.Purpose

Policy

Background

Release Date:

August 8, 2023

Definitions

Requirements

Verification Docs

GENERAL RELIEF

40-116 General Relief Renewal

Purpose

(X) To release a new policy

(  ) To release a new form

(  ) To convert existing policy to new writing style only – No concept changes

(  ) Revision of existing policy and/or form(s)

Policy

A participant must complete the General Relief (GR) Annual Renewal (RE) (previously known as the Annual Agreement) once every 12 months after the initial determination of eligibility benefits for GR. All eligibility requirements, such as household (HH) composition, income, expenses, resources, etc., are reevaluated to establish the participant’s ongoing eligibility for GR benefits.

 

The new GR 22, General Relief Annual Renewal, form replaced the ABP 898-16, General Relief Annual Agreement, form and will now be used to determine ongoing eligibility for all GR cases during the annual RE process.

Background

Per County Code of Ordinance Chapter 2.102 Sections 2.102.050 and 2.102.150 each individual applying for or receiving GR benefits must sign a written declaration under penalty of perjury at the time of GR application and once annually stating their address, income/source of income, property/resources, HH composition, responsible relative’s name, their address/income. Any individual who fails or refuses to provide the required information at intake or once every 12 months will not be eligible for GR benefits.

 

With the elimination of the QR 7-LA, General Relief Quarterly Report, GR Program developed the new GR 22 form to capture the required information in order to determine a participant’s ongoing eligibility for GR benefits. 

Definitions

Term

Description

RE

The RE is required to establish a participant’s ongoing eligibility to GR benefits. It must be completed at least once every 12 months after the initial GR eligibility determination.

RE Report Month

The month prior to the RE Submit Month. The information reported for this month will be used to determine the HH’s ongoing eligibility to GR benefits.

RE Submit Month

The month the HH’s GR RE is due. This is the last month of a HH’s RE period.

Telephonic Signature (TS)

A type of electronic signature that uses an individual’s recorded spoken signature or verbal assent in place of an actual written signature. The person being recorded must provide a verbal affirmation as to their understanding that the provided information is true and accurate.

 

A TS is considered a signature if the signatory understands that a TS is being used, consents to the use of a TS, and intends the signature to have the same force and effect as a written signature.

BenefitsCal

A new website for customers to apply for, view, and renew benefits for health coverage, food, and cash assistance. The BenefitsCal portal also allows customers to upload supporting verifications/documents online.

Extended Suspend Period

A period through the third Thursday of the month following the discontinuance in which the participant may comply with all noncompliance issues and have their GR benefits reinstated.

Requirements

Regardless of their employability status, GR participants are required to complete the GR RE once every 12 months in order to be eligible for ongoing GR benefits. Failure to complete the annual RE will result in a discontinuance of their GR benefits.

 

Note: GR participants with a Needs Special Assistance (NSA) designation are required to complete the annual GR RE as a condition of continuing eligibility for GR.

 

The GR RE packet is auto-generated by California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) and mailed to the participant in their preferred threshold language 10 calendar days prior to the end of the Report Month (ten day cut-off). The GR RE packet includes the following mandatory and non-mandatory/informational forms/notices:

 

Mandatory Form

GR 22, General Relief Annual Renewal

Non-mandatory or Informational Forms/Notices

GR 21, General Relief Rights and Responsibilities

NVRA VPF, Voter Preference Form

MV1, California Voter Registration Card

PA 1675-2, Direct Deposit Overview

PA 2457, Civil Rights Information Notice

PA 2126, Do You Live in or Plan to Live in Public or Section 8 Housing?

CW 2223, Demographic Questionnaire

PUB 430, Mental Health Assessment and Use of the Third-Party Verification

GEN 1365, Notice of Language Services

 

The participant’s annual RE due month is established based on the GR initial application month.

 

GR Application Month

RE Report

Month

RE Submit

Month

First Month of Next Payment Period

October 2022

August 2023

September 2023

October 2023

November 2022

September 2023

October 2023

November 2023

 

Effective August 2023, the SSP 14, Authorization for Reimbursement of Interim Assistance Initial Claim or Posteligibility Case, form will no longer be included in the GR RE packet but must still be completed by GR participants once every 12 months. The form will continue to be auto-generated on the 3rd calendar day of the Report Month and mailed to the participant separately from the GR RE packet. Failure to complete the SSP 14 will result in a discontinuance of the GR benefits.

 

CalSAWS is programmed to auto-generate and mail the GR RE packet to the participants with a mailing address other than the district office in their preferred threshold language. Homeless participants who are using the district office address as a mailing address can pick up their GR RE packet when they pick up their mail in the district office or can access the GR 22 via their BenefitsCal account.

 

Requirement

Limit/Condition

HH’s Responsibility

GR participants are required to complete and return the mandatory GR 22 form along with verifications (if applicable) by the 10th calendar day of the RE Submit Month. If the 10th calendar day is a weekend or holiday, then the due date will be the next business day

Failure to submit the GR 22 on or before the due date will cause a discontinuance of the GR case by the end of the Submit Month.

 

Participants may choose to complete and submit the non-mandatory forms if they want to provide additional demographic information or to set up a direct deposit.

 

Note: The GR 21 provides information about the participant’s rights and responsibilities during the annual RE process and is not required to be signed or returned by the participant.

 

Failure to return the non-mandatory forms will not impact the participants’ GR eligibility.

Submission Methods

Currently, participants do not have the ability to complete the GR RE electronically via BenefitsCal.

 

Participants have the following options to return the completed mandatory forms along with the required verifications:

 

1.    By United States (U.S.) mail or fax;

2.    In person at the district office; or

3.    Upload via BenefitsCal.

 

Note: A photo upload of a completed and signed GR 22 is acceptable. The participant’s signature and date must be clearly visible.

Complete RE

The GR annual RE will be considered complete when all of the following requirements are met:

 

1.    Questions: All questions on the GR 22 have been answered and marked with a “YES” or “NO”;

2.    Income and property: All income (earned, unearned, or exempt) and property (personal/real property/liquid assets, etc.) are/have been reported;

3.    HH Composition: The participant has reported any changes in HH;

4.    Signature: The participant and spouse, if aided on GR, have signed the GR 22;

 

Note: The signature of the Authorized Representative (AR) will be accepted on the GR 22 if the participant previously reported an AR and signed the CSF 117, Authorized Representative Designation for Cash Benefits, form.   

5.    Date: The participant has included the date on the GR 22; and

6.    Verification: The participant submitted verification(s) for each question that is answered with a “YES” on the GR 22. Refer to Verification Documents section for details.

 

IMPORTANT:  The participant and spouse, if aided, may sign and date the GR 22 earlier than the first day of the Submit Month.

 

Note: The participant is also required to return the SSP 14 by the 10th calendar day of the RE Submit Month. If the participant fails to return only SSP 14, GR will be discontinued for failure to return the SSP 14 form, but not for the GR RE.

Incomplete RE

If any of the requirements under the “Complete RE” section is missing, the RE will be considered “Incomplete” and the participant will receive a phone call from the Eligibility Worker (EW) to request any missing information and/or verification(s).

 

If the call was unsuccessful, the participant will receive a

CW 2200, Request for Verification form by mail requesting any missing information and/or verification(s).

 

The participant is required to submit the missing verification(s) within the Submit Month to ensure there is no break in aid.

 

If the participant fails to submit the requested information by the due date, CalSAWS is programmed to take negative action by the end of the Submit Month (10-day cut-off date) and discontinue the GR case for “Incomplete RE” reason.

 

Note: The participant has until the third Thursday of the next month following the discontinuance to provide the requested verification(s) to reinstate the GR without a break in aid.

Timely Submitted RE

The RE is considered to be submitted timely if the GR 22 form and verification(s) are received by the 10th calendar day of the RE Submit Month. If the 10th calendar day is a weekend or holiday, then the due date will be the next business day

Late RE

The RE is considered to be late if the GR 22 form and/or verification(s) are received after the 10th calendar day of the RE Submit Month. If the 10th calendar day is a weekend or holiday, then the due date will be the next business day

RE Not Received

The participant never completed and returned the GR 22 during the Submit Month or extended suspend period.

Delayed Processing

County-Caused Delay

 

The participant returned the GR 22 and mandatory verifications (if applicable) on or before the due date, but the RE was not processed because of a county-caused delay, and GR was discontinued. The County must process the GR RE and reinstate the GR benefits as soon as administratively possible, without a break in aid, if the HH is found to be eligible for ongoing GR benefits.

 

Participant-Caused Delay

 

The participant failed to return the completed/signed GR 22 and/or required mandatory verification(s) before the due date, and GR was discontinued. Participants have until the third Thursday of the next month following the discontinuance to provide the requested information and/or mandatory verification(s) to reinstate GR. The GR case cannot be reinstated if the requested information and/or mandatory verification(s) are submitted after the third Thursday.

TS

GR participants must consent to a TS and understand that their TS carries the same weight and effect as a wet signature. A copy of the telephonically completed/signed GR 22 will be provided to the participants allowing them to review the information and make necessary changes within 10 business days.

 

Note: Refer to SSP 14 policy for the instructions on the use of TS for the SSP 14.

Verification Documents

Participants who report change(s) during the annual GR RE process that impact their eligibility must provide verification(s) of the reported change(s).

 

Category

Acceptable Documents

HH Changes

When the participant reports a change in the GR HH (e.g., marriage, newborn), they are required to provide the Social Security Number (SSN), photo Identification (ID), citizenship status, income, and resources (if applicable) for the new person. Refer to 44-203 Household Composition and Living Arrangement policy for details.

Address

If the participant reported a new address and/or rent, then they are only required to provide verification of the amount of rent paid if the reported amount is “questionable.” Otherwise, the participant’s verbal or written statement is satisfactory verification. Refer to 44-203 Household Composition and Living Arrangement policy for details.

Employment/ Income

Any employment and/or earned/unearned income verification for the Report Month. Refer to 44-101 Income policy for details.

Property/ Resources

Verification of the property and resources for the Report Month. Refer to 42-200 Property policy for details.