DPSS ePolicy

The purpose of this Administrative Release is to release policy and procedures related to Verified Upon Receipt (VUR).

CalFresh households (HHs) have a simplified reporting process with limited reporting requirements between certification periods. HHs are mandated to report new information or any changes to previously reported information at:

• Intake;
  
  
• Semi-Annual Report (SAR) 7; and
  
  
• Renewal (RE).

Any changes reported outside of the Intake, SAR 7, or RE periods are considered mid-period reports. Mid-period reports can be:

• Mandatory;
  
  
• Voluntary; or
  
  
• County-initiated.

Changes or information reported that is complete and received from a primary source, is not questionable, and does not require further information/verification, is considered VUR. The reported information is verified by the originating source, such as the HH (e.g., removal of a HH member) or a government agency.

Examples of information from the primary source considered VUR include:

• BENDEX and SDX from Social Security Administration (SSA);
  
  
• Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement (SAVE) from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS);
  
  
• Unemployment compensation for the Employment Development Department (EDD); or
  
  
• Workers’ compensation from the State agency.

Examples of internal agency information that is considered VUR include:

• State agency’s determination of an Intentional Program Violation (IPV); or
  
  
• Information from a State, county, or local work agency that a customer failed to comply with work requirements.

If the information reported at Intake, SAR 7, RE, or mid-period is questionable or requires follow-up questions/verifications, then it is not considered VUR. The information that is not considered VUR must be verified separately, following existing procedures to make an informed judgment as to the HH’s eligibility.

If secondary verification is required to take action on a change in another program (such as Medi-Cal), then it is not considered VUR. 

Any report of changes in HH composition by the Head-of-HH or a responsible adult HH member is considered VUR, and action must be taken on the reported change.

When a HH is required to report a change on a Public Assistance CalFresh (PACF) case (e.g., mandatory mid-period report for CalWORKs) or on other programs, such as General Relief or Medi-Cal, and the other programs take action, CalFresh must take action on the reported information.

Terms and Descriptions

CalFresh SAR HHs are only required to report mid-period when their income exceeds the IRT of 130% FPL for the HH size and if there is a decrease in ABAWD hours worked that are less than 20 hours per week or 80 hours average monthly. When changes are reported mid-period by the primary source and considered VUR, CalFresh must take action on the changes at any point during the certification period, regardless if the other programs take action or not, and if the change will decrease/increase/discontinue the CalFresh benefits.

Benefits are determined for the duration of the certification period. There are exceptions to this rule as listed below.

Eligibility Staff must take action on changes that:

• Are required to be reported on the SAR 7;
  
  
• Are considered VUR and result in a mid-period increase/decrease/discontinuance of benefits;
  
  
• Result in an increase/decrease/discontinuance based on mandatory mid-reports;
  
  
• Result in an increase/decrease/discontinuance based on county-initiated actions; or
  
  
• The HH requests discontinuance.

The changes that cannot be verified by the participant’s statement alone are:

• Income;
  
  
• Medical costs for a deduction;
  
  
• Legal obligations to pay child support and the amount paid; or
  
  
• Any information or change that requires mandatory verifications.

However, HHs certified between 131% and 200% of the FPL are NOT required to make any reports of income during the SAR payment period. These HHs do not have a CalFresh IRT because the HH already reported income of over 130% FPL. The HH’s statement is sufficient for VUR when the HH reports their income is over 130% FPL for non-Modified Categorical Eligibility (MCE) HH or is over 200% for MCE HH.

For all other changes, document the Journal page only and take action upon receipt of the SAR 7 or the RE, whichever is earlier. This applies to changes not required to be reported mid-period or not considered VUR.

The table below includes, but is not limited to, examples of information/reports that are considered VUR and not considered VUR.

 Examples that are considered VUR but are not limited to:

Examples that are not considered VUR (Verification is Required)