18900.5. (Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 27, Sec. 117.)

(c) Subdivision (b) shall be implemented as follows:

(1) As of June 1, 2019, or the alternate implementation date described in subdivision (b), an individual who is otherwise eligible for CalFresh benefits and who is not in an existing CalFresh household as an excluded member, shall become eligible for CalFresh benefits notwithstanding that the individual is a recipient of Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment Program benefits provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000) of Part 3.

(2) (A) For all existing CalFresh households as of June 1, 2019, or the alternate implementation date described in subdivision (b), that as a result of subdivision (b) include a previously excluded individual who receives Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment Program benefits provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000) of Part 3, the county welfare department shall implement this provision by adding that individual, or those individuals, to the existing CalFresh household, and determining continuing eligibility and benefits pursuant to Sections 18901, 18901.7, and Chapter 10.1 (commencing with Section 18930), at the next periodic report or recertification, as described in Sections 18910 and 18910.1. This shall include households that temporarily lose their eligibility on or before the date when the SSI recipient would be added and have their benefits restored within 30 days of that date based on good cause or providing the necessary information to restore eligibility.

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), an existing CalFresh household described in that subparagraph may request, at any time following June 1, 2019, or the alternate implementation date described in subdivision (b), and before the next periodic report or recertification, that a previously excluded individual who receives Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment Program benefits provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000) of Part 3, be added to the CalFresh household. Upon this request, the county welfare department shall determine continuing eligibility and benefits pursuant to Sections 18901, 18901.7, and Chapter 10.1 (commencing with Section 18930).

(3) (A) For a new CalFresh household enrolled within six calendar months of June 1, 2019, or the alternate implementation date described in subdivision (b), which consists entirely of individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment Program benefits provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000) of Part 3 and is eligible for a certification period of 24 or 36 months, the household’s initial certification period may be no more than six months shorter than the maximum period allowable to help spread the workload of periodic reports and recertifications, and manage caseload relative to timeliness and accuracy standards.

(B) For a CalFresh household that is not described in subparagraph (A), the household’s certification period shall be the maximum allowed by federal law for the household type, unless the county complies with subdivision (b) of Section 18910, or, on a case-by-case basis only, the household’s individual circumstances require a shorter certification period.