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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board approve the submittal of the HHSA California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) System Improvement Plan report, attached hereto as Attachment A, to the California Department of Social Services pursuant to the CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review Act of 2017.
FUNDING: 100% CalWORKs Single Allocation.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The CalWORKs program helps support low-income families in California, who meet the eligibility criteria, by granting cash aid and other benefits. This program serves all 58 counties in the state and is operated locally by county welfare departments (CWDs). The purpose of CalWORKs is to provide equitable access to the services, resources and opportunities to families needing to increase resilience, achieve economic mobility, and break the cycle of poverty.
Pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 89 (Chapter 24, Statutes of 2017) and in accordance with CDSS published All County Information Notice (ACIN) I-49-18, the Cal-OAR was established to facilitate a local accountability system that fosters continuous quality improvement (CQI) in county CalWORKs programs and service delivery by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating outcomes and best practices.
In accordance with Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) 11523, the Cal-OAR covers CalWORKs services provided to current and former CalWORKs recipients and consists of three main components: (1) performance indicators; (2) county CalWORKs self-assessment (Cal-CSA) process; and (3) county CalWORKs Cal-SIP, including a peer review component. Per WIC 11523 (1)(A)(i) and (ii), Cal-OAR must include CQI process and outcome measures and strategies within the following categories: participant engagement, service delivery, participation, employment, educational attainment, program exits and reentries, and may include other family and child well-being measures. These performance measures were developed by the CDS...
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