter 69, Statutes of 1993, and SB 1078, Chapter 1252, Statutes of 1993, established the Cal-Learn Program to address the unique educational, vocational, training, health, and other social service needs of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) dependent pregnant teens and teenage parents to help them achieve self-sufficiency. As part of the California Work Pays Demonstration Project (CWPDP), the Cal-Learn Program serves welfare recipients under 19 years old who are custodial parents or pregnant. To encourage these teen parents to stay in or return to high school or an equivalent program and earn a diploma or its equivalent, the Cal-Learn Program provides fiscal incentives and disincentives as well as needed supportive services and intensive case management.

The federal welfare reform law, which was enacted in August 1996, ended the federal AFDC Program and replaced it with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program. California's welfare reform bill Assembly Bill (AB) 1542, (Chapter 270, Statutes of 1997) ended the California AFDC Program and replaced it with the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program. Effective January 1, 1998, AB 1542 amended the Cal-Learn Program to allow an otherwise eligible custodial parent or pregnant woman who is 19 years of age to continue to voluntarily participate in the Cal-Learn Program.

.2 Outline of the Major Program Requirements

The major program requirements of the Cal-Learn Program are as follows:

.21 Each teen parent will be required to attend full-time school programs that will lead to a high school diploma or equivalent until he or she earns a high school diploma or its equivalent or turns 19 years old.

.211 Effective January 1, 1998, an otherwise eligible teen who is 19 years of age may continue to participate in the Cal-Learn Program on a voluntary basis until he or she earns a high school diploma or its equivalent or turns 20 years old.

.22 An assistance unit (AU) with a teen parent or parents will receive up to four $100 bonuses in a 12-month period for each teen parent that makes satisfactory progress in his or her school program.

HANDBOOK CONTINUES

NONLINKING FACTORS OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY

(Continued)

HANDBOOK CONTINUES

.23 Each teen parent receiving a high school diploma or its equivalent within the month he or she turns 19 years old, or turns 20 years old for a voluntary 19-year-old participant, will receive a $500 bonus.

.24 An AU with a teen parent or parents will receive a $100 sanction up to four times in a 12month period for each teen parent who fails to make adequate progress in his or her school program without demonstrating good cause.

.25 Child care, transportation and ancillary expense payments will be provided to enable a teen parent to continue in or enroll in school.

.26 Intensive case management services will be provided in accordance with Adolescent Family Life Program (AFLP) Standards which will include linking each teen parent to needed health and social services available in the teen parent's community.

.261 The services provided under the AFLP case management model are a process which assists the teen parent to receive needed services within a multi- and transdisciplinary network in an efficient, supportive and effective manner. Case management is teen parent-centered, culturally appropriate and goal-oriented. It is interactive, involving the teen parent and the teen parent's family, significant others and support persons as equal partners with the case manager in identifying needs and defining ways to meet those needs. Building interpersonal relationships among teen parents, case managers and others is both a method and goal of case management.

HANDBOOK ENDS HERE

NONLINKING FACTORS OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY

(Continued)

.3 Definition for Terms Used in The Cal-Learn Program

a. (1) "Adequate progress" means making a "D" (no less than a 1.0 and less than a 2.0) grade point average on a report card or meeting the school's regular assessment of periodic progress when the school uses an alternative grading method.

(2) "Ancillary expenses" means expenses a teen parent needs to attend and/or graduate from high school or its equivalent. This includes, but is not limited to, school books, GED testing costs, laboratory fees, etc.

(3) "AFLP" means the Adolescent Family Life Program.

(4) "AU" means assistance unit.

b. (1) "Bonus" means a payment of money that is made as part of the AU's cash aid for a teen parent making satisfactory progress in the teen parent's educational program.

c. (1) "CalWORKs" means the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Program, which replaced the AFDC Program in California. Reference to the CalWORKs Program shall include reference to the AFDC Program, as appropriate.

(2) "CDHS" means the California Department of Health Services.

(3) "CDSS" means the California Department of Social Services.

(4) "Control group" means an evaluation group of teen parents who shall not participate in Cal-Learn.

(5) "CWD" means the county welfare department.

(6) "CWPDP" means the California Work Pays Demonstration Project.

d. (1) "Deferred" means a teen parent who is not required to participate in the Cal-Learn Program in accordance with the deferral criteria. A deferred teen parent receives case management services, if available, but is not subject to sanctions, eligible for bonuses or supportive services.

NONLINKING FACTORS OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY

(Continued)

e. (1) "Exempt" means an individual who is not required to participate in accordance with the Cal-Learn exemption criteria. An exempt individual receives no services and is not subject to sanctions or eligible for bonuses.

f. Reserved

g. (1) "GAIN" means the Greater Avenues for Independence program, a comprehensive statewide employment program for AFDC applicants and recipients, which was in effect in California prior to the welfare-to-work activities in the CalWORKs Program.

(2) "GED" means a General Education Development examination.

h. (1) "Head of the AU" is the caretaker relative in the AU.

i. (1) "Independent living" means a person no longer receiving public aid.

j. Reserved

k. Reserved

l. Reserved

m. Reserved

n. Reserved

o. Reserved

p. Reserved

q. Reserved

r. (1) "Report card" means a periodic report on a teen parent's academic achievement routinely issued by a school.

s. (1) "Sanction" means the reduction in the cash aid payment for the AU based on the Cal-Learn sanction criteria.

NONLINKING FACTORS OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY

(Continued)

(2) "Satisfactory progress" means making at least a "C" (2.0) grade point average on a report card or meeting the school's regular assessment of periodic progress when the school uses an alternative grading method.

(3) "Special need" under this section means an event or condition which clearly and directly prevents a teen parent from making adequate progress in school or earning a diploma.

(4) "Supportive services" means transportation, child care and ancillary expenses needed by a teen parent to attend their educational program.

t. (1) "Teen parent" means an individual participating in the Cal-Learn Program. To be a participant, an individual must:

(A) Be a CalWORKs recipient under the age of 19 or 19 years of age and continuing Cal-Learn participation on a voluntary basis; and

(B) Not have obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent; and

(C) Reside with his/her child in the same AU; or

(D) Be pregnant; and

(E) Have been notified of the Cal-Learn Program under Section 42-764.1; and

(F) Not be exempt from participation.

(2) "Trustline Registry" means a computer based registry of child care providers whose backgrounds have been checked to ensure that providers have no disqualifying criminal convictions or substantiated reports of child abuse.

u. Reserved

v. Reserved

w. (1) "Welfare-to-work activities" means the work or work-related activity requirements in the CalWORKs Program. Welfare-to-work activities replaced the GAIN Program in California. Reference to welfare-to-work activities shall include reference to the GAIN Program, as appropriate.

NONLINKING FACTORS OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY

(Continued)

x. Reserved

y. Reserved

z. Reserved

.4 Federal Demonstration Project

.41 The United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) chose four counties to participate in the CWPDP. These four CWDs shall comply with the Cal-Learn Program research procedures throughout the duration of the demonstration project.

.42 The CWD shall provide adequate notification to teen parents who have been assigned to the Cal-Learn evaluation control group.

.43 The designation and treatment of the control group shall be accomplished pursuant to the project's mandated parameters outlined in the Federal Terms and Conditions as approved by the USDHHS.

.431 Designation and treatment of the control groups members shall be limited to control group members residing within the four research counties.

.432 A break-in-aid shall not affect a teen parent's status in the research project as long as the member continues to reside in one of the research counties.

.5 Data Collection

The CWD shall ensure data is collected and submitted in accordance with CDSS statistical reporting requirements. The data shall include, but not be limited to, the following: