§ 18904.25 — California Welfare and Institutions Code

(a) Pursuant to the federal Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (Public Law 100-77), the department shall develop CalFresh information on expedited services targeted to the homeless population, including unaccompanied homeless children and youths, as those terms are defined in Section 11434a of Title 42 of the United States Code. The department shall also develop information on expedited services specified in Section 18914.5 for victims of domestic violence. This information shall be made available to homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, emergency food programs, local educational agency liaisons for homeless children and youths, designated pursuant to Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of Title 42 of the United States Code, and other community agencies who provide services to people who are homeless.

(b) Each county human services agency shall annually offer training on CalFresh application procedures to homeless shelter operators. That training shall include eligibility criteria and specific information regarding the eligibility of unaccompanied homeless children and youths. In addition, each county human services agency, upon request, shall provide homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters with a supply of that portion of the CalFresh application used to request CalFresh expedited service.

(c) Upon receipt of a signed CalFresh application from an unaccompanied child or youth under 18 years of age, the county human services agency shall determine eligibility for CalFresh benefits, including making a determination of whether the child or youth is eligible to apply as a household of one or if he or she must apply with members of a household with whom he or she is regularly purchasing and preparing foods, and screen the application for entitlement to expedited service pursuant to Section 18914. If the application of the child or youth for CalFresh benefits is denied, the county human services agency shall provide the child or youth a written notice explaining the reason for the denial.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 859, Sec. 1. (AB 2057) Effective January 1, 2017.)