DPSS ePolicy

To convert existing policy to new writing style only - No concept changes 

Applicants/Participants are required to provide their Social Security Number (SSN) or submit verification of a completed SSN application to be eligible for CalWORKs. Good Cause can be granted for not submitting an SSN application when the application cannot be submitted due to circumstances beyond the applicant's/participant's control. 

Note: Persons eligible to the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and the Trafficking Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) are exempt from the SSN requirement. TCVAP CalWORKs applicants/participants are not required to provide SSNs since they receive State-funded benefits and are identified as exempt.

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Social Security Administration (SSA): An independent agency of the United States (U.S.) federal government that administers SSNs and a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability, and survivor's benefits. 

SSN: An SSN issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents. The SSN is issued to an individual by SSA to track individuals for Social Security purposes and is also used as a national identification number for taxation and other purposes. 

MC 194-LA: The MC 194-LA, Referral Notice, is used to: 

• Obtain an original SSN card; 
• Request a duplicate SSN card; 
• Correct the assignment of duplicate SSNs; and/or
• Correct SSNs assigned to the same person. 

PA 4013: The PA 4013, Non-Work SSN Referral Letter, is used to refer certain noncitizens to the SSA office to request a non-work SSN. They include: 

• Immigrants eligible to receive government benefits. This includes but is not limited to, the following individuals based on the status of their United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) application: 
  • Violence Against Women Act petitioners with a prima facie notice; 
  • Battered immigrants with approved I-130s; and 
  • Trafficking victims with an Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR) certification; and 
• Are not eligible to work in the U.S. 

The PA 4013 must be filled out and signed as outlined in Form Instructions PA 4013 Non-Work Social Security Number Referral Letter.

SSN Verification Timeframe

CalWORKs applicants/participants must provide verification of the SSN as follows: 

• Furnish their SSN within 30 days following the date of application; or
• Provide proof of a "completed" SSN application within 30 days following the date of application (this includes but is not limited to the MC 194-LA, and SSA-2853-OP3, Enumeration at Birth Receipt, for newborns enumerated at birth), and 
• Provide their SSN to the County when received or at Renewal (RE). 

A "completed" SSN application is an application that was accepted and is being processed by SSA. This includes and MC 194-LA stamped by SSA. 

SSN Applications for Newborns 

The applicant/participant must provide verification of an SSN application for the newborn no later than the last day of the month following the month in which the mother was released from the hospital. 

An SSA-2853-OP3, received on behalf of a newborn child, is acceptable proof of an SSN application if it contains the name of the newborn, date, and signature of the authorized hospital official. 

Timeframe to Submit the SSN 

The SSN must be provided for the newborn within six months after receipt or at RE, whichever occurs first. 

Persons Exempt from SSN Requirements 

Persons who are eligible to RCA are exempt from SSN requirements. These individuals include but are not limited to: 

• Refugees; 
• Asylees; 
• Trafficking Victims certified by ORR; 
• Special Immigrant Visa Holders; and 
• Cuban/Haitian Entrants. 

See 69-200 Refugee Resettlement Program - Refugee Cash Assistance for detailed information. 

Enumeration at Birth 

SSA, in cooperation with local hospitals, will assign SSNs to newborns.  This is referred to as enumeration at birth. 

• Enumeration at birth is done with the registration of birth at the hospital. 
• If enumeration at birth is done, the parent receives a receipt (SSA-2853-OP3). This is an acceptable verification for application of an SSN. 
• Enumeration at birth is optional, at the parent's discretion. If enumeration at birth is not done, a referral for an SSN will be done following SSN application procedures. 

MC 194-LA, Referral Notice

Eligibility staff will make every effort to assist the applicant/participant in obtaining the documents necessary to determine eligibility for CalWORKs.  With regard to the SSN, this is done by providing applicants/participants with an MC 194-LA, Referral Notice, in the following instances:

• There never was an SSN; 
• The SSN is known, but cannot be verified by the Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS); or 
• There is more than one SSN assigned. 

Note: The MC 194-LA, completed by SSA, must be provided by the applicant/participant before authorizing aid for the individual. 

The applicant/participant must provide the SSN as soon as it is received from the local SSA office and by the timeframes above. 

An Applicant/Participant Refuses or Fails to Obtain an SSN Within the Established Timeframes

Only the Assistance Unit (AU) member whose SSN is in question is ineligible for CalWORKs benefits.

Note:  Aid may not be granted for the individual until the applicant/participant has demonstrated that they are cooperating.

Note:  When the SSN requirements are not met for the only eligible child in the case, the entire case is ineligible.

CalFresh SSN Card Verification 

Households (HHs) entitled to expedited service are not required to furnish or apply for an SSN until after they have received their first CalFresh allotment. 

However, these HHs are required to provide or apply for an SSN before their next issuance. 

Good Cause

Good Cause can be granted for not submitting an SSN application when the application cannot be submitted due to circumstances beyond the applicant’s/participant’s control. 

Aid can be approved for the individual when Good Cause is granted provided all other eligibility requirements are met. Staff must follow up every 30 days to determine if Good Cause continues to apply.

Beginning Date of Aid (BDA)

The following scenarios demonstrate SSN situations that may occur during the application process and the resulting BDA. 

Scenario 1: SSN provided and confirmed at application

• If at the time of CalWORKs application, the individual has an SSN and the number is confirmed, then the BDA is the date of CalWORKs application, if otherwise eligible. 

Scenario 2: SSN provided but not yet confirmed

• If at the time of CalWORKs application, the individual has an SSN but the number cannot be confirmed, then the BDA is the date of CalWORKs application, if otherwise eligible. 

Note: Good Cause would need to be determined as noted above and the SSN must be confirmed within 30 days from the date following the date of application. 

Scenario 3: No SSN at application, SSN requirement met within 30 days, case not yet processed

• If at the time of CalWORKs application, the individual  has no SSN and proof of “completed” SSN is returned within 30 days following date of CalWORKs application, and CalWORKs application has not been processed, then the BDA is the date of CalWORKs application, if otherwise eligible. 
  
  Note:
  1.  If proof of “completed” SSN application is not on file when the case is processed, aid will be denied for the individual with no SSN.
  2. If the individual is the only eligible child, the entire AU is ineligible and ineligible for immediate need.

Scenario 4: No SSN at application, SSN requirement met within 30 days, other AU members approved

• If at the time of CalWORKs application, the individual has no SSN and proof of “completed” SSN application is returned within 30 days following date of CalWORKs application, and CalWORKs application has been approved for other eligible AU members, then the BDA is the date of CalWORKs application. 

Scenario 5: No SSN at application, SSN requirement not met when case Is processed

• If at the time of CalWORKs application, the individual has no SSN and proof of “completed” SSN application is returned after 30 days following date of application and CalWORKs has been approved for the other eligible AU members, then the BDA is the first of the month after the verification is provided.  The original request for aid for the individual is denied.  A new BDA is established. 

SSNs will be confirmed by viewing the SSN cards; however, SSN dicrepencies do not delay or prevent authorization for CalWORKs benefits. 

If the SSN card is not available, the following are acceptable evidence:

• Award letter, Medicare card or check from SSA with the participant’s name, SSN, and the letters A, HA, J, T, or M following the SSN.  
• SSN verification from a previous application, provided there is no Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System (MEDS) alert on that SSN.          
• MC 194-LA signed and stamped by SSA.         
• MEDS printout or IEVS abstract with the following:

SSN VER Code, Description, and Participant and/or Eligibility Worker (EW) Action

SSN Verification Code: A 

• Description: 
  • SSN verified via SSA NUMIDENT data match
  • SSA birthdate exactly matches MEDS
    
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • None

• Description:
  • SSN verified via SSA NUMIDENT data match
  • SSA birthdate exactly matches MEDS
  • Surname did not match
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding surname

SSN Verification Code: C

• Description:
  • SSN verified via SSA NUMIDENT data match
  • SSA birthdate does not exactly match MEDS
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding birth
  • date

SSN Verification Code: D

• Description:
  • SSN verified via SSA NUMIDENT data
  • SSA birthdate does not exactly match MEDS
  • Surname did not match
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding birthdate and surname

SSN Verification Code: E

• Description:
  • SSN verified via SSA NUMIDENT data match
  • SSA birthdate not available for exact MEDS match check
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding birthdate

SSN Verification Code: F

• Description:
  • SSN verified via SSA NUMIDENT data match
  • SSA birthdate not available for exact MEDS match check
  • Surname did not match
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding birthdate and surname

SSN Verification Code: H, I, and J

• Description:
  • Failed SSA NUMIDENT data match
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Refer to MEDS Liaison

SSN Verification Code: K and &

• Description:
  • SSN not recognized as an SSN issued by SSA
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA to verify the SSN when the SSN in MEDS does not match the SSN on file 
  • Refer to MEDS Liaison if the SSN does not belong to that person

SSN Verification Code: L

• Description:
  • Verification request pending for SSN reported as sight verified
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA only if there is a discrepancy between the SSN in MEDS and CalSAWS

SSN Verification Code: M

• Description: 
  • Verification request pending for SSN reported as not sight verified
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA, only if an SSN card is not provided, to request a replacement card

SSN Verification Code: N, O, P, and Q

• Description:
  • The SSN verifiers cannot be used to validate due to SSN verification failed SSA NUMIDENT data match on birthdate
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding the SSN and birthdate

SSN Verification Code: S, T, U, and V

• Description:
  • The SSN verifiers cannot be used to validate due to SSN verification failed SSA NUMIDENT data match on surname or given name
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding name discrepancy

SSN Verification Code: W

• Description:
  • SSN identified as verified via prior SSN verification process
• Participant and/or EW Action: 
  • None 

SSN Verification Code: X 

• Description:
  • SSN identified as verified via prior SSN verification process, but SSN verification code was subsequently removed
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Refer to MEDS liaison

SSN Verification Code: Y

• Description:
  • SSN identified as unverified via prior SSN verification process
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding name and/or date discrepancy

SSN Verification Code: *

• Description:
  • SSN identified as verified via State Verification and Exchange System (SVES) SSN verification process, but SSN verification code was subsequently removed by worker
    
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Review SSN verifier on MEDS to determine if the SSN was validated

SSN Verification Code: #

• Description:
  • SSN identified as verified via SVES SSN verification process, but SSN verification code subsequently removed by Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment update
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Review SSN verifier on MEDS to determine if the SSN was validated

SSN Verification Code: !

• Description:
  • SSN failed SSA NUMIDENT data match – given name missing.
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding name discrepancy

SSN Verification Code: %

• Description:
  • SSN verification failed SSA NUMIDENT data match – probable transcription error identified
• Participant and/or EW Action:  
  • Contact SSA regarding the discrepancy identified by the EW once MEDS and case file are reviewed

The SSN card is not required if the SSN is verified as indicated above.

EWs will inform participants of any issues reported by MEDS; however, verification of contact with SSA is not required.  A Journal entry should be made to document the EW’s findings and actions taken.

Notes: 

1. As of August 2014, the SSA discontinued providing SSN printouts.  CalWORKs applicants/participants are not required to supply an SSN printout as verification of an SSN.
2. Military identification cannot be used to verify/confirm an SSN for CalWORKs.

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