CalWORKs: rehabilitation services.

Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families using federal, state, and county funds. Existing law requires a recipient of CalWORKs to participate in welfare-to-work activities as a condition of eligibility, as specified. Existing law sets forth a statement of legislative intent relating to the CalWORKs program. Existing federal income tax laws allow a refundable earned income tax credit for certain low-income individuals who have earned income and who meet certain other requirements. Existing state law, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, allows an earned income credit against personal income tax, and a payment in excess of that credit amount, to an eligible individual, as specified. Existing law requires counties, at each regular eligibility determination, to ask a CalWORKs recipient whether the recipient is eligible for and takes advantage of the federal earned income tax credit. If the recipient may be eligible and does not participate, existing law requires the county to give the recipient the federal earned income tax credit form and to encourage and assist the recipient to take advantage of it. This bill would make technical and clarifying changes to the intent language relating to the CalWORKs program. The bill would also require counties to ask a CalWORKs recipient whether the recipient is eligible for and takes advantage of the state earned income tax credit that became available in 2015, to give the recipient the state earned income tax credit form, and to encourage and assist the recipient to take advantage of it. By requiring a higher level of service of county employees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing federal law, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, provides federal funding to states that provide rehabilitation and vocational services to individuals with disabilities, as defined, including individuals with the most significant disabilities, as defined, in accordance with guidelines established pursuant to the act. Existing state law establishes the Department of Rehabilitation in the California Health and Human Services Agency to provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities, and directs the department to cooperate with the federal government in carrying out the purposes of federal statutes pertaining to those individuals. Existing law provides specified services to individuals with the most severe disabilities. Existing law requires an individualized written rehabilitation program to be developed for each individual who has been determined to be eligible for these services. This bill would make technical changes to those provisions that, among other things, would delete references to individuals with the most severe disabilities, and instead, refer to individuals with the most significant disabilities, consistent with the federal act. The bill would also delete references to an individualized written rehabilitation program, and would instead refer to an individualized plan for employment. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.