Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Under existing law, households are eligible to receive CalFresh benefits to the extent permitted by federal law. Existing federal law provides that students who are enrolled in college or other institutions of higher education at least half time are not eligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet one of several specified exemptions, including participating in specified employment training programs.
Existing state law requires, for the purposes of determining eligibility for CalFresh, certain educational programs, as determined by the State Department of Social Services,
to be considered employment training programs, thereby qualifying a student participating in one of those programs for an exemption, unless prohibited by federal law. Existing law requires the department to maintain and regularly update a list of programs that meet the employment training exemption set forth in federal regulations.
This bill would require the department, to the extent permitted by federal law, to include adult education and career technical education programs in the list of programs established by the department that are deemed to meet the employment training exemption set forth in the federal regulations.
Existing law authorizes counties to participate in the CalFresh Employment and Training program (CalFresh E&T), established by federal law, for the purpose of assisting members of CalFresh households in gaining skills, training, work, or experience that will increase their ability to obtain regular
employment. Existing law authorizes the department to the extent permitted by federal law, to contract directly with an entity that has expertise in, and secures funds for, specified CalFresh E&T program services, and authorizes the department to act as the state entity for receipt of federal reimbursement on behalf of the entity provided that the entity complies with state and federal contracting requirements and, among other things, provides services to participants who face multiple barriers to employment, as defined.
This bill would include within the definition of a “participant who faces multiple barriers to employment” an individual who lost employment as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, lost employment due to a layoff, illness, or caregiving responsibility.
This bill would establish the CalFresh E&T Expansion and Improvement Program to, among other things, increase
the availability of CalFresh E&T program services and increase CalFresh E&T enrollment. The bill would require all contracts for CalFresh E&T services established under the CalFresh E&T Expansion and Improvement Program to include performance expectations in relation to the demographics of participants, as specified. The bill would require the department, as part of the CalFresh E&T Expansion and Improvement Program, to seek out contracts that provide services reflective of regional workforce needs and focus on serving specified populations, including, among others, individuals who are English language learners and individuals facing substantial cultural barriers.
To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on counties administering the CalFresh program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.