CA AB557

Commencing July 1, 2018, domestic violence situations constitute "good cause" for CalWORKs school attendance non-participation, preventing reduction of grant amounts for children aged 16 and older when school non-attendance results from domestic violence.

Commencing July 1, 2018, CalWORKs applicants who provide sworn statements of past or present domestic abuse and are fleeing their abuser are deemed homeless and eligible for temporary homeless assistance (up to two 16-day periods in lifetime) regardless of income or assets attributable to the alleged abuser.

Domestic violence situations constitute good cause for inability to obtain child immunization documentation under CalWORKs, allowing extension of compliance deadlines when applicants lack reasonable access to immunizations due to domestic violence.

All CalWORKs applicants and recipients must be informed verbally and in writing, in their understood language, of availability of services to help identify, escape, or stop domestic abuse and overcome its effects.

Commencing July 1, 2018, the State Department of Social Services must report annually to the Legislature during budget hearings on the number of CalWORKs welfare-to-work recipients identified as potential domestic abuse victims by county and actions taken to address their specific needs.