CDSS Program Accomplishments
2008
- Ensuring Sustainable Funding for IHSS: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is working with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to develop a replacement program for the IHSS Plus Waiver. CDSS and DHCS will be submitting a new application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). The new program will allow 27,000 aged, blind and disabled IHSS Plus Waiver participants into a new federal State Plan Option, which will allow continued savings of approximately $101.7 million annually to the State General Fund and $54.7 million annually to counties.
- All-time Historic Low Food Stamp Error Rates: In 2008, CDSS was recognized by the federal government for achieving an all-time historic low food stamp payment error rate which had dropped below the national average to five percent. This is a significant difference from just a few years ago when California was being penalized for its Food Stamp error rate which was in double-digits. This past November, the federal government recognized this significant accomplishment by dismissing $187 million in penalties associated with previous error rates.
- Benefits for Noncitizen Victims of Human Trafficking: In 2008, CDSS finalized implementation of a program to provide state-funded benefits and services for noncitizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and other serious crimes. This state-funded program offers bridging services to trafficking victims until they can be certified eligible for federal assistance.
- Assistance for Disabled Foster Youth: AB 1331 enables disabled foster kids to apply for federal disability benefits known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) long before they exit the foster care system. Prior federal policy led to many disabled youth leaving foster care without SSI benefits .Through its successful negotiations with the Social Security Administration to change federal policy, California has paved the way for other states to follow. Because of this change, from June 2008 to February 2009, 51 foster youth have approved SSI benefits in place as they transition out of foster care and 42 applications are in the works.
- Disability Claims: While operating the largest disability determination service in the nation, CDSS claims processing time is better than the national average. CDSS cut an additional 6 days off the average processing time for adjudicating 260,000 disability claims; last year, they cut 19 days off processing time.
- AB 433: This significant piece of legislation signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on September 30, 2008 will draw down nearly $130 million a year in new food stamp benefits for needy Californians. We estimate that more than 40,000 households will be served due to this new law. In addition, effective July 1st, a program will be established that will exclude certain assets, such as a car, for purposes of qualifying for, not only federal Food Stamps, but also for California Food Assistance Program, which serves immigrants. We expect this change will be particularly helpful for families with a recent job loss who will receive food assistance without having to spend down their resources.
