5180 Department of Social Services
Major Program Changes
  • Continuum of Care Reform - The Budget includes $127.3 million General Fund in 2016-17 to continue the implementation of the Continuum of Care reforms contained in Chapter 773, Statutes of 2015 (AB 403). The reforms emphasize home-based family care, improved access to services without having to change out-of-home placements to get those services, and an increased role of children, youth, and families in assessment and case planning. The measure establishes a core practice model to govern all services, whether delivered by a county or licensed provider organization, and provides currently required medically necessary mental health services to children regardless of their placement setting.

  • Restoration of IHSS 7-Percent Across-the-Board Reduction - The Budget includes $265.8 million General Fund in 2016-17 to reflect restoration of the 7-percent reduction to IHSS. The restoration remains in effect during the duration of the managed care organization tax, which is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2019.

  • IHSS Overtime - The Budget includes $437.3 million General Fund in 2016-17 to reflect costs associated with implementing federal requirements regarding overtime. Exemptions from state limits on overtime usage will be available for live-in family care providers who, as of January 31, 2016, reside in the home of two or more disabled minor or adult children or grandchildren for whom they provide services. A second type of exemption will be considered for recipients with extraordinary circumstances and granted on a case-by-case basis. Under either exemption, the maximum number of hours a provider may work cannot exceed 360 hours per month.

  • CalWORKs Grant Increase - The Budget reflects a 1.4-percent increase to CalWORKs grants, effective October 1, 2016, which is estimated to cost $35.4 million in 2016-17 and $47 million in 2017-18. These increased grant costs are funded entirely by the Child Poverty and Family Supplemental Support Subaccount of the Local Revenue Fund.

  • CalWORKs Maximum Family Grant Repeal - The Budget includes $95.1 million General Fund in 2016-17, $152.3 million General Fund in 2017-18, and $72.3 million in 2018-19 to reflect increased grant costs resulting from the repeal of the CalWORKs maximum family grant rule, effective January 1, 2017. Beginning in 2019-20, the increased grant costs associated with this policy change will be funded entirely by the Child Poverty and Family Supplemental Support Subaccount of the Local Revenue Fund.

  • CalWORKs Housing Support - The Budget includes an increase of $12 million General Fund, for a total of $47 million General Fund in 2016-17, for the Housing Support Program, which provides assistance to eligible families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

  • CalWORKs Homeless Assistance - The Budget includes an increase of $2.4 million General Fund in 2016-17 and $2.7 million General Fund annually thereafter to reflect elimination of the once-in-a-lifetime restriction on receipt of temporary and permanent homeless assistance and instead make this assistance available once every 12 months, effective January 1, 2017.

  • Supplemental Security Income Outreach - The Budget includes one-time funding of $45 million General Fund to establish a county matching grant program designed to provide outreach to homeless persons with disabilities who may be eligible for disability benefits programs.

  • State Supplementary Payment Cost-of-Living-Adjustment - The Budget includes increases of $36.5 million General Fund in 2016-17 and $74.8 million General Fund in 2017-18 to reflect a 2.76-percent increase to the State Supplementary Payment portion of the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment grant, effective January 1, 2017.

  • Bringing Families Home - The Budget includes one-time funding of $10 million General Fund to establish a county matching grant program focused on reducing homelessness among families who are part of the child welfare system.

  • Services for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children - The Budget includes an augmentation of $5 million General Fund beginning in 2016-17, for a total of $19 million General Fund, to support local efforts associated with the prevention, intervention, case management, and training needs related to children who are or at-risk of being victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

  • Parenting Foster Youth Infant Care Supplement - The Budget includes $4 million General Fund beginning in 2016-17 to increase the monthly infant care supplement payment by $489 for foster youth who reside with his or her dependent child.

  • Chafee Education and Training Vouchers for Foster Youth - The Budget includes an augmentation of $3 million General Fund beginning in 2016-17 to increase the number of education and training voucher grant awards provided to eligible youth in foster care.

  • Public Health Nursing and Monitoring of Psychotropic Medications - The Budget includes an increase of $1.7 million General Fund beginning in 2016-17 for psychotropic medication case management services for children in the child welfare services system.

  • Adult Protective Services - The Budget includes a one-time augmentation of $3 million General Fund in 2016-17 to expand Adult Protective Services training for county social workers.

  • State Emergency Food Assistance Program - The Budget includes a one-time appropriation of $2 million General Fund in 2016-17 to purchase and distribute food to needy households.

  • Federal Immigration Assistance - The Budget includes a one-time augmentation of $15 million General Fund, for a total of $30 million General Fund in 2016-17, to provide immigration assistance, including legal and naturalization services, to immigrant communities.

  • Minimum Wage Increase - An increase in IHSS expenditures of $18.4 million General Fund and a decrease in CalWORKs expenditures of $6 million General Fund to reflect the impact of the 50-cent increase in the state minimum hourly wage, effective January 1, 2017, pursuant to Chapter 4, Statutes of 2016 (SB 3).