For Specialized Supportive Services, Linkages, Educational and/or Refugee components, transportation payments including mileage may be authorized for up to five (5) months in the future if appropriate or to the expected end date of the activity, which ever is shorter.

New Trustline requirements for license-exempt child care providers take effect on 2/1/08. A license-exempt child care provider, who is not Trustline exempt, must complete the Trustline registration process before Stage 1 child care payments will be authorized. Great grandparents, great aunts and great uncles are no longer Trustline exempt.

The following sections have been changed to reflect the Trustline changes: Child Care Sections 1211, 1212, 1213.12, 1213.42, 1213.44, 1213.45, 1213.46, 1214.32, and Decision Chart. 1215.12.

Section 812.51 has been added to provide new policy on Assessment Payments.

GSWs are to ensure that a payment invoice is generated to the assessor by updating GEARS upon receiving the GAIN Vocational/Career Disposition, GN 6013 and GAIN Vocational/Career Assessment Summary /Employment/Career Plan, GN 6014 from the assessor indicating the participant has completed assessment. GSWs must request the designated Deputy Regional Director or Regional Director to update GEARS to generate the invoice if the assessment was completed and the case is in the X-File, previously-issued invoice has been blocked, and/or payment has been made to an incorrect service provider.

Sections 912.19 and 912.191 have been added to provide new policy on Life Skills Classes (LSC) and Gang Prevention Parenting Classes.

The classes may be assigned as a bridging activity, a concurrent post-assessment activity, and as a concurrent activity with a Self-Initiated Program (SIP) to meet the minimum participation requirement of 32/35 hours per week.

Chapter 500- Appraisal policy, procedures and decision charts have been revised to reflect the implementation of the new Orientation/Job Club/Vocational Assessment (JCO) component. Appraisal appointments are now an hour long and participants who do not attend their scheduled appointment are contacted by telephone by his/her assigned GAIN Services Workers.

The Welfare-to-Work Flow Policy and Decision Chart have been moved from Chapter 300 into Chapter 100-Introduction and the GAIN Welfare-to-Work Flow. Chapter 100 has been revised to incorporate the new Orientation/Job Club/Vocational Assessment (JCO) component. Chapter 300 only contains Policy for the “Role of the GAIN Services Worker”. The exempt volunteer’s (EV) eligibility requirements have been clarified. The EV may participate in WtW activities any number of hours per week. The EV is not subject to the 20-hour core activity, nor the 32/35 hours per week, participation requirement rules. (See Chapter 100, Section 112.2).

Chapter 700, “Enhanced Job Club/Vocational Assessment” has been changed to “Orientation/Job Club/Vocational Assessment (JCO).” Policy and procedures have been revised to reflect the new JCO component and the Telephone Call Follow-up policy. Orientation is now the first day of JCO. Policy and procedures for Supervised Job Search, Flex, and Dual Track have also been revised. Decision charts have also been revised to incorporate new changes.

Sections 1233.7 and 1233.8 have been added to Section 1230 as decision flowcharts to reflect the process for the automated Community College Ancillary Request Systems on GEARS.

Chapter 1200, Section 1260, provides GAIN staff with policy, decision charts, and exhibits on CalWORKs Mental Health Services. The policy can be searched by the use of links within the section.

Effective 11/1/07, the Learning Disabilities (LD) GEARS screens have been modified to improve the LD GEARS update process, expedite provider payments, and avoid overpayments. The policy instructions for these modifications have been added in Chapter 1280, Section 1282.28 and all the Decision Charts in Section 1283.

Section 1213.22 provides instructions to the Child Care Coordinators (CCC) in the GAIN/Contracted Regional offices as it relates to the outreach efforts that will be undertaken to assist employed, deregistered participants in accessing child care services.

The number of days to process a request for Transportation and/or Ancillary/Work-Related expenses has been changed from the three (3) workday rule to four (4) workdays.  The approval process must now be completed within four (4) workdays from the date all documentation/verification is received.

Section 1012.32, Three-Month Evaluation of Post-Employment Services, was revised to remove obsolete policy pertaining to GSW field visits to the participant’s job and/or home. Further study indicated that such visits were minimally effective.

Due to the increased cost for an MTA daily bus pass from $3.00 to $5.00, the maximum cash limit issuance in office has increased to $5.00. See Section 1612.11 – Cash Issuance in Office.

Chapter 1900 Homeless GAIN Services Policy was added to provide policy to GAIN staff on identifying and coordinating GAIN Welfare-to-Work activities with housing search activities. If the participant’s housing situation precludes participation, the participant is given Good Cause for up to three months. In addition, when the homeless indicator flag is on LEADER/GEARS, noncompliance/sanctions are blocked on GEARS.

Sections 311, 312.1, 312.2 and 313.1 have been added to provide new policy and a decision chart for the Role of the GSW and Monthly GAIN Participant Contact. GSWs are to contact all participants in their caseloads on a monthly basis.

Section 1213.6 provides the duties and responsibilities of the Child Care Coordinators (CCC) and back-ups in GAIN/Contracted Regional Offices, and CalWORKs Districts. The CCCs act as liaisons between the Department, participants and the R&R/APP agencies to troubleshoot child care-related issues/problems that arise and need further research with CalWORKs eligibility and/or GAIN Regional staff.

The CW 61, Authorization to Release Medical Information, replaces the GN 6051, Verification of Exemption. The CW 61 with Coversheet, CW 61A, Physical Capacities and CW 61B, Medical Capacities forms are now provided to participants requesting medical (physical, mental or pregnancy conditions) or Provides Continuous Care for an Ill Household Member exemptions. A diagnosis is not required and shall not be requested by the GSW. These changes are in Written Third Party Documentation, Section 412.111-114, Code 05: Incapacity, Section 412.311 (a), Provides Continuous Care for an Ill Household Member, Section 412.321, Pregnancy, Section 412.421. Also, the following Decision charts were updated: Evaluation of Possible Exemption Pre-Appraisal Decision Chart, Section 413.11, Evaluation of Possible Exemption Post Appraisal Decision Chart, Section 413.12, Exemption Process for Contracted Case Manager Decision Chart 413.2 and Exhibit I, GAIN Exemption Guidelines, Section 414.1.

The GSW shall use the CW 61A and/or CW 61B, if completed, to determine WtW activities that do not exceed the number of hours allowed or interfere with the participant’s condition. See Medical Exemption Approval, Section 412.313.

The exempt volunteer participation requirements have been clarified. The exempt volunteer is not required to participate 32/35 hours per week or meet the 20-hour core activity requirement. See Exemption Guidelines, Section 412.5.

The GSW/DEW explains CalWORKs SSI Advocacy Services (CWSSIAP) to participants who request a medical (physical or mental or pregnancy conditions) exemption. If a participant requests CWSSIAP services, the GSW/DEW will call the CWSSIAP supervisor at the Glendale District to make a referral. The CW 61 forms are useful in determining referrals to the CWSSIAP. See Supplemental Security Income Advocacy Program, Section 412.314, Designated Exemption Worker (DEW) Outreach, Section 412.61, Designated Exemption Workers’ Decision Chart, 413.4, and a new Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Advocacy Decision Chart, Section 413.5.

Responsibilities for GSWs regarding record retention and elimination of documents used to track participants’ time on aid and time limit review have been clarified. See Records Retention, Section 412.732 and Elimination of Records, Section 412.733.

Sections: 128, 612.28, 613.7, 912.18, 912.54, 912.7, and 913.10 were added to provide policy and decision charts for referring GAIN participants to the new Work Study component.

Sections: 612.21, 912.16, and 912.32, Study Time, were added to GAIN Policy. Study time counts towards participation hours in education-related activities. Non-credit study time that can be documented also counts toward meeting participation hours in education-related activities.

Section 912.53, Confidentiality Guidelines, has been added to ensure that WtW participants assigned to District/GAIN Regional Offices for Work Experience, Work Study and Community Services components acquire valuable work experience without compromising any confidential information while on assignment.

• Bridging Activities have been created to fill the gap between GAIN components.
• Policy on Bridging Activities has been added to sections 611 Key Points, and 912.17 Bridging Activities.
• New decision charts have been added to sections 613.5 Referral to Bridging Activity During School Summer Break Decision Chart, 613.6 Referral to Bridging Activity Decision Chart, 913.8 Referral to Bridging Activity, and 913.9 Referral to Bridging Activity During School Summer Break.

• Notice of new updates will be added here as they are made available.
• The policy can also be searched using the above link.