15204.35. (Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 26, Sec. 26.)

(b) (1) Recommendations for initial changes to the methodology for development of the CalWORKs single allocation for the 2018–19 fiscal year shall be made to the Legislature by January 10, 2018.

(2) Recommendations for additional changes to the methodology for the 2019–20 and subsequent fiscal years shall be made to the Legislature by October 1, 2018.

(c) The State Department of Social Services shall work with representatives of county human services agencies and the County Welfare Directors Association of California for purposes of continuing to develop the casework metrics used for the budgeting of funding for employment services in the CalWORKs single allocation and to develop the budgeting methodology for welfare-to-work direct services during the 2019–20 fiscal year. As part of the process of developing this budgeting methodology, the department shall consult with legislative staff, advocate representatives, and labor organizations that represent county workers.

(d) The number of hours per case per month of case work time budgeted for intensive cases as defined pursuant to the budget methodology changes for the employment services component of the CalWORKs single allocation developed pursuant to this section shall be incrementally increased for each of the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscal years. Effective July 1, 2024, the number of hours per case per month of case work time budgeted for intensive cases shall be maintained at a minimum of 8.75 hours. Subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, the number of hours per case per month of case time budgeted for intensive cases shall be increased to no more than 10 hours.

(e) The State Department of Social Services, in consultation with representatives of county human services agencies and the County Welfare Directors Association of California, shall reconsider the costs of county operations for county administrative costs in the CalWORKs single allocation for the 2024–25 fiscal year, the 2028–29 fiscal year, and every third fiscal year thereafter. The State Department of Social Services shall provide information to the legislative budget committees regarding this reconsideration and how it may impact county administrative costs as part of the budget proposed by either January 10 or May 14 of any year prior to the fiscal year for which this provision applies.

(f) In implementing this section, the department shall consult with legislative staff, representatives of county human services agencies and the County Welfare Directors Association of California, advocate representatives, and labor organizations that represent county workers.