AB429: Family Reunification Program Presented by Phyllis Dobbins-Powell

BACKGROUND Assembly Bill 429, Family Reunification Program requires the county to provide CalWORKs Welfare-To-Work (WTW) services to the parents of children who have been removed from the home by Child Welfare Services (CWS) and placed into out-of-home care, provided that the county determines that the activities are necessary to reunify the family.

DEFINITIONS Reunification Parents: natural or adoptive parents who are eligible to continue to receive CalWORKs employment services on the basis that their children are considered temporarily absent and placed in out- of-home care. Reunification Plan: a court ordered case plan that is developed by Child Welfare Services for the provision of services to the reunification parent(s). Reunification Services: includes Employment Services activities, including mental health and substance abuse treatment or any other activities allowable under CalWORKs, including supportive services.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS In order for a caretaker parent to be eligible for CalWORKs Family Reunification Services they must meet the following criteria: Natural or adoptive parent of children The children have been removed from the home by Child Welfare Services A court order exists that the children be placed in Foster Care or with relatives When the children were removed from the home the family was receiving CalWORKs cash aid benefits A court order outlines that reunification services are necessary for the family’s reunification

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS (CONT’D) If the parents are approved as a Family Reunification case, the parents are only eligible for CalWORKs Employment Services CalWORKs Employment Services could be provided for up to 180 days from the date the children were removed from the home Services may be extended if good cause exists

CalWORKs ELIGIBILITY PERIOD Family Reunification Parents are eligible to continue receiving a CalWORKs cash grant for up to a full calendar month when their children have been removed from the home and placed in out-of-home care After the initial month of the children’s removal, the parents are not eligible for CalWORKs cash aid, cash-based Medi- Cal or public assistance Food Stamps

CalWORKs ELIGIBILITY PERIOD (cont’d) After the initial month, reunification parents are only eligible for CalWORKs services if the services are necessary for family reunification and the parents continue to have a reunification plan. An eligibility redetermination must be made at six-month intervals in coordination with the review of the reunification plan A six (6) month redetermination must be completed if the parent receives CalWORKs services for more than 180 days as the result of a good cause extension

GOOD CAUSE EXTENSION A good cause extension may be granted for the following two situations: When the court-ordered six-month reunification plan begins some time after the children’s removal and the plan will then extend beyond the initial 180 days of removal When the county determines that additional time is necessary to complete the court-ordered reunification plan (for as long as the Family Reunification plan is in effect)

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES The county may utilize the court approved family reunification plan as the parent’s WTW Plan The county also has the option to develop or amend a parent’s WTW Plan and to include all or part of the WTW activity requirements in the family reunification plan Reunification parents are eligible for WTW services and supportive services If participation in activities required under the family reunification plan interferes with a parent’s ability to comply with the WTW hours of participation requirement, the parent shall be granted good cause for not participating in WTW activities

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES (cont’d) Parents who are exempt from WTW participation requirements may volunteer to participate in WTW activities A WTW assessment shall not be required for those WTW activities and services that are only provided as a component of a Family Reunification Plan

SANCTIONS Parents who have received a WTW sanction are not excluded from receiving CalWORKs services for purposes of Family Reunification services and may participate immediately Parents who fail to participate in WTW activities or any other activities required under the Family Reunification plan are not subject to the WTW noncompliance or sanction process The county will continue to provide CalWORKs services that are part of a parent’s Family Reunification plan until the Family Reunification plan is terminated by Child Welfare Services

SANCTIONS (cont’d) Reunification parents who have been sanctioned due to child support non- cooperation may participate in the CalWORKs Family Reunification Program Reunification parents who have been penalized for immunization, child support non-cooperation, or school attendance may participate in CalWORKs Family Reunification Program

INELIGIBLE PARENTS A SSI recipient, undocumented noncitizen, convicted drug felon, or 60-month CalWORKs timed-out parent is not eligible to receive CalWORKs Family Reunification services because they are not eligible to receive CalWORKs benefits

CalWIN SCREEN SHOTS Following are CalWIN screen shots that showing the process needed to open and close a CalWORKs case when a child is removed by Child Welfare Services and placed out-of-home with a caretaker relative Also screen shots on how to open an Employment case for a Family Reunification case

Pamela Perkins had her child removed from her custody by Child Welfare Services on August 22, Her daughter, Polly, was placed with Pamela’s Aunt Mary.

August list of program members

Pamela received CalWORKs cash assistance for August. Once Polly is placed with Pamela’s relative, she is no longer eligible for cash assistance. Mary, Pamela’s aunt, then applies for cash assistance for Polly for September benefits.

Pamela has been placed on a court ordered Family Reunification plan by Child Welfare Social Worker. The plan outlines what Pamela needs to complete to enable her to reunite with her child. Pamela has to complete a substance abuse program in a residential recovery facility.

Pamela is placed in a residential recovery home and is participating 12 hours daily. Her program consists of, group therapy, individual therapy, vocational training, parenting classes, and house chores.

September list of program members