CalWORKs.

Assembly Member Patel's CalWORKs reform legislation modifies how California determines aid eligibility for parents whose children have been placed in out-of-home care. The measure allows the State Department of Social Services to extend the period during which parents remain eligible for assistance beyond the current six-month limit when their children are temporarily removed from the home.

The bill revises existing CalWORKs requirements by specifying that parents can maintain eligibility for aid and services even if only some children are removed from the home, eliminating the previous requirement that all children must be removed. It also clarifies that parents need not have been receiving aid independently from the family unit at the time of removal to qualify for continued assistance. Additionally, the legislation ends any sanctions related to child immunization verification when a child enters out-of-home placement.

While expanding county administrative responsibilities under CalWORKs, the measure prohibits new General Fund appropriations for implementation. The bill requires state reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for any costs mandated by these changes, as determined by the Commission on State Mandates. Counties would implement the provisions through guidance from the department while formal regulations are developed.