DPSS ePolicy

Revision of existing policy and/or form(s)

What changed?

1. References to the Leader Replacement System have been replaced with California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS).
2. References to the PA 853, Affidavit have been replaced with the GEN 853, Sworn Statement.
3. Reference to the QR 7-LA, General Relief (GR) Quarterly Report has been replaced with the SAR 7, Eligibility Status Report.
4. Reference to the Electronic Document Management System has been replaced with the CalSAWS Imaging Solution (CIS).
5. Language was changed to incorporate gender neutral terms.
6. Due to the Sunset of the General Relief Emergency Housing Program on July 1, 2022 (44-221 Sunset of General Relief Emergency Housing Program), the following was removed:
   
   
   1. References to the Crisis Housing Vouchers.
   2. References to the Meal Vouchers.

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

Emergency aid is assistance that may be issued to an applicant prior to the approval of the GR application and any assistance issued to prevent a potential hardship if the GR household (HH) had to otherwise wait for the GR approval and/or the GR grant to be issued (e.g., eviction, catastrophe, or electronic theft of cash benefits).

The following types of emergency aid are available to GR applicants at Intake:

1. Prevent eviction/foreclosure;
2. Restore utilities or to prevent utility shut-off; and
3. Transportation.

The following types of emergency aid are available to GR applicants who have been approved for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/State Supplemental Payment (SSP) pending receipt of the initial SSI/SSP check: 

1. Prevent eviction/foreclosure;
2. Restore utilities or to prevent utility shut-off; and
3. Transportation.

The following types of emergency aid are available for applicants/participants who become fully employed before or after applying for GR or after approval, if otherwise eligible, until they receive their first paycheck:

1. Prevent eviction/foreclosure;
2. Restore utilities or to prevent utility shut-off;
3. Transportation;
4. Occupational/Trade Tools; and
5. Personal care items.

Refer to 44-202 Special Needs for more information on occupational trade tools and personal care kits.

The following types of emergency aid are available on approved cases to victims of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) theft while they are waiting for the restoration of their cash benefits:

1. Prevent eviction/foreclosure;
2. Restore utilities or to prevent utility shut-off; and
3. Transportation.

Refer to 44-311 Replacement of General Relief Cash Benefits Due to Electronic Benefits Transfer Theft for more information on benefit restoration.

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)

An electronic payment delivery system that uses debit card technology. This system is used to deliver benefits to participants receiving cash and CalFresh benefits (primary cardholders) and designated alternate cardholders.

Electronic Theft

Electronic theft occurs when a participant (or Authorized Representative) has not lost physical possession of the EBT card, nor shared their Personal Identification Number with anyone, and cash benefits are electronically stolen (often called skimming) from their EBT account.

Emergency Aid

Assistance that may be issued to an applicant prior to case approval and any assistance issued to prevent a potential hardship if the GR HH had to otherwise wait for a GR approval and/or the GR grant to be issued (e.g., eviction, catastrophe, or missing warrant).

Transportation

Transportation is a way of getting from place to place. GR applicants/participants may be issued MTA SV TAP cards or an EBT allowance to take the bus or pay for mileage within Los Angeles County.

Stagger Day

This day is used to indicate the day of the month benefits are available, unless the cash stagger day has been changed to the first of the month.

EMERGENCY AID

The following are the requirements for emergency aid:

1. All liquid resources must be exhausted or unavailable;
2. The HH must meet GR eligibility requirements. No duplicate aid may be issued except for catastrophe situation (limited to fire, flood, earthquake, or storm); and
3. The HH cannot be in a penalty period.

At Intake

Emergency aid may be issued to an applicant who has shown preliminary eligibility for GR prior to approval, subject to the following limitations:

1. The 15-calendar day residency requirement must be met (except for “return to residence”);
2. A GR application must be completed;
3. The applicant must declare on the application that:
   1. Their current income or liquid assets (personal property) do not exceed the amount allowed in the Personal Property (42-200 Property) regulations;
   2. No public or private agency is currently providing or will be providing the need during the accrual period of issuance; and
   3. No person or agency will provide the emergency need.
4. At case approval, the initial month’s grant is issued as RUSH.

On an Approved Case

Before issuing emergency aid on an approved case, the following conditions must be met:

1. Emergency aid for approved cases is only issued when the participant requests restoration of electronically stolen benefits and the restoration of benefits cannot be done same day.
2. When the participant believes their EBT cash benefits have been stolen via electronic theft, an EBT 2259, Report of Electronic Theft of Cash Aid form must be completed for review by the California EBT Contractor.
   
   Refer to 44-311 Restoration of General Relief Cash Benefits Due to Electronic Benefits Transfer Theft for more information on the requirements for benefit restoration.
   
   
3. Homeless participants only - The owner/manager/landlord must be contacted to verify that the participants are homeless and no longer at the address where the participants state they last stayed:
   1. If the owner/manager/landlord cannot be reached or the participant does not remember the name/telephone number, the participant must complete a GEN 853, Sworn Statement; and
   2. The GEN 853 must list the participant’s last address, a statement that the participant is homeless and that the participant does not recall the name/telephone number of the owner/manager/landlord.
4. The GEN 853 must be signed by the GR participant agreeing to the deduction of the emergency aid from the following month’s grant. If the participant refuses to sign the GEN 853, emergency aid is not issued.

All issuances of GR benefits are made via the EBT system unless otherwise specified. Aid may be issued beginning on the participant’s stagger day.

Emergency aid issued is deducted from the following month’s grant.

Aid Pending Receipt of Initial SSI/SSP Check

The following requirements apply when issuing emergency aid pending receipt of initial SSI/SSP check:

1. Emergency aid may be issued to GR applicants who have been approved for SSI/SSP but are waiting for actual receipt of the initial payment.
2. SSI/SSP applicants may receive notice of SSI/SSP approval up to 60 days before they receive the initial SSI/SSP payment. This could result in a severe hardship for persons without any income or resources.
3. Authorization to pay retroactive SSI/SSP benefits more than an amount specified by the Social SecurityAdministration (SSA) may exceed 60 days as such payments are reviewed and approved by the SSA prior to disbursement.
4. Participants who are approved for SSI/SSP will be discontinued from receiving GR benefits. For them to receive emergency aid pending receipt of their initial SSI/SSP check, they must complete a new application.
5. For control purposes, district administrators must designate an Intake worker to process all applications for emergency aid pending receipt of SSI/SSP benefits.
6. The SSA field offices may issue a same-day emergency payment to a disabled person, provided certain criteria are met. Before GR emergency aid is issued, a determination of the applicant’s eligibility to receive the emergency SSA payment must be made by using the PA 747, Determination of Eligibility for Emergency SSA Payment.
   
   • Note: The SSA will not issue an emergency SSA payment if the person is due to receive the initial SSI/SSP payment within seven days. In this instance, the applicant may be issued GR emergency aid if otherwise eligible.   
7. When requests for emergency aid continue 60-calendar days beyond the date of the award notice, the district SSI/SSP Liaison must obtain clarification from SSA that is recorded on the CalSAWS Journal page.

Catastrophe

The following requirements apply when issuing emergency aid for catastrophe:

1. To receive non-deductible duplicate emergency aid for food and housing, the participant must have such a need due to a catastrophe and not be able to meet the need through any other means. Catastrophes are limited to fire, flood, storm, earthquake, and eviction by a public authority on the grounds of sub-standard housing.
2. Participants evicted by a public authority on the grounds of sub-standard housing are limited to the issuance of duplicate emergency aid for housing and only if relocation money is not received.

Aid to First Paycheck

The following requirements apply when issuing emergency Aid to First Paycheck:

1. Participants who receive “Aid to First Paycheck” are exempt from employable requirements.
2. Emergency aid is issued only for the portion of the “Aid to First Paycheck” period for which no GR grant is issued.
3. The amount issued for any need item must be limited to a proration of that specified in the GR Basic Budget Table below, except for the issuance of vouchers for homeless participants. Vouchers can be issued at the prevailing rate until the first paycheck is received.
   
   

Refer to 44-301 Aid Payments for more details regarding the GR Basic Budget table.

4. To receive “Aid to First Paycheck” 
   1.    The participant must sign an ABCDM 228, Applicant’s Authorization for Release of Information, authorizing contact with the potential employer;
   2. The potential employer must verify the employment and date of first paycheck; and
   3. The participant must sign a GEN 853 greeing to the reduction/discontinuance of their GR benefits.

PREVENT EVICTION

Emergency aid to prevent eviction is issued as a vendor payment directly to the landlord or mortgage holder.

The landlord/mortgage holder must be known to the Resource Databank to issue them a vendor payment in CalSAWS.

Refer to JA Resource Databank - Manage Services for instructions on adding a vendor to the Resource Databank.

At Intake

The following are the requirements to receive emergency aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure at Intake:

1. Aid may be issued for the period beginning 30 calendar days prior to the date of application and through the month of application.
2. Aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure must not have been issued to the applicant within the past year.
3. The applicant must have received a written notice of intent to evict/foreclose from the landlord or mortgage holder. Notice by the Marshal or Notice of Default is not required. The notice must specify the payment period, the amount due, and deadline for payment.
   
   • Note: The amount due (or the amount the landlord will accept) plus any amount issued for utilities must be within the maximum allowed for housing.
     
4. The landlord/mortgage holder must be contacted and agree not to evict/foreclose if the rent/mortgage or agreed upon portion is paid. Acceptance of a partial payment generally nullifies the preceding notice.
5. Emergency aid to prevent eviction is issued as a vendor payment directly to the landlord or mortgage holder.
6. For situations in which the mortgage holder has initiated foreclosure, the applicant must sign a lien on the real property.
7. Issuances for the period of 30 calendar days prior to the date of application are not deductible. All other issuances are deductible from the GR grant.
8. Any amounts issued for the current month must be deducted as part of the GR grant for the same month (see example 1).
9. Aid may not be issued to cover needs during a penalty period.
10. Deputy District Director (DDD) approval is required.

On an Approved Case

The following are the requirements to receive emergency aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure on an approved case:

1. Emergency aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure/utility shut-off is limited to the amount necessary to pay rent/mortgage or the amount specified in the Basic Budget Table.
2. To receive emergency aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure, the participant must have received a written notice of intent to evict/foreclose from the landlord/mortgage holder who will not wait for the restoration of benefits through the benefit restoration process.
3. Notice by the Marshal or Notice of Default is not required. The notice must specify the payment period, the amount due, deadline for payment, signature and address or telephone number of issuer, and date issued.
4. Emergency aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure is issued as a vendor payment directly to the landlord or mortgage holder.

Aid to First Paycheck

Aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure/utility shut-off or restoration must not exceed the amount determined by prorating the GR Basic Budget Table.

PREVENT UTILITY SHUT-OFF

At Intake

The following are the requirements to receive emergency aid to prevent utility shut-off at Intake:

1. Aid to restore utilities or prevent shut-off of utilities may be issued for the period beginning 30 calendar days prior to the date of application and through the last day of the month of application.
2. The applicant must have received a notice of intent to shut-off utilities or the utilities must already be disconnected.
3. In situations where the housing is sublet, and the applicant pays a flat rent amount that includes utilities, no allowance may be made.
4. The notice of intent to shut-off utilities or the disconnect notice does not have to be in the name of the applicant; however, the notice must be for the applicant’s residence address.
5. The combined emergency aid issuances to prevent eviction/foreclosure/utility shut-off, or to restore utilities for any accrual month must not exceed the housing amount or prorated housing amount specified in the Basic Budget Table.
6. Issuances for the period of 30 calendar days prior to the date of application are not deductible. All other issuances are deducted from the initial grant at approval.
7. Aid may not be issued to cover needs during a penalty period.
8. The Eligibility Supervisor (ES) approval is required.

On an Approved Case

The following are the requirements to receive emergency aid to prevent utility shut-off on an approved case:

1. Emergency aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure/utility shut-off is limited to the amount necessary to pay rent/mortgage/utilities or the amount specified in the Basic Budget Table.
2. To receive emergency aid for utilities, the participant must have received a written notice of intent to shut-off utilities from the utility company who will not wait for the restoration of benefits through the benefit restoration process.
3. Notice by the Marshal or Notice of Default is not required. The notice must specify the payment period, the amount due, deadline for payment, signature and address or telephone number of issuer, and date issued.

Aid to First Paycheck

Aid to prevent eviction/foreclosure/utility shut-off or restoration must not exceed the amount determined by prorating the GR Basic Budget Table.

TRANSPORTATION

At Intake

1. A round-trip transportation allowance is allowed for the following activities:
   1. Verified medical appointments (see example 2);
   2.  SSI application/appeals activity; and
   3. When the Eligibility Worker (EW) requests the applicant to travel to the district office to clear up a problem that exists because of agency error only (not applicant error).
2. Transportation is issued for the number of trips needed.
    

3. MTA transfers are not available. An additional TAP card valued at $3.50 is issued for each trip that requires a transfer to another bus.
4. In remote areas having no local bus routes, such as portions of the Lancaster district, current reimbursement rates per mile may be used for computing an automobile allowance.
   
   Refer to the IRS website for current reimbursement rates.
   
   
5. Emergency aid for transportation is not deducted from the GR grant.

On an Approved Case

Emergency aid for transportation is not allowed when a bus pass allowance or other allowance covering the need is included in the ongoing grant, except when the participant meets the requirements for benefit restoration.
 

Emergency Aid on Approved Cases

The following verifications are needed in addition to the documentation required for any allowable need items:

1. A completed EBT 2259 in which the participant reports that their EBT cash benefits have been stolen via electronic theft; and
2. A GEN 853 must be signed by the GR participant agreeing to the deduction of the emergency aid from the following month’s grant.

Emergency Aid at Intake Pending Initial SSI/SSP Check

The following verifications are needed in addition to the documentation required for any particular allowable need items:

1. Proof of their award such as, the award letter itself, or other documents signed by an SSA representative indicating the date the participant was determined eligible for SSI/SSP, and the anticipated date of the first payment; and
2. If receiving CalFresh, a completed SAR 7.
   
   • Note: There is no quarterly reporting requirement for GR cases. A SAR 7 would only be utilized if the participant is receiving CalFresh benefits.

Emergency Aid for Catastrophes

The following verification is needed:

1. A home call to verify the destruction for participants asserting fire, flood, storm, or earthquake damage; or
2. A written notice from the agency or a telephone call to the agency for participants asserting they have been evicted by a public agency.

Emergency Aid to First Paycheck

The following verifications are needed in addition to the documentation required for any allowable need items:

1. A signed ABCDM 228 authorizing contact with the potential employer;
2. Verbal or written confirmation by the employer of the employment and date of first paycheck; and
3. A signed GEN 853 agreeing to the reduction/discontinuance of GR benefits.

Prevent Eviction/ Foreclosure

At Intake

The applicant must provide a written notice of intent to evict/foreclose from the landlord or mortgage holder. Notice by the Marshal or Notice of Default is not required. The notice must specify the payment period, the amount due, and deadline for payment.

On an Approved Case

The participant must provide a written notice of intent to evict/foreclose/utility shut-off from the landlord/mortgage holder/utility company who will not wait for the replacement of benefits through the affidavit process. Notice by the Marshal or Notice of Default is not required. The notice must specify the payment period, the amount due, deadline for payment, signature and address or telephone number of issuer, and date issued.

Prevent Utility Shut-off

At Intake

The applicant must provide either a written notice of intent to shut-off utilities or a disconnect notice. The notice does not have to be in the name of the applicant; however, the notice must be for the applicant’s residence address.

On an Approved Case

The participant must provide a written notice of intent to shut-off from the landlord/mortgage holder/utility company who will not wait for the replacement of benefits through the affidavit process. Notice by the Marshal or Notice of Default is not required. The notice must specify the payment period, the amount due, deadline for payment, signature and address or telephone number of issuer, and date issued.