DPSS ePolicy

Revision of existing policy and/or form(s)

What changed?

The system procedures have been enhanced to include instructions on how to issue a non-recurring special needs payment to an eligible Non-Needy Caretaker Relative Assistance Unit (AU).

Note: Changes are shown highlighted in grey throughout the document.

A non-recurring special need for household emergencies is a special need that is granted to an eligible AU when any one of the following conditions exist:

• A household emergency resulting from sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the AU’s control; or
  
• Homelessness when the AU is looking for permanent housing resulting from sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the AU’s control.

Key points

• For the AU to be eligible to the non-recurring special need payment, an AU cannot have more than $100 in nonexempt liquid resources;
• The non-recurring special need payment cannot exceed $600 for each incident; and
• The payment cannot be made unless the items belong to a member of the AU.
  

A special need is a need not common to the majority of participants for certain goods or services which are essential for their support. Special needs can be recurring or non-recurring. Counties must assist CalWORKs applicants/participants in identifying any special needs which the applicant/participant may have and to provide an explanation of the types of special need allowances available (California Manual of Policies and Procedures Section 44-211.1).

Liquid Resources

Liquid resources are items of value (cash on hand, uncashed checks, money orders, savings/checking accounts) that can be converted to cash in time to meet the family’s emergent need. Liquid resources do not include cash surrender value of insurance policies, trust funds, household items/furnishings, automobiles, or real property.

An AU is entitled to receive a non-recurring special need payment to:

• Repair or replace clothing or household equipment;
  
• Provide assistance for damages to the home; or
• Pay for interim shelter when the AU’s home was destroyed or made uninhabitable or inaccessible.

Note: Loss or damage caused by wear and tear, breakdown or obsolescence is not considered as sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the AU.

Household Emergencies

Below are the types of non-recurring special need payments that can be issued which cannot exceed $600.

Note: The payments made are based on the actual cost and the sales tax.

Clothing and Household Equipment

The items may include, but are not limited to:

Bed Frame and Matress: Repair or replace/$143.

Bedding, Dishes/ Kitchenware: Repair or replace/$12 for each member in the AU.

Clothing: Replace – not to exceed $25 for each member in the AU.

Cook Stove: Repair or replace/$142.

Space Heater: Repair or replace/$73.

Refrigerator: Repair or replace/$190.

Other Essential Furniture: Repair or replace/$50.

Damages to the AU’s Home

A payment may be made for the costs of essential repair or replacement resulting from damages to the AU’s home. 

The payment can be allowed for the following costs:

House Repairs: The amount of the payment for each item to be repaired/replaced or to assist with damage to the AU’s home.

Note: Payments include labor and material.

Moving and Storage Costs: Costs necessary to move and store items after the home has been damaged.

Interim Shelter

An AU may receive a non-recurring special need payment for temporary shelter costs when the home has become uninhabitable or inaccessible and there is no eligibility to the Homeless Assistance (HA) Program.

HA 

An HA payment, unless exempt, provides assistance for homeless families once every 12 months, with exceptions.

The household emergency resulting from sudden and unusual circumstances beyond their control has no time limit but is restricted to families with emergencies.

In some instances, a family may receive both HA and a non-recurring special need payment (see Example 1 in the Examples Section).

For information on non-recurring special need benefits available under the HA Program, refer to:

• 44-211.52 Temporary Homeless Assistance;
• 44-211.53 Permanent Homeless Assistance; and
  
• 44-211.54 Permanent Homeless Assistance Arrearages.
  

For information on the non-recurring special need benefits only available to homeless Welfare-to-Work participants for temporary shelter, refer to:

44-211.553 Temporary Homeless Assistance Program+14.

Assistance received from a Community Resource Agency

Any money that is given to the family by a community resource, (e.g., American Red Cross, private individual’s, etc.) specifically to purchase the non-recurring special need item(s) needed, is not considered income.

If the item/allowance is provided by the community resource agency, the AU is not entitled to a duplicate payment from the County for that same item/allowance.

Sanctioned, Penalized, or Time-Limited Person

A person who is sanctioned, penalized, or time limited, is not eligible to a special needs allowance.

The participant must complete a GEN 853, Sworn Statement, by providing details of the sudden and unusual circumstance as follows:

• A list of the destroyed items;
  
• Who owned them;
  
• If any of the destroyed items have already been replaced by other resources (e.g., American Red Cross, etc.); and
  
• The circumstances leading to the need for housing, if applicable.
  

Once a non-recurring special need payment is made, the participant is required to provide receipts that the items were purchased, or payment was made. The receipts must be submitted within 15 calendar days from the time the special need payment is received.

If receipts are not received or if the item(s) cost less than the amount of the non-recurring special need payment, the overpayment procedures must be followed, see Administrative Release (AR) 44-350 Overpayments.