CalWORKs: immediate childcare assistance.

Existing law provides for 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 and individuals. Existing law provides for an immediate assistance payment of $200 or the maximum amount for which an applicant is eligible, whichever is less, if a county determines at the time of application that the applicant is apparently eligible for CalWORKs aid, and the applicant needs immediate assistance because the family's total available liquid resources are less than $100 and there is an emergency situation, as specified. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish and continuously update a trustline registry of persons who provide childcare, supervision, or in-home educational or counseling services who are not required to be licensed and who have either not been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation or who have been granted an exemption by the department. This bill would, commencing on July 1, 2020, or when the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation for this purpose, whichever date is later, additionally require a county to provide an applicant with immediate childcare assistance for their child, as specified, if the county determines at the time of application that the applicant is apparently eligible for CalWORKs aid, and (1) the applicant has verification of a job or a job offer and needs childcare assistance in order to maintain or obtain employment or (2) the applicant needs childcare assistance in order to attend an educational or training activity. If an applicant chooses childcare services that are exempt from licensure and require trustline registration, the bill would require the county to issue childcare payments only after the provider has become a registered trustline provider. By imposing additional duties on counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize the department to implement the bill's provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction until final regulations are adopted. The bill would require the final regulations to be adopted no later than 24 months after the release of the all-county letter or similar instruction. 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 the statutory provisions noted above.